Dystonia is an involuntary muscle contraction that pulls a body part into an abnormal position. In Parkinson's, dystonia commonly causes the foot to turn in or toes to curl under. Many people describe it as a painful cramping. Dystonia doesn't happen in everyone with Parkinson's, but it's more common in those who are younger at diagnosis.
Dystonia can be a symptom of Parkinson's, but it also can be a disease by itself. Treatment of dystonia may include oral medication, botulinum toxin (Botox) injections, physical therapy and, for some, deep brain stimulation surgery.
Read more about dystonia and Parkinson's.
Register for an upcoming webinar on dystonia.
Hear about one woman's experience with dystonia.
Ask the MD has been made possible through the leadership of members of our Parkinson's Disease Education Consortium in conjunction with The Albert B. Glickman Parkinson's Disease Education Program and Charles B. Moss Jr. and family. These partners' support allows us to furnish high-quality educational content to the Parkinson's community while maintaining our commitment to allocate donor dollars to high-impact research. Editorial control of all Michael J. Fox Foundation-published content rests solely with the Foundation.
