What Is Torticollis (Dystonia) And How Is It Caused?

Torticollis usually begins between age 30-60, with women affected twice as often as men. According to the National Spasmodic Torticollis Association, torticollis affects 83,000 people in the United States.

There are three types of torticollis:
* tonic, in which the abnormal posture is sustained
* clonic, marked by jerky head movements.
* mixed, a combination of tonic and clonic movements

The nerve signals responsible for torticollis are thought to originate in the basal ganglia, a group of brain structures involved in movement control. The exact defect is unknown.

Symptoms usually begin gradually, and may come and go, becoming worse in times of stress. Symptoms usually progress over a few years, and then become steady.
People who suffer from torticollis sometimes feel relief when lying down.

Pain in the neck, shoulder or back affects more than two-thirds of all people with torticollis. Pain may also spread to the arm or hand.

There are diffferent avenues for treating torticollis (cervical dystonia) but the preferred torticollis treatment is botox injections. Botox temporarily paralyzes the muscles allowing for normal range of movement. Oral drugs such as muscle relaxers can provide relief also.

There are alternative routes other than pharmaceuticals that can be very helpful. Physical therapy can help relieve secondary consequences of torticollis. Regular muscle stretching prevents permanent muscle shortening. Pain and spasm may be temporarily lessened with application of heat or ice.

Regular massage therapy can reduce additional pain in affected areas of the body. Energy-based therapies, such as acupuncture, can work to rebalance the whole person, helping to correct the torticollis. Antispasmodic herbs may help to relax the muscles. In addition, herbs that can help balance the stimulus from the nervous system are often beneficial.

In some cases people opt for surgery.

There are two different types of brain surgeries performed for torticollis: lesioning procedures, which consists of selective destruction of specific, abnormal brain tissue, and deep brain stimulation, which mimics lesioning by manipulating selective brain areas with non-destructive electrical pulses.

Surgery is usually reserved for those people whose torticollis does not respond satisfactorily to other treatments and therapies. The effects of surgery occur on the side of the body opposite the surgical site. Although there are risks involved,
studies have shown that both procedures can result in marked improvement with minimal complications. Some patients can completely stop any drug therapies after surgery.

Torticollis (cervical dystonia) is a condition that many people suffer through or deal with everyday and so many of us are unaware of this fact. I hope I have been able to bring about some much needed attention to this movement disorder and some understanding of how it impacts these people's lives.