Dystonia is a movement disorder that causes the muscles
to contract and spasm involuntarily. The neurological
mechanism that makes muscles relax when they are not
in use does not function properly. Opposing muscles
often contract simultaneously as if they are “competing”
for control of a body part. The involuntary muscle
contractions force the body into repetitive and often
twisting movements as well as awkward, irregular postures.
There are approximately 13 forms of dystonia, and
dozens of diseases and conditions include dystonia
as a major symptom.
Dystonia may affect a single body area or be generalized
throughout multiple muscle groups. Dystonia affects
men, women, and children of all ages and backgrounds.
Estimates suggest that no less than 300,000 people
in North America are affected. Dystonia causes varying
degrees of disability and pain, from mild to severe.
There is presently no cure, but multiple treatment
options exist and scientists around the world are
actively pursuing research toward new therapies.
Although there are multiple forms of dystonia and
the symptoms of these forms may outwardly appear quite
different, the element that all forms share is the
repetitive, patterned, and often twisting involuntary
muscle contractions.
Dystonia is a chronic disorder, but the vast majority
of dystonias do not impact cognition, intelligence,
or shorten a person’s life span. The main exception
to this is dystonia that occurs as symptom of another
disease or condition that can cause such complications.
Treatment of dystonia may involve medication as well
as surgical therapy.
Medications which may be utilized in a patient with
dystonia include anticholinergics (e.g. Artane) dopamine
agonists (e.g. Sinemet), benzodiazepines (e.g. Klonopin),
baclofen as well as injections of Botulinum Toxin
)Botox).
Surgical therapy for dystonia includes deep brain
stimulation (DBS).
Deep brain stimulation involves a surgically implanted
medical device, much like a pacemaker, that delivers
electrical stimulation to very specific areas in the
brain and is proven to significantly the symptoms
of dystonia in some patients.
Neurological Surgery,
P.C. of Long Island, New York and New York
City (Queens) is one of the largest private
practices for neurological surgery in the
NYC and NY/NJ/CT Tri-State area, offering
patients the most advanced treatments of
brain and spine disorders, using minimally
invasive procedures like Gamma Knife, Cyber
Knife, Microdiscectomy, Spinal Stimulators, Kyphoplasty, X-Stop,
Carotid Stenting, Aneurysm Coiling and Interventional
Pain Management.
