Dystonia

Dystonia is a nervous system disorder that causes uncontrollable muscle contractions, meaning a person’s muscles tense up without trying to make the muscles do so. Though it affects muscles, it’s actually an issue with your brain or another part of your nervous system.

The name “dystonia” is a combination of the Latin prefix “dys-,” and the Greek word “-tonos,” which refers to muscle tension. The combination of the two words describes a problem where your muscles tense up in a way that’s faulty or incorrect.

What is the difference between dystonia and dyskinesia?

Dyskinesia and dystonia are closely related but aren’t the same.

• Dyskinesia: This word comes from Greek. “Kinesia” comes from the word “kinesis,” which means “movement.” The combined word refers to movements that are faulty or happen in a way they shouldn’t. Dyskinesias are involuntary muscle movements, meaning you don’t control that they’re happening.
• Dystonia. This is a specific type of dyskinesia. With dystonia, muscles tense up for longer periods. Depending on what part of your body they happen in, they can often cause you to move or pose in certain ways.

Who does dystonia affect?

Depending on why it happens, anyone can develop dystonia. Some causes are age-specific, affecting people at birth or in childhood, while others are more likely to develop late in life.

How common is this condition?

The available research indicates that dystonia affects about 300,000 people in the United States. However, it’s difficult to know how common dystonia is because experts believe it’s underdiagnosed. That’s because dystonia can take so many different forms.

How does dystonia affect my body?

Dystonia is a brain condition that affects how your brain controls muscles throughout your body. This can affect muscles or groups of muscles in different ways. Exactly how and why this happens is still a mystery, though. The effects of dystonia can also worsen when you feel tired or stressed, or if you drink caffeine or alcohol.

Some types of dystonia happen because of genetic mutations or conditions that disrupt the way parts of your brain work. This can cause the affected cells to work incorrectly, leading to faulty signals reaching your muscles and causing dystonia’s effects.

Dystonia can also happen because of injuries or conditions that disrupt your brain function, and some of these conditions are visible on imaging scans or detectable with certain tests. But it can also happen for other reasons.