Dystonia is a condition that affects the movements and postures of the body. What causes dystonia, how it can be treated, which doctor should be approached – all of this is mentioned in this blog to help you treat dystonia better. Read more @ https://goo.gl/BNynjr

1. Dystonia is a condition causing muscle contractions, which further causes abnormal
repetitive movements and postures. These symptoms resemble a tremor and are worsened
by voluntary movements. This is one of the most common movement disorders seen, but
many people are unknown about it. So, here is a complete guide to help you understand
dystonia in detail, so that you can act accordingly and immediately as soon as you witness
the symptoms – may it be in yourself or someone around you.
WHAT IS THE MAIN CAUSE OF DYSTONIA?
Dystonia could be inherited through the genes of the parents. Anyone having dystonia in
the family can bring the ailment into the younger generations too. However, which genes
particularly cause this ailment is not yet known; and research is being conducted on the
same. Because it is an ailment that comes from the genes, there is not much that you can do
about it, but doctors still advice to take care of your genes by eating properly, exercising
regularly, avoiding toxins, and managing stress so that you live in a healthy environment,
and are less likely to be hit by such ailments.
WHAT ARE THE VARIOUS TYPES OF DYSTONIA?
Dystonia can attack various parts of the body, according to which they are identified to be
of various types –

2. Focal dystonia – When dystonia attacks a particular part of the body like the neck or eye, it
is known as focal dystonia. The most common types of focal dystonia include cervical
torticollis in the neck and blepharospasm in the eye.
Multi-focal dystonia – As the name suggests, multi-focal dystonia appears in more than one
place; for example, in the tongue and neck together.
Generalized dystonia – Generalized dystonia is the dystonia that attacks the entire body.
Hemidystonia – Hemi, meaning half, this dystonia affects half of the body. It could be your
entire left side or entire right side.
Drug induced dystonia – Unusual but true, certain kinds of dystonia can be caused by
drugs. These can be categorized into two types – acute and tardive. Acute dystonia is when
it appears after taking a new medication within only a few days, while tardive dystonia is
seen to be delayed in appearance after taking a new drug.
WHO SHOULD BE APPROACHED TO TREAT DYSTONIA?
While neurologists treat every ailment related to the nerves within the body, it is a
movement orders specialist who deals with certain severe conditions like dystonia. These
specialists, apart from neurology, are also trained in additional 1 or 2-year courses of
movement disorders; thus making them more suitable to approach for such conditions.
With detailed education and more updated with the research about these special
conditions, they can offer more effective treatment options.
HOW CAN DYSTONIA BE TREATED?
There are three ways to treat dystonia – through oral medications, injections, or surgery.
Depending on your condition and the severity of your ailment, the treatment option will be
decided upon by your specialist.
Oral medication – The medication that can cure dystonia includes I-dopa, trihexyphenidyl,
diazepam, and clonazepam.
Injection – The most common method used to treat dystonia is Botox, which involves
injecting the nerves with botulinum toxin that relaxes the muscles. However, the effect is
only seen for a few months. So, you will need this injection every 3-6 months. This
treatment can cure blepharospasm (eye spasms), cervical dystonia (neck), upper and lower
limb dystonia, and laryngeal dystonia (voice box).
Surgery – The surgery used in known as Deep Brain Stimulation, wherein two electrodes
are inserted into the brain, which is connected to a stimulating device in the chest.

3. Dr. Shivam Mittal is an expert in dystonia treatment in Bangalore, who has immense
experience and skill to treat the ailment successfully in both children and adults through all
of the above options.
WHAT CAN WORSEN DYSTONIA?
There are certain things that can worsen your condition. These include physical stress,
emotional stress, lack of sleep, dehydration, and fatigue. So, make sure you stick to a good
sleeping schedule, stay hydrated, exercise regularly, eat healthy foods, and eliminate stress
if you have dystonia; or your condition could be highly worsened!
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