What is Cervical Dystonia (what I have…)

home title Posted on Jan 10th, 2012 | 0 comments home title

Cervical dystonia (spasmodic torticollis)

Cervical dystonia, also known as spasmodic torticollis, is a focal dystonia characterized by neck muscles contracting involuntarily, causing abnormal movements and awkward posture of the head and neck. The movements may be sustained (�tonic�), jerky (�clonic�), or a combination. Spasms in the muscles or pinched nerves in the neck can result in considerable pain and discomfort. Cervical dystonia may be primary or secondary.

Terms used to describe cervical dystonia include: spasmodic torticollis, torticollis, adult onset focal dystonia. Specific words may be used to describe the position of the neck: laterocollis (head tilts to side); retrocollis (head tilts back), anterocollis (head tilts forward).

Symptoms
In cervical dystonia, the neck muscles contract involuntarily. If the contractions are sustained, they may cause abnormal posture of the head and neck. If the spasms are periodic or patterned, they may produce jerky head movements. The severity of cervical dystonia varies from mild to severe. Movements are often partially relieved by a �sensory trick� (also known as geste antagoniste) such as gently touching the chin, other areas of the face, or back of the head.

Cervical dystonia may begin in the neck and spread into the shoulders, but the symptoms usually plateau and remain stable within five years of onset. This form of focal dystonia is unlikely to spread beyond the neck and shoulders or become generalized dystonia. Occasionally, people with cervical dystonia develop other focal dystonias.

Cause
Cervical dystonia may be primary (meaning that it is the only apparent neurological disorder, with or without a family history) or be brought about by secondary causes such as physical trauma. Cases of inherited cervical dystonia may occur in conjunction with early-onset generalized dystonia, which is associated with the DYT1 gene.

Diagnosis
Diagnosis of cervical dystonia is based on information from the affected individual and the physical and neurological examination. At this time, there is no test to confirm diagnosis of cervical dystonia, and in most cases assorted laboratory tests are normal.

Cervical dystonia should not be confused with other conditions which cause a twisted neck such as local orthopedic or congenital problems of the neck, or ophthalmologic conditions where the head tilts to compensate for impaired vision. It is sometimes misdiagnosed as stiff neck, arthritis, or wryneck.

Treatment
One of the most effective treatments for cervical dystonia is regular botulinum toxin injections to the affected muscles. A multitude of oral medications have demonstrated some benefit. The categories of drugs reported to help relieve the symptoms associated with cervical dystonia include anticholinergic drugs such as Artane �(trihexyphenidyl) and Cogentin� (benztropine); dopaninergic drugs such as Sinemet� or Madopar� (levodopa), Parlodel� (bromocriptine), and Symmetrel� (amantadine); and GABAergic drugs such as Valium� (diazepam).

Selective denervation surgery is an option for some cervical dystonia patients, and deep brain stimulation surgery is beginning to be explored for cervical dystonia as well.

Gentle physical therapy with a physical therapist who specializes in neurological disorders may improve range of motion and help reduce pain.

Complementary therapies should be explored and regular relaxation practices may significantly benefit discomfort and pain.

 

Source: http://www.dystonia-foundation.org/pages/more_info___cervical_dystonia_spasmodic_torticollis/46.php from the Dystonia Medical Research Foundation.  To Donate to the DMRF, click here

What Is Torticollis (Dystonia) And How Is It Caused?

home title Posted on Jan 10th, 2012 | 0 comments home title

What Is Torticollis (Dystonia) And How Is It Caused?

What Is Torticollis?

Torticollis comes from the Latin: torti (twisted) and collis (neck).Torticollis (sometimes called cervical dystonia or spasmodic torticollis) is a condition in which the muscles controlling the neck are locked in a sustained contraction causing the neck to twist to one side. Different forms of torticollis can cause the head to twist to the side, to tilt back, to tilt forward or lean ear to shoulder.It can be a very painful condition that can cause a lot of distress.photo courtesy of widipedia

Types Of Torticollis

Torticollis usually begins between age 30-60, with women affected twice as often as men. According to the National Spasmodic Torticollis Association, torticollis affects 83,000 people in the United States.

There are three types of torticollis:
* tonic, in which the abnormal posture is sustained
* clonic, marked by jerky head movements.
* mixed, a combination of tonic and clonic movements

Torticollis in Real Life

Crooked Twisted Neck Cervical Dystonia Spasmodic Torticollis
by

54 ratings | 72,914 views

curated content from YouTube

Torticollis Symptoms And Causes

The nerve signals responsible for torticollis are thought to originate in the basal ganglia, a group of brain structures involved in movement control. The exact defect is unknown.

Symptoms usually begin gradually, and may come and go, becoming worse in times of stress. Symptoms usually progress over a few years, and then become steady.
People who suffer from torticollis sometimes feel relief when lying down.

Pain in the neck, shoulder or back affects more than two-thirds of all people with torticollis. Pain may also spread to the arm or hand.

Learn More About Torticollis and Dystonia

Torticollis Treatment

There are diffferent avenues for treating torticollis (cervical dystonia) but the preferred torticollis treatment is botox injections. Botox temporarily paralyzes the muscles allowing for normal range of movement. Oral drugs such as muscle relaxers can provide relief also.

There are alternative routes other than pharmaceuticals that can be very helpful. Physical therapy can help relieve secondary consequences of torticollis. Regular muscle stretching prevents permanent muscle shortening. Pain and spasm may be temporarily lessened with application of heat or ice.

Regular massage therapy can reduce additional pain in affected areas of the body. Energy-based therapies, such as acupuncture, can work to rebalance the whole person, helping to correct the torticollis. Antispasmodic herbs may help to relax the muscles. In addition, herbs that can help balance the stimulus from the nervous system are often beneficial.

In some cases people opt for surgery.

Different Surgeries For Torticollis, Cervical Dystonia

There are two different types of brain surgeries performed for torticollis: lesioning procedures, which consists of selective destruction of specific, abnormal brain tissue, and deep brain stimulation, which mimics lesioning by manipulating selective brain areas with non-destructive electrical pulses.

Surgery is usually reserved for those people whose torticollis does not respond satisfactorily to other treatments and therapies. The effects of surgery occur on the side of the body opposite the surgical site. Although there are risks involved,
studies have shown that both procedures can result in marked improvement with minimal complications. Some patients can completely stop any drug therapies after surgery.

Dealing With Torticollis Through Relaxation And Comfort

Earthlite TC Home Massage Principles and Techniques DVD

Earthlite TC Home Massage Principles and Techniques DVD

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Getting The Word Out About Torticollis

Torticollis (cervical dystonia) is a condition that many people suffer through or deal with everyday and so many of us are unaware of this fact. I hope I have been able to bring about some much needed attention to this movement disorder and some understanding of how it impacts these people’s lives.

Google is my Doctor

home title Posted on Apr 21st, 2011 | 0 comments home title

Reposted from Scott Adams blog @ Dilbert.com (original link)

Some of you have heard this story, but I will reiterate to make a larger point. I had a mysterious voice problem that I accurately diagnosed using Google after several doctors were baffled. I woke up one day thinking my voice problem might be related in some way to my hand problem – a writer’s cramp called focal dystonia. So I Googled “voice dystonia” and up popped a link to a video of a person speaking with exactly the same speech defect I had at the time, something called Spasmodic Dysphonia. That diagnosis was later confirmed, and I tried the recommended treatment of Botox shots to the vocal cords, which had limited success in my case. And I did voice therapy which helped some, but I was far from fixed.

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