Dystonia can affect any body part and can result in both embarrassment and the inability to perform daily activities.
Fortunately, there are a number of different ways that dystonia can be improved.
This is known asgeste antagonisteand is one of the more mysterious aspects of dystonia.
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Oral Medications
Unfortunately, few medications are completely effective for the treatment of dystonia.
For this reason, all children or adolescents who have dystonia should be given a trial of dopamine.
Artane (trihexyphenidyl) is one of the best-studied medications for dystonia.
This medication is from the family of anticholinergics.
Younger patients tend to benefit most from this medication.
Benzodiazepines, like clonazepam, may also be used, usually in conjunction with another medication as well.
The main side effect of these medications is sedation.
Side effects include depression and dysphoria, as well as parkinsonism.
If these medications are used, the doses should only be increased very slowly.
In torticollis, 70-90% of patients reported some benefit.
Injections are repeated every 12 to 16 weeks.
Under this treatment plan, the effects can remain robust and safe for many years.
Botulinum injections work by blocking the release of acetylcholine, the neurotransmitter that signals between peripheral nerves and muscles.
This leads to a weakening of the muscle.
The injections must be targeted very precisely to maximize benefit while minimizing the risk of side effects.
Now, most people prefer a less permanent solution in the form of deep brain stimulation (DBS).
Deep brain stimulation is most indicated for medically refractory primary generalized dystonia.
The people who suffer from this punch in of dystonia tend to be young, including children.
Responses to deep brain stimulation can vary widely.
About twelve months after DBS, most patients with dystonia show improvement in movement by about 50 percent.
Secondary dystonia does not tend to respond as predictably to deep brain stimulation.
