Cervical dystonia

Cervical dystonia

overview

Cervical dystonia, also called spasmodic torticollis, is a painful condition in which your neck muscles involuntarily contract, causing your head to twist or turn to the side. Cervical dystonia can also cause your head to tilt forward or back uncontrollably.

Cervical dystonia is a rare condition that can occur at any age. It occurs most often in middle-aged people, women more often than men. Symptoms generally begin gradually and then reach a point where they do not become significantly worse.

There is no cure for cervical dystonia. The disorder sometimes resolves without treatment, but sustained remissions are rare. Injecting botulinum toxin into affected muscles often reduces the signs and symptoms of cervical dystonia. In some cases, surgery may be appropriate.

Symptoms

The muscle contractions involved in cervical dystonia can cause your head to rotate in different directions, including:

• Kinn zur Schulter
• Ohr zur Schulter
• Kinn gerade nach oben
• Kinn gerade nach unten

The most common type of twisting associated with cervical dystonia is when your chin is pulled toward your shoulder. Some people experience a combination of abnormal head postures. There may also be a jerky movement of the head.

Many people with cervical dystonia also experience neck pain that can radiate to the shoulders. The disorder can also cause headaches. For some people, the pain of cervical dystonia can be stressful and disabling.

Causes

For most people with cervical dystonia, the cause is unknown. Some people with cervical dystonia have a family history of the disorder. Researchers have found gene mutations linked to cervical dystonia. Cervical dystonia is also sometimes associated with head, neck, or shoulder injuries.

Risk factors

Risk factors for cervical dystonia include:

• Das Alter. Obwohl die Störung bei Menschen jeden Alters auftreten kann, beginnt sie am häufigsten nach dem 30.
• Ihr Geschlecht. Frauen entwickeln häufiger eine zervikale Dystonie als Männer.
• Familiengeschichte. Wenn ein nahes Familienmitglied an zervikaler Dystonie oder einer anderen Art von Dystonie leidet, besteht für Sie ein höheres Risiko, diese Störung zu entwickeln.

Complications

In some cases, the involuntary muscle contractions associated with cervical dystonia can spread to nearby areas of your body. The most common locations are the face, jaw, arms and torso.

People with cervical dystonia may also develop bone spurs, which can reduce space in the spinal canal. This can cause tingling, numbness, and weakness in your arms, hands, legs, or feet.

Sources:

1. Merkblatt Dystonien. Nationales Institut für neurologische Erkrankungen und Schlaganfälle. https://www.ninds.nih.gov/Disorders/Patient-Cargiver-Education/Fact-Sheets/Dystonias-Fact-Sheet. Abgerufen am 23. Juli 2019.
2. Frontera WR, et al., Hrsg. Zervikale Dystonie. In: Grundlagen der Physikalischen Medizin und Rehabilitation: Erkrankungen des Bewegungsapparates, Schmerzen und Rehabilitation. 4. Aufl. Philadelphia, Pennsylvania: Elsevier; 2019. https://www.clinicalkey.com. Abgerufen am 23. Juli 2019.
3. Comella C. Klassifizierung und Bewertung von Dystonie. https://www.uptodate.com/contents/search. Abgerufen am 23. Juli 2019.
4. Fragen Sie MayoExpert. Zervikale Dystonie (spasmodischer Torticollis). Rochester, Minnesota: Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research; 2019.
5. Comella C. Behandlung von Dystonie. https://www.uptodate.com/contents/search. Abgerufen am 23. Juli 2019.
6. Botulinumtoxine. Fakten & Vergleiche eAnswers. https://www.wolterskluwercdi.com/facts-comparisons-online/. Abgerufen am 25. Juli 2019.