Dystonia – What it is, Causes and Treatments
Dystonia – What it is, Causes and Treatments that we should not ignore. Also, Dystonia is a movement disorder in which a person’s muscles contract in an uncontrollable way. The contraction causes the affected body part to twist involuntarily, resulting in repetitive movements or abnormal postures. Dystonia can affect a muscle, a muscle group, or the entire body. Dystonia affects about 1% of the population, and women are more prone to it than men. So, check out Dystonia – What it is, Causes and Treatments.
Causes of Dystonia: Dystonia can occur for a variety of causes, such as:
- Congenital;
- genetics;
- Idiopathic (no apparent cause);
- Acquired from other conditions: stroke, encephalitis , lack of oxygen, head trauma, medication side effect, strain injury
- repetitive motion and intoxication by some heavy metal or carbon monoxide.
Most cases of dystonia do not have a specific cause. Dystonia appears to be related to a problem with the basal ganglia. This is the area of the brain that is responsible for initiating muscle contractions . The problem involves the way nerve cells communicate. Acquired dystonia is caused by damage to the basal ganglia. Damage can be the result of:
News of the week:
- brain trauma
- Brain stroke
- Tumor
- oxygen deprivation
- Infection
- drug reactions
- Poisoning caused by lead or carbon monoxide
Idiopathic or primary dystonia is often inherited from a parent. Some people with the disorder may never develop dystonia of their own. And the symptoms of dystonia can vary widely among members of the same family.
Symptoms of Dystonia: Symptoms of dystonia can range from very mild to severe. Dystoniacan affect different parts of the body and often the symptoms of dystonia progress through stages. Some early symptoms of dystonia include:
- A “dragging leg”
- foot cramps
- Involuntary neck pulling
- uncontrollable blinking
- speech difficulties
Stress or fatigue can cause symptoms or make them worse. People with dystonia often complain of pain and exhaustion due to constant muscle contractions . If symptoms of dystonia occur in childhood, they usually first appear on the foot or hand. But then they quickly progress to the rest of the body. After adolescence, however, the rate of progression tends to slow down.
When dystonia appears in early adulthood, it usually starts in the upper body. Then there is a slow progression of symptoms. Dystonias that begin in early adulthood remain focal or segmental: they affect one part of the body or two or more adjacent parts of the body.
Treatment For Dystonia: Treatment for cervical dystonia usually involves regular injections given by a neurologist. Some people also find oral medication helpful. Sensory tricks (eg, touching a part of the head with a finger) and relaxation techniques can also be helpful as coping strategies.
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Unfortunately, there is still no cure for cervical dystonia . However, in the vast majority of cases, dystonia does not influence intelligence or shorten the person’s life. Most people can develop successful strategies for living with dystonia by combining treatment with pain management and sensory tricks to help with social situations.