BOTOX® Treatment: Cervical Dystonia (CD)

Cervical Dystonia or CD, is known medically as Spasmodic Torticollis. It typically affects people over the age of 40 by causing abnormal movements and postures of the neck and head.

These abnormal movements may cause twisting of the head and neck, known as Torticollis, movement of the head and neck forward, called Antecollis, pulling of the head and neck backward, known as Retrocollis or even sideways, known as Laterocollis. While the symptoms may be mild, occasionally the spasms may be severe enough to cause significant pain and discomfort.

Cervical Dystonia may progress in certain individuals but it is not associated with any other brain degeneration or symptoms. Its severity and symptoms may vary from person to person with a seeming course of progression going into remission for no apparent reason, only to return at some time in the future.

At the present time there is no known cause of Cervical Dystonia, however it is believed to be due to some abnormal functioning of the Basal Ganglia, a deep brain center controlling movement.

There is presently no known cure for Cervical Dystonia. A number of neurologically acting medications have been tried for CD with somewhat mixed results from individual to individual. In many cases the drugs have side effects that are actually as unpleasant as the disorder. One of the most effective means in obtaining relief from Cervical Dystonia is the use of BOTOX® Injections. BOTOX® is effective in temporarily weakening the muscles affected by the spasm. Careful administration is required to get the best possible results from BOTOX® treatment so that the optimum quantity, type of BOTOX® and dose can be precisely injected.