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Symptoms
By Mayo Clinic staffAtaxia can develop over time or come on suddenly, depending on the cause. Ataxia causes poor coordination, but other signs and symptoms vary depending on the type of ataxia. Signs and symptoms may include:
- Poor coordination
- Unsteady walk and a tendency to stumble
- Difficulty with fine-motor tasks, such as eating, writing or buttoning a shirt
- Change in speech
- Abnormal eye movements
- Difficulty swallowing
When to see a doctor
If you aren't aware of having a condition that causes ataxia, such as multiple sclerosis, see your doctor if you:
- Lose balance
- Lose muscle coordination in a hand, arm or leg
- Have difficulty walking
- Slur your speech
- Have difficulty swallowing
- NINDS ataxias and cerebellar or spinocerebellar degeneration information page. National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke. http://www.ninds.nih.gov/disorders/ataxia/ataxia.htm. Accessed Dec. 29, 2008.
- NINDS Friedreich's ataxia information page. National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke. http://www.ninds.nih.gov/disorders/friedreichs_ataxia/friedreichs_ataxia.htm. Accessed Dec. 29, 2008.
- NINDS Ataxia telangiectasia information page. National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke. http://www.ninds.nih.gov/disorders/a_t/a-t.htm. Accessed Dec. 29, 2008.
- Opal P, et al. The spinocerebellar ataxias. http://www.uptodate.com/home/index.html. Accessed Jan. 5, 2009.
- NINDS paraneoplastic syndromes information page. National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke. http://www.ninds.nih.gov/disorders/paraneoplastic/paraneoplastic.htm. Accessed Dec. 29, 2008.
- Jen JC, et al. Primary episodic ataxias: Diagnosis, pathogenesis and treatment. Brain. 2007;130:2484. Accessed Dec. 15, 2008.
- Ataxia telangiectasia: Fact sheet. National Cancer Institute. http://www.cancer.gov/cancertopics/factsheet/ataxiaqa. Accessed Jan. 11, 2009.
- FA beginner's primer. Freidrich's Ataxia Research Alliance. http://www.curefa.org/primer.html. Accessed Jan. 11, 2009.
- Adult ataxia information for patients and caregivers. Worldwide education and awareness for movement disorders. http://www.wemove.org/ataxia/. Accessed Jan. 11, 2009.
