Dystonia happens when a part of your body such as a hand or foot moves uncontrollably. This is caused by involuntary muscle contractions. The contractions can range from mild to severe. Here's how you can tell if you have dystonia.
Instructions
1. Understand the early warning signs. It usually first occurs in a single area of the body. For example, the muscle contractions will happen when you are doing a certain thing such as walking forward, but not when you run forward or walk backwards. The symptoms can become more severe when you are anxious or stressed.
2. Know how dystonia can effect various parts of the body. It can cause the eyelids to rapidly blink or squint. It can also cause the neck to jerk back and forth or from side to side. If it effects the jaw and tongue, it can lead to slurred speech or make it hard to eat or swallow. If it's in the hand or forearm, it can cause pain during repetitive motions.
3. Be aware of other conditions that dystonia is linked to. Dystonia can occur due to an underlying medical condition such as a stroke, brain tumor, a lack of oxygen, an allergic drug reaction, brain injury, or infections.
4. See a doctor if you are having symptoms. A neurologist can use urine and blood tests to see if there are toxins in the body and an MRI can detect the presence of a brain tumor or signs of a stroke.
Tags: brain tumor, muscle contractions
