Signs and Symptoms
Dystonia is a neurological disorder characterized by over-activity of a specific group of muscles and/or muscle. It is the over-activity of these specific muscles that causes
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Involuntary movements and tremors
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Sustained muscle contractions
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And abnormal postures.
The key factor that differentiates Dystonia from other movement disorders is that there is sustained abnormal posture that occurs at some time during the movement. Dystonia is misdiagnosed 90% of the time by clinicians. The involuntary movements and spasms caused by Dystonia sometimes are attributed to stress, stiff neck, dry eyes, tics, or psychogenic disorders. A significant clue to Dystonia lies in the fact that Dystonia often increases during activity, stress and anxiety; but diminishes during relaxation and sleep.
