DYSTONIA

Plymouth & South Devon Support Group

The Dystonia Society is a Registered Charity number: 1062595		 tel: 0845 8997108




what's happening, local events, meetings

Cornwall dystonia group

archived news

visit the Dystonia Society website

visit our home page

Types of Dystonia

There are several different types of Dystonia and within our group we have members with various types including focal dystonia with the areas affected being the arms and the neck. One member with focal dystonia has had Deep Brain Stimulation (DBS) and as a result has lost the strong shakes in her arm although she still does have some pain.

Several of us have Blepharospasm where the messages from the basal ganglia, the part of the brain which controls movement, do not reach the muscles of the eyes. Eyes can suddenly clamp shut and cannot be opened until they suddenly open again of their own accord. However, with medication and Botox injections above and below the eyes every two to three months there can be a vast improvement. Eye irritation, discomfort and often pain, sensitivety to light and increased blinking are amongst the symptoms. Bright light, especially flickering light (even from the television or computer), smoke and wind can all irritate the condition. 		Dystonia types include Blepharospasm, focal dystonia, Cornical Dystonia, spasmodic torticollis, Laryngeal Dystonia, Spasmodic Dysphonia, Spastic Dysphonia, Dystonic Writer's Cramp and more
More than 40000 people in the UK live with Dystonia Cornical Dystonia, also known as spasmodic torticollis, is a focal dystonia of the neck, causing neck muscles to contract involuntarily and produces abnormal movements and postures of the neck and head leading to the neck twisting and being pulled. Some individuals may be symptom free when they awaken in the morning, for others it is the worst time of the day.

Writer's Cramp, which causes spasms and pain, makes writing difficult and makes gripping the pen very painful can in a minority of cases be caused by Dystonic Writer's Cramp. It can also affect using a knife and fork and even putting on make-up. Because there are many muscles in the hand and forearm involved in writing, careful observation is required to identify which muscles are causing the problems.

Laryngeal Dystonia, also known as Spasmodic Dysphonia or Spastic Dysphonia, affects the vocal cords. The principal treatment is Botox injections into the muscles affected by the spasm, two to three monthly. As they need to be very precise, they are usually administered by ear nose and throat (ENT) doctors with special training in the procedure.