Read more about how dystonia is diagnosed. These may include brain scans, urine or blood tests, and genetic testing. However, tests may be needed to confirm whether you have primary or secondary dystonia. If you have typical signs of late-onset focal dystonia, specific investigations may not be required. When diagnosing dystonia, it's important to confirm whether you have primary or secondary dystonia, because this may determine the type of treatment you need. The type of dystonia is then classified by which area of the body is affected. Diagnosing dystoniaĭystonia is diagnosed by a specialist examining and recognising the typical symptoms. Common causes include stroke, brain injury, encephalitis and Parkinson’s disease. Secondary dystonia is where dystonia occurs as a symptom of an underlying condition or injury. If there's no identifiable cause of dystonia, or if the cause is genetic, it's described as primary dystonia. Causes of dystoniaĮxactly how dystonia develops remains uncertain, but it's thought to be caused by a problem with the part of the brain that controls muscle movement (the basal ganglia). Read more about the symptoms of dystonia. They don’t usually get any worse and no other muscles are affected. These are both focal dystonias that tend to develop later in life. Hemidystonia – where one entire side of the body is affected.Ībout 90% of all cases are either cervical dystonia (which affects the neck muscles) or blepharospasm (which affects the eyelids).Generalised dystonia – where the trunk and at least two other parts of the body are affected.Multifocal dystonia – where two or more regions of the body that aren't connected to each other, such as the left arm and left leg, are affected.Cranial dystonia (blepharospasm affecting the lower face and jaw or tongue) is an example. Segmental dystonia – where two or more connected regions of the body are affected.
Cervical dystonia, blepharospasm (abnormal twitch of the eyelid), laryngeal dystonia and writer's cramp are all examples of focal dystonia. If it only affects someone during specific activities, such as writing, it's described as task-specific dystonia.
Types of dystoniaĭystonia can affect only one muscle or a group of muscles.
However, in most cases, brain functions such as intelligence, memory and language remain unaffected. Movements are often repetitive and cause unusual, awkward and sometimes painful postures. Tremor (shaking) can also be a characteristic of some types of dystonia.ĭystonia is thought to be a neurological condition (caused by underlying problems with the brain and nervous system). The spasms and contractions may either be sustained or may come and go. Calcium and calcium supplements: achieving the right balance.Dystonia is a medical term for a range of movement disorders that cause muscle spasms and contractions. Spilling the beans: how much caffeine is too much?. Botulinum toxin in hemifacial spasm: Revisited. National Organization for Rare Disorders. Facial tremors in patients with and without parkinsonism. Rossi M, Wilken M, Morisset P, Fariña S, Cerquetti D, Merello M. Fasciculation discharge frequency in amyotrophic lateral sclerosis and related disorders. Tourette syndrome and other tic disorders in childhood, adolescence and adulthood. Ludolph AG, Roessner V, Münchau A, Müller-Vahl K. Abnormal movements in critical care patients with brain injury: a diagnostic approach. Hannawi Y, Abers MS, Geocadin RG, Mirski MA. Hemifacial spasm: conservative and surgical treatment options. Rosenstengel C, Matthes M, Baldauf J, Fleck S, Schroeder H. Psychogenic facial movement disorders: clinical features and associated conditions.
Substance of abuse and movement disorders: complex interactions and comorbidities. Another perspective on fasciculations: when is it not caused by the classic form of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis or progressive spinal atrophy?. Leite MA, Orsini M, de Freitas MR, et al. The clinical toxicology of caffeine: a review and case study.