Dystonia is a neurological disorder that causes painful muscle spasms. (Photo Credit: Sebastian Kaulitzki/Science Photo Library/Getty Images) Dystonia is a movement disorder in which some of your body ... Dystonia is a movement disorder that causes the muscles to contract.

Understanding the Context

This can cause twisting motions or other movements that happen repeatedly and that aren't under the person's control. Diagnosis To diagnose dystonia, your healthcare team starts with a medical history and physical exam. To look for conditions that may be causing your symptoms, you might need: Blood or urine tests. These tests can reveal signs of toxins or of other conditions.

Key Insights

MRI or CT scan. These imaging tests look for changes in your brain, such as tumors or evidence of a stroke. Electromyography (EMG ... Cervical dystonia, also called spasmodic torticollis, is a painful condition in which your neck muscles contract involuntarily, causing your head to twist or turn to one side. Cervical dystonia can also cause your head to uncontrollably tilt forward or backward.

Final Thoughts

A rare disorder that can occur at any age, cervical dystonia most often occurs in middle-aged people, women more than men. Symptoms ... There are many types of movement disorders that cause different symptoms. For example, dystonia causes muscle contractions that lead to twisting of the body. Another movement disorder called chorea causes brief periods of quick involuntary movements that happen over and over. Parkinsonism causes slowness of movement with stiffness, tremors or loss of balance.

Treatments may be available to ... The condition also is called cervical dystonia. Other muscle spasms. Cerebral palsy and other conditions of the nervous system can cause the limbs to pull in toward the center of the body.