What is cervical dystonia?

Dystonias are a group of neurological movement disorders, causing involuntary muscle contractions. They can affect different parts of the body. A focal dystonia affects just one part of the body.

Cervical dystonia (CD), (also known as spasmodic torticollis) is a focal dystonia which affects the nerves supplying your neck and/or shoulder muscles. Overactive nerves cause involuntary and uncontrolled muscle contractions leading to you experiencing abnormal movements and positions of your head and neck, these are typically painful and may be associated with some tremor.

Types of cervical dystonia
There are several types of cervical dystonia depending on which nerves and muscles are involved:

	•Torticollis is the most common form where both head and neck twist and turn sideways and may result in the chin pointing to one shoulder
	• Laterocollis is where the neck turns, flexes or extends to the side and the head may be turned and pulled to one side and down to the shoulder
	• Anterocollis results in the head being pulled forwards and the chin drawn down towards the chest
	• Retrocollis is where the head tilts backwards towards the spine

Your doctor will be able to help you to identify which type you have from your symptoms.

Who does cervical dystonia affect and how will it affect you?
Cervical dystonia occurs in both sexes around or over the age of 40 years, but is more common in women than in men.

Symptoms of cervical dystonia may vary from mild to severe and may be associated with pain and/or tremor. These may remain the same or gradually worsen with time, or progress for a few years and then not become any worse. Some 20% of people affected may even have brief periods without these symptoms, but in most cases they will eventually return. The condition affects people differently and it is not possible to know, when you are first diagnosed, how it will affect you.

However, you should be aware that cervical dystonia is not life threatening and is not associated with any other neurological or brain conditions.