Type of Dystonia |
Cause |
Distribution |
Time of Onset |
Part of the body affected |
Symptoms |
| Primary generalised dystonia | Primary Pure | Generalised | Early onset | Throughout the body, particularly the trunk |
• Turning in or dragging of foot or leg |
| Cervical dystonia | Primary Pure | Focal (sometimes part of multifocal or segmental) | Late onset | Neck | • Causes head to twist • Often associated with tremor • Can be extremely painful |
|
Primary Pure |
Focal (sometimes part of multifocal or segmental) |
Late onset |
Around the eyes |
• Excessive blinking |
|
| Oromandibular dystonia |
Primary Pure |
Focal (sometimes part of multifocal or segmental) |
Late onset |
Jaw, tongue and/or mouth |
• Strange movements of face and mouth |
| Laryngeal dystonia or spasmodic dysphonia | Primary Pure | Focal (sometimes part of multifocal or segmental) | Late onset | Vocal cords | • Affects speech – voice either strangled or breathy |
| Focal hand dystonia |
Primary Pure |
Focal | Late Onset | Forearm and/or hand (also called writer’s cramp) | • Hand and/or fingers contort, twist or go into spasm when used • Often specific to tasks |
| Myoclonus dystonia | Primary Plus | Multifocal | Early onset | Neck, trunk and arms | • Jerking movements combined with other symptoms of dystonia |
| Dopa-reponsive dystonia | Primary Plus | Generalised | Early onset | Throughout the body, particularly the trunk and legs | • Turning in or dragging of foot or leg • Clumsy or unsteady walking / affects mobility • Painful twisting postures • Symptoms worsen as day goes on • Good response to drug levo-dopa |
| Paroxysmal Dystonia |
Primary paroxysmal | Focal or generalised | Early onset | All or part of the body | • Episodes during which dystonia affects the body – often hemidystonia or generalied • Episodes last from minutes to hours • Between episodes no sign of a problem |
| Tardive dystonia | Secondary (caused by drugs) | Usually multifocal | Late onset | One or more of face, tongue, trunk, neck, arm, leg | • Face and/or tongue movements • Spasms of trunk, neck, arm and/or leg |
|
Secondary dystonia |
Many causes | Any site singly or in combination | Any age | From focal to total body involvement with difficult | • Spasms in face, trunk and/or limbs • Difficulty feeding, sitting, lying, sleeping • Difficulty with speech or unable to speak
|
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Last reviewed October 2011
Disclaimer
The Dystonia Society provides the information on this page as general information only. It is not intended to provide instruction and you should not rely on this information to determine diagnosis, prognosis or a course of treatment. It should not be used in place of a professional consultation with a doctor.
The Dystonia Society is not responsible for the consequences of your decisions resulting from the use of this information, including, but not limited to, your choosing to seek or not to seek professional medical care, or from choosing or not choosing specific treatment based on the information. You should not disregard the advice of your physician or other qualified health care provider because of any information you receive from us. If you have any health care questions, please consult the relevant medical practitioner.
