Hi Anon - Thanks for writing and sharing your situation with us. For those who don't know the term, dystonias are movement disorders in which sustained muscle contractions cause twisting and repetitive movements or abnormal postures. The movements, which are involuntary and sometimes painful, may affect a single muscle; a group of muscles such as those in the arms, legs, or neck; or the entire body. Those with dystonia usually have normal intelligence and no associated psychiatric disorders.
Generalized dystonia affects most or all of the body, while a focal dystonia is localized to a specific part of the body. Anon, it sounds like your focal dystonia is in your right hand, is that correct?
While it might seem that the problem lies in the concentrated area of the muscle group it starts in the mapping system of the brain that controls fine motor skills and sensory information. A thin layer of tissue, called the sensorimotor cortex, lies above the brain and categorizes the movements of individual muscle function. During Focal Dystonia the categories are no longer distinct and unable to be controlled accurately.
The brain is constantly adapting and developing to the human it belongs and, for the most part, this is a very beneficial thing for our overall functionality and well being. But the brains of those who have developed focal dystonia have adapted to the unnatural movements of the muscle group and, to make it easier for the body, have created a type of shortcut.
To treat focal dystonia, many opt for botox injections, paralyzing the unnatural contractions of the affected muscle. Because the problem lies in the brain, not in the muscle itself, the condition is not fixed but rather only appeased temporarily.
As this is not a cure for Focal Dystonia further research has been conducted to reverse the brain’s adapted function to its original utility. A program developed by UCSF researcher, Dr. Nancy Byl, is called sensorimotor retraining. In short, the brain must re-learn the desired functions by exaggerating the sensory function of the brain.
reatment includes the everyday natural use of the muscles, sending reminders to the brain of how these muscle groups should move and feel.
Gradual changes to the muscle functions that have become second nature to you and your brain are imperative to the reversal of Focal Dystonia. The symptoms of this muscle condition can be frustrating and the treatments, seemingly endless but as more research is being conducted more effective steps for management of the disorder becomes available every day.
You can find more information about focal dystonia at this link from the National Institute of Neural Disorders and Stoke: http://www.ninds.nih.gov/disorders/dystonias/detail_dystonias.htm
Will you let us know if this information has been helpful? Thanks, Pat
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Hi Anon - Thanks for writing and sharing your situation with us. For those who don't know the term, dystonias are movement disorders in which sustained muscle contractions cause twisting and repetitive movements or abnormal postures. The movements, which are involuntary and sometimes painful, may affect a single muscle; a group of muscles such as those in the arms, legs, or neck; or the entire body. Those with dystonia usually have normal intelligence and no associated psychiatric disorders.
Generalized dystonia affects most or all of the body, while a focal dystonia is localized to a specific part of the body. Anon, it sounds like your focal dystonia is in your right hand, is that correct?
While it might seem that the problem lies in the concentrated area of the muscle group it starts in the mapping system of the brain that controls fine motor skills and sensory information. A thin layer of tissue, called the sensorimotor cortex, lies above the brain and categorizes the movements of individual muscle function. During Focal Dystonia the categories are no longer distinct and unable to be controlled accurately.
The brain is constantly adapting and developing to the human it belongs and, for the most part, this is a very beneficial thing for our overall functionality and well being. But the brains of those who have developed focal dystonia have adapted to the unnatural movements of the muscle group and, to make it easier for the body, have created a type of shortcut.
To treat focal dystonia, many opt for botox injections, paralyzing the unnatural contractions of the affected muscle. Because the problem lies in the brain, not in the muscle itself, the condition is not fixed but rather only appeased temporarily.
As this is not a cure for Focal Dystonia further research has been conducted to reverse the brain’s adapted function to its original utility. A program developed by UCSF researcher, Dr. Nancy Byl, is called sensorimotor retraining. In short, the brain must re-learn the desired functions by exaggerating the sensory function of the brain.
reatment includes the everyday natural use of the muscles, sending reminders to the brain of how these muscle groups should move and feel.
Gradual changes to the muscle functions that have become second nature to you and your brain are imperative to the reversal of Focal Dystonia. The symptoms of this muscle condition can be frustrating and the treatments, seemingly endless but as more research is being conducted more effective steps for management of the disorder becomes available every day.
You can find more information about focal dystonia at this link from the National Institute of Neural Disorders and Stoke: http://www.ninds.nih.gov/disorders/dystonias/detail_dystonias.htm
Will you let us know if this information has been helpful? Thanks, Pat
April 22, 2010 - 6:47pmThis Comment
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