Dystonia: Symptoms, causes and treatment (1)

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Dystonia
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Dystonia

• The term 'dystonia' refers to a condition
  wherein the muscles of various parts of the body
  are subjected to involuntary contraction. The
  symptoms could be mild or severe enough to
  jeopardise daily activities. Generally, the
  condition has been classified under five
  categories generalised, focal, segmental,
  multifocal, and hemidystonia. In the first type,
  the condition may strike early, and go on to
  affect the entire body. This kind is generally
  considered to be of a genetic nature. The focal
  type usually occurs in adults and tends to
  concentrate on localised area such as the neck,
  face, or arm. Segmental type affects those
  regions of the body that are connected to each
  other, whereas multifocal type affects those
  which are not in connection to each other. In
  case of hemidystonia, half of the body is
  affected.

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Causes of dystonia

• There aren't any specific, identifiable causes
  of this condition. However, it is believed that
  this condition might be linked to damage to
  the basal ganglia, which is the part of the brain
  that is responsible for muscle contractions.

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Symptoms

• The symptoms depend upon the area of the body
  that is affected by involuntary muscle
  cramp (muscle contraction). 
• Eyes When the condition affects the eyes, the
  contractions might be so severe that the affected
  person may start blinking tremendously. This is a
  focal type of the condition called blepharospasm.
  Apart from the blinking disorder, one might
  experience irritation, and develop extreme
  sensitivity to light. Also, the eyes may be
  caused to shut down involuntarily. In some cases,
  the patient might not be able to open his eyes
  for some time, making him visually impaired
  temporarily.
• Hands One classic sign of the condition
  affecting the hands is the inability to play
  music on an instrument and worsening of one's
  handwriting.

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Symptoms
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• This is also categorised in the focal type, and
  is specifically known as writer's cramp. Here,
  the muscles of the arm suffer involuntary cramps
  and movements.
• Voice Box In this case, the part affected is the
  larynx. The spasms could make the voice sound
  airy, quiet, or somewhat like strangled. Even
  this is a kind of focal dystonia.
• Neck This is also categorised in focal type. It
  is characterised by intense spasms of the neck
  muscles. It is also called cervical dystonia.
  Here the symptoms include twisting and trunking
  of the head to one side so violently that it may
  cause tremendous pain. Also, the head might move
  forward or backward involuntarily.

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Symptoms
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• Jaw Area Also known as oromandibular dystonia,
  this is categorised as a segmental type. This is
  characterised by forceful contractions of the
  face, jaw, and/or tongue, which in turn, cause
  difficulty in opening and closing the mouth. This
  affects the process of chewing and might cause
  slurred speech or difficulty in swallowing. This
  condition is rare.
• Face When the muscles of one side of the face
  suffer spasm, the condition is referred to as
  hemifacial spasm. This is also classified under
  the focal type. It seems to worsen under stress
  and fatigue.

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Treatments

• There are certain oral medications which aid in
  improving the function of neurotransmitters that
  are involved with muscle movement. Apart from
  these, patients may also be administered
  with botulinum toxin injections. This agent
  blocks the release of a chemical messenger that
  triggers muscle contraction. Deep brain
  stimulation is another technique which involves
  implanting a device in the chest. This device is
  connected to an electrode implanted in the brain.
  The device generates electrical pulses that are
  conveyed to the electrode, which again feeds the
  signal to a specific region to the brain that
  controls and reduces muscle contraction. Sensory
  trick is another method wherein a physical
  gesture or position can help reduce the
  contractions.

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Treatments
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• For instance, placing the hand on the chin or
  back of the head can help reduce involuntary
  contractions in case of torticollis. Surgery is
  recommended when all the conventional treatment
  methods fail to produce the desired results.
  However, it is suitable for eyelid or neck
  (cervical) dystonia. Here, the surgeons simply
  remove the nerves that are respoTreatmentsnsible
  for causing involuntary contractions.

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