Dystonia Services Offered In Eatontown, NJ

Dystonia is a distressing neuromuscular condition that causes uncontrollable muscle spasms. If you have dystonia symptoms, Dr. A. R. Scopelliti at Monmouth Functional Neurology Center in Eatontown, New Jersey, can help. Dr. Scopelliti has exceptional knowledge and understanding of dystonia, offering compassionate diagnosis and treatment to anyone suffering from this complex condition. Call Monmouth Functional Neurology Center or request an appointment online today.

Dystonia Q & A

What is dystonia?

Complex movement disorder dystonia is a neurological condition causing involuntary muscle contractions or spasms. It may involve any part of your body, including the following:

• Arms
• Legs
• Trunk
• Neck
• Eyelids (blepharospasm)
• Face
• Vocal cords (as a tic)

Pain and fatigue from the constant muscle contractions can leave you exhausted and affect your ability to sleep. It’s not uncommon for people with dystonia to suffer social withdrawal and develop mental health problems like depression and anxiety.

Many patients with dystonia experience problems getting a diagnosis — some are told they have a psychiatric disorder rather than a neurological condition. Dr. Scopelliti specializes in diagnosing and treating patients with complex movement disorders and conditions like dizziness, vertigo, and balance problems.

 What symptoms does dystonia cause?

Dystonia forces certain body parts into abnormal, often painful movements and postures. The condition isn’t fatal, but it’s a chronic disorder whose progress is unpredictable. 

Dystonia impairments can interfere with normal function. While it doesn’t impact cognition (thinking and understanding) or your senses directly, the inability to prevent movement means your eyes are continually over-correcting, which can affect vision.

You might experience problems moving your jaws, affecting your swallowing and speech. Cervical dystonia in the neck sometimes causes the head to shake back and forth or nod up and down as if you’re indicating no or yes.

As dystonia progresses, the twisted postures caused by muscle spasms result in unusual walking. Your torso might bend and twist, and you may make rapid, sometimes rhythmic, jerking movements. Eventually, some people develop fixed postural abnormalities that cause significant pain. 

 How is dystonia treated?

Many patients receive botulinum toxin injections for dystonia, a temporary solution best reserved for when conservative treatments don’t relieve a patient’s symptoms. Dr. Scopelliti uses functional neurology approaches to treat patients with dystonia without drugs or surgery.

Recent research into the treatment of dystonia indicates that functional neurology can significantly improve cervical dystonia. Most patients receiving treatment experienced movement improvement, tremor reduction, muscle spasticity decrease, and pain relief of at least 50%.

These results offer hope for dystonia patients wishing to avoid surgery.

Call Monmouth Functional Neurology Center to learn more about functional neurology treatment for dystonia, or book an appointment using the online scheduling tool today.