All You Should Know About Dystonia - Dr. Shivam Mittal

1. What is dystonia? Dystonia is a condition that is characterized by continuous or irregular muscle contractions that results in abnormal involuntary repetitive movements and postures. The movements are generally patterned. Dystonia may be initiated or worsened by voluntary movements, and may slowly and gradually overflow into the surrounding muscles if the condition becomes intense. Where can dystonia occur in the body? Dystonia can occur in a variety of locations within the body, depending upon which it is classified into various types, as under. Focal dystonia – This type of dystonia appears in only a single place, like in the eyes or neck, named as blepharospam and torticolis respectively. Multi focal dystonia – This type of dystonia ppears in two places simultaneously; for example, in the neck and tongue. Generalized dystonia – This type of dystonia occurs throughout the body, thus becoming an ailment affecting generally all the body parts.

2. Hemi dystonia – This type of dystonia is seen in only one side of the body; for example, in the right hand and right leg. Task specific dystonia – This type of dystonia is seen to be active only when the patient is performing a specific activity like writing, or playing an instrument. Drug induced dystonia – This type of dystonia can become active because of certain drugs that the patient intakes. It can further be classified as acute and tardive; with acute dystonia being one that shows immediate results within few days of taking the medicine, and tardive dystonia being one that is delayed in appearance. Who can diagnose and treat dystonia? While you may think that dystonia is an ailment of the nervous system and a neurologist should be the best choice, dystonia is in fact diagnosed and treated better by a movement disorder specialist. This specialist is one who has completed his neurology education with a further 1 or 2 year education and training in movement disorders. They are typically more up-to-date with research on the subject, and are able to focus on a small subset of neurological conditions. This is why they can offer the most effective treatment option for dystonia and other movement disorders. Dr. Shivam Mittal disorder specialist who is completely trusted upon to provide the best dystonia treatment . in Bangalore is one such movement How can dystonia be treated? Oral medications – There are a variety of oral medications that can help treat the initial stages of dystonia. These include trihexyphenidyl, diazepam, and clonazepam. Drug injections – Botox is the best choice for treating focal and multi focal dystonias like blepharospasm, cervical dystonia, upper and lower limb dystonia, and laryngeal dystonia. Surgery – Deep Brain Stimulation is a surgery adopted for patients suffering from generalized dystonia, or those whose dystonia cannot be controlled by medications and injections. This involves implantation of electrodes into the brain and a neurotransmitter into the chest area, which are connected to stop muscle contractions. Therapies – Therapies are not individual remedies for dystonia, but they help in increasing the efficacy of approaches like medications, injections, and surgeries.

3. Lifestyle changes – Changing your lifestyle can also help provide support for your remedies to help you recover faster and better. First and foremost, you need to eliminate all forms of stress from your life, including physical stress, emotional stress, lack of sleep, and fatigue. Additionally, you need to stick to a regular sleep/wake schedule, exercise regularly, eat healthy food, and stay hydrated. Now that you know all about dystonia, you will be in a better position to overcome the anxiety and trouble associated with the ailment. So, all the best for recovering from your disease! Just stay positive and follow the instructions given by your movement disorder specialist. http://www.parkinsonsdiseasespecialist.com/ For more information, visit: