Tardive dyskinesiasymptoms include involuntary movements involving the mouth, tongue, or face.
The movements resulting from this condition are not physically painful or harmful to a persons health.
Still, they can cause emotional distress and may be noticeable to others.
xavierarnau / E+ / Getty Images
The symptoms of tardive dyskinesia can occur at any time and with varying frequency.
Rarely, the condition can lead to severe complications, including impaired breathing.
Tardive dyskinesia affects around 500,000 people in the United States.
The symptoms usually emerge after taking an antipsychotic for several months.
The effects of tardive dyskinesia often fluctuate and can be inconsistent and unpredictable.
Rare Symptoms
Sometimes the effects of tardive dyskinesia can be serious, but this is rare.
There are no specific predisposing factors that signal an increased risk of rare or potentially harmful complications.
Oculogyric Crisis
This complication is characterized by deviation of the eyes, usually in an upward position.
This condition should be treated urgently with medication.
While oculogyric crisis is a side effect of antipsychotic medication, it is also associated with worseningpsychosis.
These can include altered breathing patterns, or slow, shallow, breathing.
Complications
Tardive dyskinesia can cause a number of long-term and short-term complications.
The condition can affect your quality of life in many ways.
It can become a significant physical handicap, and it may also have an effect on your interpersonal interactions.
Cognitive limitations have also been associated with tardive dyskinesia.
These feelings can emerge when you lose physical control for any reason, and are common with tardive dyskinesia.
Tardive dyskinesia can also make a person feel self-conscious or embarrassed around others.
This can lead to social isolation as a person consciously or subconsciously tries to avoid other people.
Stigma
Sometimes there can be a social stigma associated with movement disorders.
Sometimes the medication can be substituted for another effective treatment that doesnt cause tardive dyskinesia.
A medication dosing adjustment or switching to another medication can be helpful.
2011 Sep;61(9):930-2.
Erratum in: J Pak Med Assoc.
2011 Oct;61(10):1049.
National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke.Tardive dyskinesia information page.
EarlierDiagnosis of tardive dyskinesia.J Clin Psychiatry.2019 Dec 10;81(1):NU18041BR1C.
doi:10.4088/JCP.NU18041BR1C
National Organization for Rare Disorders.Tardive dyskinesia.
