Dystonia of the neck is a painful condition where your neck muscles contract involuntarily and causes your head to turn or twist to one side.
Dystonia of the neck is also called spasmodic torticollis and cervical dystonia and can also cause the head to uncontrollably tilt forward or backward.
Cervical dystonia or dystonia of the neck is characterized by involuntary muscle contractions in the neck that cause abnormal movements and postures of the neck and head.
In some cases, these abnormal contractions may be sustained or continuous; in others, they may be present as spasms that can resemble tremor.
In acquired forms, dystonia in the neck or dystonia is caused by damage or degeneration of the brain (e.g. after a brain injury or stroke) or exposure to particular drugs. In idiopathic dystonia there is no identifiable cause and no structural damage or degeneration to the brain.
Dystonia affects people in different ways. The severity of symptoms can vary from one day to another.
It can have a big effect on your life and make daily activities painful and difficult.
It's usually a lifelong condition.
The signs and symptoms of cervical dystonia tend to worsen when you're stressed, so learning stress management techniques also is important.
There is no cure for cervical dystonia.
Cervical dystonia sometimes resolves without treatment, but sustained remissions are uncommon.
Injecting botulinum toxin into the affected muscles often reduces the signs and symptoms of cervical dystonia.
Surgery may be appropriate in a few cases.
Anxiety and depression are among the most common non-motor issues seen in individuals with dystonia.
Studies have shown that as many as 70% of individuals with dystonia will experience depression and/or anxiety over their lifetime.
Anxiety and depression significantly worsen disability and quality of life in dystonia.