Focal Dystonia
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Learn About Focal Dystonia

View Main Condition: Movement Disorders

What is the definition of Focal Dystonia?
Focal dystonia is a disorder of the neurological system that causes muscle contractions in one area of the body, such as the face, vocal cords, neck, jaw, fingers, wrists, hands, or feet. Task-specific focal dystonia is a type of dystonia that causes muscle contractions in areas of the body associated with specific tasks, such as writer’s cramp.
What are the symptoms of Focal Dystonia?
Symptoms of focal dystonia depend on the affected area. Focal dystonia commonly affects the eyelids, jaw, tongue, neck, vocal cords, hand, or forearm but can occur in other areas. Symptoms of focal dystonia may progress, stay the same or stop, and then recur. The initial symptom of focal dystonia may be reduced muscle coordination, such as dropping things. As focal dystonia progresses, symptoms may include muscle pain, twitching muscles, muscle cramps, and abnormal postures of the affected area. Secondary symptoms of focal dystonia may include fatigue, trouble focusing, blurred vision, mood swings, depression, short temper, and difficulty sleeping.
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What are the current treatments for Focal Dystonia?
Treatment for focal dystonia may include lifestyle changes; physical therapy; occupational therapy; speech therapy; massage; stretches; medications, such as trihexyphenidyl, tetrabenazine, carbidopa/levodopa, clonazepam, valium, Baclofen, benzodiazepines, and Botulinum toxin injection; or surgery, such as deep brain stimulation or selective denervation.
Who are the top Focal Dystonia Local Doctors?
Hubert H. Fernandez
Elite in Focal Dystonia
Elite in Focal Dystonia

Cleveland Clinic Main Campus

9500 Euclid Avenue, 
Cleveland, OH 
Languages Spoken:
English
Accepting New Patients
Offers Telehealth

Hubert Fernandez is a Neurologist in Cleveland, Ohio. Dr. Fernandez is rated as an Elite provider by MediFind in the treatment of Focal Dystonia. His top areas of expertise are Movement Disorders, Parkinson's Disease, Tardive Dyskinesia, Deep Brain Stimulation, and Gastric Bypass. Dr. Fernandez is currently accepting new patients.

Nutan Sharma
Elite in Focal Dystonia
Elite in Focal Dystonia

Brigham And Women's Hospital, Neurosciences Center

60 Fenwood Road, 1st Floor Hale Building For Transformative Medicine, 
Boston, MA 
Languages Spoken:
English
Offers Telehealth

Nutan Sharma received an AB from Stanford University, and her MD and PHD from the State University of New York at Stony Brook. She competed a Neurology residency at Yale University, and a fellowship in movement disorders with Brad Hyman at MGH. She became an instructor in Neurology at Harvard medical School in 2001, attaining the rank of Associate Professor in 2011.  In 2001, Dr. Sharma established the first Dystonia Clinic for comprehensive care of patients with dystonia at the Massachusetts General Hospital and Brigham and Women’s Hospital.  In 2005, the International Movement Disorders Society honored Dr. Sharma for Excellence in Basic Science. She is also director of the Collaborative Center for the study of X-linked Dystonia-Parkinsonism (XDP), which funds research and medical care for those with XDP. Dr. Sharma is rated as an Elite provider by MediFind in the treatment of Focal Dystonia. Her top areas of expertise are Drug Induced Dyskinesia, Focal Dystonia, Dopa-Responsive Dystonia, X-Linked Dystonia-Parkinsonism, and Deep Brain Stimulation.

 
 
 
 
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Hyder A. Jinnah
Elite in Focal Dystonia
Elite in Focal Dystonia

Emory Brain Health Center

12 Executive Park Drive Northeast, 
Atlanta, GA 
Experience:
33+ years
Languages Spoken:
English
Offers Telehealth

Hyder Jinnah is a Neurologist in Atlanta, Georgia. Dr. Jinnah has been practicing medicine for over 33 years and is rated as an Elite provider by MediFind in the treatment of Focal Dystonia. His top areas of expertise are Benign Essential Blepharospasm, Drug Induced Dyskinesia, Focal Dystonia, Torticollis, and Deep Brain Stimulation.

What are the latest Focal Dystonia Clinical Trials?
A Randomised, Cross-over, Double-blind, Sham-Controlled Superiority Trial of UltraSound-Guided Versus Non-Ultrasound-Guided Botulinum TOxin Injections in Cervical DYstonia

Summary: Cervical dystonia is a condition that causes the neck muscles to tighten or spasm, leading to abnormal head positions and pain. The main questions it aims to answer are: * Do ultrasound-guided BoNT injections improve quality of life more than injections without ultrasound? * Are ultrasound-guided injections as safe as injections without ultrasound? Researchers will compare: * BoNT injections with ...

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Focused Ultrasound Pallidotomy for Medication-Refractory Limb Dystonia (FUTURE Study)

Summary: The goal of this clinical trial is to find out if a non-invasive procedure called focused ultrasound can safely and effectively treat limb dystonia in adults who have not improved with medications or botulinum toxin injections. The main questions it aims to answer are: * Does focused ultrasound reduce the severity of limb dystonia symptoms? * Is the procedure safe and well tolerated? Researchers w...

What are the Latest Advances for Focal Dystonia?