symptoms of dystonia?

Question

My dystonia symptoms have been stable for five years. Should I expect them to remain the same, or will they progress and become more debilitating?

Answer 1

Involuntary movement: Dystonia symptoms will vary with type you have. Most frequently there is cramping, or tightening of muscles after heavy use or during stress. Handwriting may worsen after a line or so of writing, a foot may turn inward, head may turn as the neck muscles tighten.

Answer 2

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 3

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 4

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 5

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 6

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

Answer 7

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 8

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 9

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.

Answer 10

Involuntary movement: Dystonia symptoms will vary with type you have. Most frequently there is cramping, or tightening of muscles after heavy use or during stress. Handwriting may worsen after a line or so of writing, a foot may turn inward, head may turn as the neck muscles tighten.

symptoms of dystonia?

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