Numerous diseases can cause muscle spasms. According to the U.S. National Library of Medicine and the National Institutes of Health, or NIH, muscle spasms or cramps are sudden, involuntary muscle contractions that last for up to several minutes. Although muscle spasms are often caused by straining or overusing a muscle, they may also be caused by certain medical conditions or diseases.
Huntington's Disease
Huntington's disease is a disease that can cause muscle spasms. According to the Alzheimer's Association, Huntington's disease is a terminal brain disorder caused by inherited changes in a single gene. The gene alterations that cause Huntington's disease target and destroy nerve cells in central brain regions. The Alzheimer's Association states that common Huntington's disease-related symptoms include the following: involuntary muscle twitches and spasms, balance and coordination problems, personality changes such as irritability, depression and mood swings, memory problems, decreased concentration abilities and trouble making decisions. The Alzheimer's society notes that the onset of symptoms and the disease's advancement varies between people, and that there is currently no treatment available to combat the disease.
Wilson's Disease
Wilson's disease is a disease that can cause muscle spasms. The National Institute of Neurologic Disorders and Stroke, or NINDS--a division of the National Institutes of Health--states that Wilson's disease is a rare, inherited disorder that involves excessive copper accumulation in a person's body, which causes liver, kidney, brain and eye damage over time. NINDS notes that some of the first symptoms of the disease to appear--especially among adults--include slurred speech or dysarthria, difficulty swallowing or dysphagia and drooling. Other common symptoms of Wilson's disease include the following: tremors of the hand, arms or legs, altered muscle tone and prolonged muscular contractions that cause abnormal postures, twisting and repetitive movements or dystonia. Wilson's disease may also slow a person's movement, and cause clumsiness and a decrease in fine motor movements. NINDS states that about one in three people with Wilson's disease also experience psychiatric symptoms.
Tourette's Syndrome
Tourette's syndrome is a disease that can cause muscle spasms. According to the National Tourette Syndrome Association or NTSA, Tourette's syndrome is a neurological disorder that arises in early childhood or adolescence, and is characterized by multiple motor tics or muscle spasms and vocal tics that last for one year or more. The NTSA notes that the earliest symptoms of Tourette's syndrome typically involve involuntary, repetitive and rapid spasms of face, extremity or trunk muscles. Of all the tics or spasms experienced by a person with Tourette's syndrome, the most common is a facial tic, which involves eye blinking, nose twitching and grimacing. Sometimes, states the NTSA, the involuntary muscle spasms that help define Tourette's syndrome can be complex, involving the whole body, and people with Tourette's often report a desperate urge to perform a certain motor activity, such as kicking or stamping.
