Dystonia
Dystonia
Dystonia (/dɪsˈtoʊniə/ dis-TOH-nee-ə) is a neurological movement disorder syndrome in which sustained or repetitive muscle contractions result in twisting and repetitive movements or abnormal fixed postures. The movements may resemble a tremor. Dystonia is often intensified or exacerbated by physical activity, and symptoms may progress into adjacent muscles.
Etymology
The term "Dystonia" is derived from the Greek words "dys," meaning difficult or faulty, and "tonos," meaning tension or tone. Thus, the term essentially translates to "faulty tension" or "difficult tension."
Symptoms
The symptoms of dystonia can range from very mild to severe. Dystonia can affect different body parts, and often the symptoms of dystonia progress through stages. Some early symptoms include a dragging leg, cramping of the foot, involuntary pulling of the neck, uncontrollable blinking, and speech difficulties. Depending on the type of dystonia, some symptoms may be more prevalent than others.
Types of Dystonia
There are several types of dystonia, including Torsion dystonia, Blepharospasm, Cervical dystonia, Oromandibular dystonia, and Spasmodic dysphonia. Each type of dystonia may affect a different part of the body and may have different causes.
Causes
The exact cause of dystonia is unknown, but it is believed to be related to an abnormality in the Basal Ganglia, a part of the brain that is responsible for controlling movement. Other possible causes include genetic factors, physical trauma, certain medications, and diseases such as Parkinson's disease and Huntington's disease.
Treatment
Treatment for dystonia is aimed at minimizing the symptoms. This can include medications, physical therapy, and in some cases, surgery. Medications used to treat dystonia include Anticholinergics, Benzodiazepines, and Botulinum toxin injections.
See Also
External links
- Medical encyclopedia article on Dystonia
- Wikipedia's article - Dystonia
This WikiMD dictionary article is a stub. You can help make it a full article.
Languages: - East Asian
中文,
日本,
한국어,
South Asian
हिन्दी,
Urdu,
বাংলা,
తెలుగు,
தமிழ்,
ಕನ್ನಡ,
Southeast Asian
Indonesian,
Vietnamese,
Thai,
မြန်မာဘာသာ,
European
español,
Deutsch,
français,
русский,
português do Brasil,
Italian,
polski