- Botox Dystonia Treatment
- Dystonia remedies
- Physiotherapy for dystonia
- Dystonia surgery
- Signs of improvement
- Signs of worsening
The treatment of dystonia can be done with injections of botulinum toxin, known as botox, drugs to control dystonia, muscle relaxants, physiotherapy and surgery, which includes deep brain stimulation.
Dystonia occurs when the muscles contract involuntarily, causing repetitive and uncontrollable movements, which can affect daily tasks, so the treatment for dystonia aims to control muscle contractions, improving the patient's quality of life.
The choice of treatment must be made by the doctor, according to the severity and type of dystonia, such as acute, generalized, cervical, segmental or neurovegetative dystonia. Learn more about the types of dystonia at: Dystonia.
Botox Dystonia Treatment
Dystonia can be treated with injections of botulinum toxin, known as botox, as this substance helps to reduce the involuntary muscle contractions characteristic of this disease.
Botox injections are administered by the doctor directly to the affected muscles, usually every 3 months and it is normal to experience pain at the injection site for a few days. In addition, botox injections can cause other side effects, depending on the injection site, such as difficulty swallowing, in case of cervical dystonia, for example.
Dystonia remedies
Drug treatment for dystonia can be done with the following remedies:
- Levodopa and Carbidopa: used to improve involuntary spasms; Tetrabenazine: indicated for the treatment of diseases characterized by uncontrollable irregular movements; Triexiphenidyl: an anticholinergic remedy, which acts by blocking the release of acetylcholine, which is responsible for causing muscle spasms; Baclofen: relieves muscle stiffness and relaxes muscles; Diazepam and lorazepam: muscle relaxants, which promote muscle relaxation.
These remedies must be prescribed by the doctor, and the dose and method of use may vary according to the severity of dystonia.
Physiotherapy for dystonia
Physiotherapeutic treatment for dystonia consists of performing specific exercises or techniques to help maintain total movement, improve posture, relieve pain, avoid shortening or weakening the affected muscles and improve the patient's quality of life.
In addition, physiotherapy helps to avoid muscle contractures and reduce the side effects of botox treatment, by relieving pain or stimulating swallowing, for example, which can be compromised with botox.
Dystonia surgery
Surgical treatment for dystonia can be done using two techniques:
- Deep brain stimulation: consists of implanting electrodes inside the brain that are connected to a small device, similar to a pacemaker, that is usually in the abdomen and that sends electrical impulses to the brain, helping to control muscle contractions; Selective peripheral denervation: consists of cutting the nerve endings that are causing muscle spasms.
These surgical options are usually only done when the other treatments have not been effective.
Signs of improvement
Signs of improvement in dystonia are related to the start of treatment and include a decrease in the number of involuntary muscle contractions and, consequently, repetitive movements or distorted postures, as well as pain.
Signs of worsening
The signs of worsening dystonia appear when the treatment is not done correctly and include the increase and intensity of involuntary muscle contractions, causing repetitive movements that affect the patient's daily tasks and, consequently, his quality of life.
