how is dystonia treated?

Question

Answer 1

Symptom Management: Unfortunately, there are no medication to prevent or slow the progression of dystonia, so treatment is geared to easing symptoms. Medications are often prescribed and the most common drugs work by preventing the neurotransmitter acetylcholine from causing the muscle to contract. Although used less often, medications exist that target other neurotransmitters such as GABA and Dopamine as well.

Answer 2

Just modification: There are many forms of dystonia. Some cases are transient and resolve on their own. Some cases are progressive and get much worse over time. Some are modified with treatment. Some seem to disappear following procedures such as deep brain stimulation, but can recur. Muscle relaxant medications can help and food therapy techniques have been useful. Avoiding triggers is important.

Answer 3

Never: Dystonias can be painful and disfiguring, but they are never fatal. Some disorders that produce dystonias such as huntington's chorea may be fatal, but they are quite rare. Most dystonias are self-limiting.

Answer 4

No: Dystonia is a description of a disorder of muscle tone. It can affect just a small group of muscles or the entire body. If it affects the muscles of swallowing or breathing, it can result in serious breathing problems. However, with appropriate management, life and function can be quite good. There is no reason to consider the condition as life threatening.

Answer 5

Muscle contractions: Dystonia is a disorder where involuntary muscle contractions result in slow repetitive movements or abnormal postures. It can effect individual muscles, groups of muscles or the muscles throughout the body.

Answer 6

Functional Spasm: An abnormal tightening and shortening of a muscle causing a misalignment of peripheral joint or spine, with or without pain, typically related to neurological basis.

Answer 7

Dystonia?: Dystonia is a condition where the brain causes abnormal contraction of the muscles of the body. Dystonia can be focal occurring in the neck, hand (writers cramp), arm, leg, abdomen, face, etc. Dystonia can also be generalized and genetic affecting the entire body. Muscles send sensory information to the brain and the brain sends the wrong signal back to the muscle (Sensory-Motor Integration).

Answer 8

Movement disorder: Dystonia is a movement disorder, in which sustained muscle contractions cause twisting and repetitive movements or abnormal postures. Dystonia can be hereditary or caused by other factors such as medication , birth-related, physical trauma, or even certain infections. In some cases dystonia can be spontaneous with no known cause.

Answer 9

Depends: Dystonia is a neurologic syndrome characterized by sustained involuntary muscular activity producing sustained, abnormal and repetitive muscle contractions causing twisting movements, abnormal posture and functional disability. There are many different types and causes with different prognoses. Some remit, some stay the same and others get worse.

Answer 10

Rarely: Most dystonia is focal, aggravated by overuse and not by age. Some neurological diseases have dystonia which gets more difficult to treat because of contractures over time. Botulinum toxin injections are useful for months of relief without medications in some cases.

Answer 11

Visit a Neurologist: This is best evaluated by a neurologist as there are different types of dystonia.

Answer 12

Get formal eval: Dystonia is basically sustained muscle contractions causing unusual postures of the neck, face, or limbs, though even frequent blinking (blepharospasm) or a strained voice (spasmodic dysphonia of the vocal cords) are forms of dystonia. If there are concerns about possible dystonia, try to see a neurologist. Dystonia is somewhat rare, and most doctors outside neurology are unfamiliar with it.

Answer 13

Various factors: Genetics plays a role (e.g. Dyt-1 and many similar childhood onset dystonias, etc). It may also come about from injury to certain parts of the brain (esp. The basal ganglia areas) from stroke, head injury, toxic exposure, certain diseases, and other causes, but for many (esp. Most adults who develop dystonia) there is no clear cause.

Answer 14

Complex issue: Dystonia is a description of motor dysfunction. It may be a form of static encephalopathy, an effect of injury to the brain, or a toxic reaction to a medication or treatment. There are progressive forms that appear in childhood and progress through adulthood. There are medications and procedures that help to modify the disorder. Most important is to determine the cause.

how is dystonia treated?

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