During dystonia, the patient's muscles involuntarily contract and cause uncontrolled, repetitive movements in the affected body part. Symptoms can be both mild and severe and interfere with the patient's daily life
Doctors divide dystonia into the following categories: generalized, focal and segmental. Focal dystonia, which is the most common category, affects one part of the body Generalized dystonia affects all parts of the body In case of segmental dystonia, two or more nearby parts of the body are affected Some types of dystonia are hereditary
Medications sometimes improve the symptoms of dystonia, but not permanently In more severe cases, surgical intervention is required to adjust the brain regions and nerves
The causes of dystonia are still unknown, although several factors may be involved in the development of the disease
Altered nerve cell communication Dystonia may be associated with altered nerve cell communication in the basal ganglia. A part of the basal ganglia in the brain initiates muscle contraction
Genetic changes Dystonia is sometimes inherited Researchers have found several genetic changes associated with the inherited form of dystonia
Other diseases Sometimes dystonia can be a symptom of another disease Such diseases are:
- Parkinson's disease
- Huntington's disease
- Wilson's disease
- Traumatic brain injury
- Traumatic injury during childbirth
- Stroke
- Brain tumor
Symptoms of dystonia:
- Involuntary muscle contractions that cause repetitive movements or twisting of the posture
- Starts in a single point, such as the ankle, wrist, or neck
- May develop during a specific act, such as writing by hand
- Works with stress, fatigue, or anxiety Damaged areas of the body can be:
- Eyelids Rapid blinking or involuntary spasms cause the eyes to close (blepharospasm), effectively blinding the patient
- Neck In neck dystonia, muscle contractions cause the head to twist to one side, roll forward or backward, and sometimes cause pain.
- Face, head and neck During craniofacial dystonia, the patient's face, neck, and head muscles contract. Oromandibular dystonia affects the movements of the lower jaw or tongue and causes slurred speech or difficulty swallowing
- Vocal chords Some forms of dystonia damage the muscles controlling the vocal cords (spasmodic dysphonia) As a result, the patient's voice resembles a whisper or he speaks in a strained voice
- Hand cluster and forearm Some dystonia manifests itself only during specific, repetitive activities In musician's dystonia, the patient may not be able to play his instrument after some time In writer's dystonia, the muscles of the wrist and forearm contract involuntarily while writing. Dystonia may also occur during other specific activities
When to see a doctor
Because dystonia symptoms are often mild, intermittent, and associated with concrete activities, some people initially believe they are inventing the problem themselves. If you or someone you know has involuntary muscle contractions, see your doctor
