Cervical dystonia, also known as spasmodic torticollis, is a painful condition, which involves your neck muscles to contract involuntarily or twist in abnormal positions. Mostly middle-aged people suffer from the disorder, although, anyone can be diagnosed. It is currently incurable and its cause(s) unidentified, however it is known that the basal ganglia (group of structures in the brain responsible for coordination and movement) is affected, but it is hard to address the direct pathophysiology since there are no signs of degeneration in the nerve cells. Those suffering, have their lifestyles interrupted with very few treatment options.
Symptoms include, twisting of the head and spine, headaches and shoulder pain as well as jerking of the head. Some people find themselves twisting their spine to accommodate for the positioning of their neck, which leads to even more problems. Basic daily activities such as driving, sleeping or crossing the road become a struggle.
Botulinum toxin (BOTOX) is the only treatment available. It must be injected every three months to address symptoms by weakening the muscles involved. Unfortunately, it is not a treatment for the actual disorder. After repeated injections, the treatment becomes less effective as it gets harder to target the affected muscles due to atrophy. Other ways to help minimise the effect of your symptoms include practicing stress-relieving techniques, getting plenty of rest, using heat packs or a neck brace, improve posture and keep muscles strong and flexible. Your physiotherapist and occupational therapist can help you with these.
My Rehab Team offers mobile therapy services, including: exercises physiology, dietetics, physiotherapy, speech pathology, occupational therapy, podiatry and a rehabilitation/health coach. Contact our team at 1300MYREHABTEAM (1300 469 794) or at info@myrehabteam.com.au.
References:
Mayo Clinic [Online] Available at: http://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/spasmodic-torticollis/basics/definition/con-20028215 [Online] (Accessed on 28th of May, 2015)
Australian Physiotherapy Association (APA), InMotion 2013 publication [Online] (Accessed 28th of May, 2015)
Image courtesy of Praisaeng FreeDigitalPhotos.net available on: http://www.freedigitalphotos.net/ [Online] (Accessed 30th of May, 2015)