Cervical Dystonia

What is cervical dystonia?

Cervical dystonia is a disabling movement disorder in which neck muscle contractions occur involuntarily. It is usually associated with neck pain and often causes headache or migraine. Whilst it may occur following injury, the cause is often unknown.

Common symptoms in cervical dystonia

Cervical dystonia may cause or be associated with any of the following symptoms:

abnormal posture of the neck and head (for example torticollis),
neck muscle spasm,
neck stiffness with restricted range of movement,
neck pain,
headache or migraine,
head tremor,
thoracic outlet syndrome,
bruxism (teeth grinding) or temporomandibular joint (TMJ) dysfunction.

Botulinum toxin injections

Botulinum toxin is a purified protein extracted under controlled laboratory conditions. Available brands are Botox^®, Dysport^® and Xeomin^®. Injection of botulinum toxin into the affected muscles of the neck is a common medical procedure and is gold-standard for treatment of cervical dystonia. NeuroRehabilitation Sunshine Coast is unique as we use ultrasound to visualise and guide the injections.

Once injected the medication blocks the release of acetylcholine, a neurotransmitter, from the nerve which then allows muscle fibres to gradually relax. It takes a few days for this change to commence. The medication remains active for at least 3 months and repeat injections are usually required for ongoing clinical benefit. For cervical dystonia, it often takes a few treatment cycles to provide significant relief. Interestingly, if headache, migraine or neck pain occur in association with cervical dystonia, these symptoms also often improve following treatment.

Botulinum toxin is listed on the Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme for the treatment of cervical dystonia. This means the medication can be accessed with little cost to the patient.