The most common form of dystonia is focal dystonia. This disorder mainly affects the muscles of the lower body, especially the muscles of the neck, head, jaw, arms, legs, and trunk.
Common symptoms include involuntary twitching and shaking of the hands. Other symptoms include difficulty chewing, changes in facial expressions, eye movement, difficulty swallowing, choking, and involuntary muscle contractions. It can be diagnosed with a medical or neurological examination. Medical tests may include a lumbar puncture, neuropsychological tests, neurological examinations, electromyographic (EMG) testing, magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), and computed tomography (CT). Sometimes patients are only treated for the symptoms and not the underlying cause.
There are various treatments for dystonia. Most treatments are aimed at relieving pain. However, in some rare cases, treatment may be aimed at preventing or reducing symptoms. In such cases, a chiropractor may be helpful. There are also medications and herbal supplements that are used to relieve symptoms, but not always for chronic dystonia.
Chiropractic treatment can be done in several ways. Patients usually see chiropractors for spinal correction and decompression therapy. In these cases, the chiropractor uses his hands to manipulate the spine to relieve pressure and stress on the nerve endings in the spine. If this pressure is reduced, the nervous system can more effectively control muscle spasms.
There are other options for chiropractic care, such as exercise therapy and massage therapy. It can be helpful in relieving pain and stiffness as well as improving muscle tone. Patients also go to chiropractic care for pain relief. Patients may choose this option if they experience pain in the back, muscles, legs, or if their spinal discs are worn out. Chiropractors are trained to properly regulate the spine using gentle techniques with small, controlled movements.
Patients may also require electrotherapy. Electrotherapy uses electrical current to reduce swelling of the intervertebral discs and allow tissues to relax and repair faster. Electricity or static electricity is applied to the affected area to increase blood flow and improve circulation.
In extreme cases, patients may require surgery.
Various manipulators are used to stimulate the nerves in the spinal cord to relieve muscle spasms and relieve dystonic patients
In severe cases, patients may require physical therapy.
Dystonia is incurable, but requires treatment from patients who need it. As symptoms become more severe, patients may need a combination of the above treatments to reduce pain and prevent any further complications. Surgery may not be an option if the disease has not progressed to the point that treatment is impossible or life-threatening. Most patients can return to work or function normally after a series of treatments.
Patients with this condition should always continue physical therapy to stay active and healthy. Although doctors recommend that patients stop working and move around during this time, the most effective way to prevent pain from occurring is to engage in some form of daily physical activity. If they can do this, they can start training again.
To avoid neck or back injury due to this condition, the patient is advised not to kneel while sitting. In fact, if they are sitting all the time, they have to get up every few minutes to get up and sit down again so that their body is not squeezed by the back of the chair.
Manipulators are often used to relieve muscle spasms in patients with this condition. These manipulation aids can be purchased at many health stores and used to manipulate muscles to loosen them up and relax joints. The purpose of these treatments is to relieve pain and muscle tension.
These treatments are just one of the treatments available for dystonic patients, but other options exist. However, if these methods do not work, the doctor will consider surgery. Surgery should not be the first option and should only be considered after other treatments have failed.