Dystonia
Dystonia is a neurological hyperkinetic movement disorder in which sustained or repetitive muscle contractions occur involuntarily, resulting in twisting and repetitive movements or abnormal fixed postures. The movements may resemble a tremor. Dystonia is often intensified or exacerbated by physical activity, and symptoms may progress into adjacent muscles.
| Dystonia | |
|---|---|
| A person with medication-induced dystonia | |
| Specialty | Neurology |
| Complications | physical disabilities (contractures, torticollis), pain and fatigue |
| Causes | hereditary (DYT1); birth injury; head trauma; medication; infection; toxins |
| Diagnostic method | genetic testing, electromyography, blood tests, MRI or CT scan |
| Treatment | medication, physical therapy, botulinum toxin injection, deep brain stimulation |
| Medication | anticholinergics, dopamine agonists |
The disorder may be hereditary or caused by other factors such as birth-related or other physical trauma, infection, poisoning (e.g., lead poisoning) or reaction to pharmaceutical drugs, particularly neuroleptics, or stress. Treatment must be highly customized to the needs of the individual and may include oral medications, chemodenervation botulinum neurotoxin injections, physical therapy, or other supportive therapies, and surgical procedures such as deep brain stimulation.