Learn about the different types of dyskinesias, symptoms, risks, and treatment options.
Also, learn about conditions similar to dyskinesias and some methods to manage life after diagnosis.
What Is Dyskinesia?
Movement symptoms typically start as minor shakes, tics, or tremors.
These symptoms can range from mild to severe, and some may be painful.
There are different types of dyskinesias which lead to different symptoms as well as treatments.
However, characterizing some of these other movement disorders as dyskinesias remains a topic of debate among medical professionals.
Symptoms can worsen over time gradually or develop suddenly and intensify after a serious brain injury.
Patients with tardive dyskinesia have symptoms characterized by abnormal movements of the jaw, lips, and tongue.
In myoclonus dyskinesias, movements are characterized by being sudden and repetitive muscle spasms and jerks.
These movements can be so severe that they become painful and debilitating.
Chorea movements may be continuous, last a few seconds, or involve sudden, jerking behaviors.
These movements most commonly affect the limbs, face, and head.
Athetosis may affect the arms, legs, neck, and tongue of someone diagnosed with the disorder.
There are also times that dyskinesias can appear with no particular cause or known risk factor.
Medications
Dyskinesia is commonly seen in people withParkinson’s disease.
It is often the result of long-term use of levodopa, resulting in levodopa-induced dyskinesia.
However, it can also occur after a few months or days of treatment.
Levodopa is the preferred method of treatment for Parkinsons disease because it’s the most effective.
Levodopa temporarily restores these dopamine levels.
These medications are dopamine-receptor-blocking agents, and they impact the ability of cells to communicate.
Tardive dyskinesia tends to happen earlier in females than in males, for example.
People may develop athetosis due to a loss of blood supply or oxygen within the brain.
The key in of movements and areas of the body affected are key in determining the proper diagnosis.
Assessing the impact of the condition may require the use of anabnormal involuntary movement scale.
Some affected people report preferring to deal with the symptoms of dyskinesia rather than those of Parkinsons disease.
Different forms of the medication, such as extended-release Rytary or the gel-infusion Duopa, may also be helpful.
A wire travels from the electrodes to a pacemaker-like gear that is implanted in the chest wall.
After implantation, the clinician will set parameters that will determine the amount of electrical stimulation delivered.
There are several additional therapies that are currently undergoing clinical trials for the treatment of dyskinesias.
For the treatment of levodopa-induced dyskinesia, drugs that target different brain chemicals are being studied.
Living With Dyskinesia
Dealing with dyskinesias can be stressful and impact daily activities and social interactions.
Exercise, like walking or swimming, may be recommended.
Managing stress may also be crucial to control symptoms, as stress tends to exacerbate the uncontrolled movements.
Further information and resources may be sought from specialized organizations, like theMichael J.
Fox Foundation for Parkinsons Researchor theGenetic and Rare Disease Information Center.
Support groups may also be helpful to manage life with dyskinesia.
Summary
Dyskinesia is characterized by abnormal, involuntary muscle movements.
Dyskinesias can come in a variety of forms and may have significant impacts on daily life.
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