Written by Alicia Racelis, PhD, Keri Wiginton
Medically Reviewed by Brunilda Nazario, MD on November 06, 2025
What Is Tardive Dyskinesia?
Tardive dyskinesia (TD) is an involuntary movement condition, meaning you can't control your movements. "Tardive" means late, and "dyskinesia" means uncontrolled movements.
It's often a side effect of medication that blocks dopamine. That's a brain chemical that helps your nerves and body function.
“Tardive dyskinesia is really an umbrella term for a number of involuntary movements that affect the face, mouth, trunk, or other muscles in the body,” says Aderonke Pederson, MD, assistant professor of psychiatry at Harvard Medical School and Massachusetts General Hospital. “Sometimes it can be very subtle when it starts.”
Because TD can take months or even years to appear, it’s sometimes hard to diagnose. When it does, you may have stiff or jerky movements in your face or body. You might blink often, stick out your tongue, or move your arms or legs without meaning to.
TD is most often linked to certain antipsychotic or antiemetic medicines. Antipsychotics treat mental health conditions such as schizophrenia or bipolar disorder. Antiemetics prevent nausea and vomiting.
Not everyone who takes these medications will get tardive dyskinesia. But if it happens, TD can sometimes last even after stopping the drug. That’s why it’s important to tell your doctor right away if you notice new or uncontrollable movements after starting a drug or changing the dose.
Your doctor can help find out what’s causing the movements and adjust your treatment safely. They may lower your dose, switch you to another medication, or add a drug to help manage TD symptoms.
“The hope is always to catch those side effects and address them early because we have alternative options to medications," Pederson says.
Tardive Dyskinesia Symptoms
Tardive dyskinesia can be different for everyone. It's a complex health condition causing stiff, uncontrolled, repeated movement. TD can affect the muscles in your face (orofacial dyskinesia) or your arms and legs (dyskinesia of the limbs).
Orofacial dyskinesia or oro-bucco-lingual dyskinesia. These are uncontrolled movements in your face — namely your lips, jaw, or tongue.
The muscles in your face might cause you to:
- Stick out your tongue without trying
- Blink your eyes fast or twitch
- Chew, smack, or pucker your lips
- Puff out your cheeks
- Frown
- Grunt
Dyskinesia of the limbs. It can affect your arms, legs, fingers, and toes. TD can cause your muscles to:
- Wiggle your fingers, sometimes called "piano-playing"
- Tap your feet
- Flap your arms
- Cross your legs repeatedly
- Shrug your shoulders
- Twist or stretch your neck
- Thrust out your pelvis
- Sway from side to side
These movements can be fast or slow. You may find it hard to work and stay active.
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