Can dystonia be cured?

Can dystonia be cured?

It depends on what you mean by "cured"! Many of those who ask this question have in mind the kind of cure used to treat, for example, an infection: your tonsils are swollen, you get an antibiotic prescription, and the bacteria causing your pain are killed. End of story. In this sense, there is no magic pill.

In general, nothing that is done to a dystonia patient—short of something invasive like Deep Brain Stimulation (DBS), which remains poorly understood—seems to reliably restore function.

What does work is what is done by the person living with dystonia to actively recover.

So how is that done?

First, we need a better definition of dystonia. Rather than just a "movement disorder in which a person's muscles contract uncontrollably" (WebMD), the following description is more accurate:

Dystonia is a dysfunctional pattern in the use of muscles in which certain neural pathways are overused and others are avoided. This pattern is learned and reinforced by the brain—often in response to physical or psychological trauma, anatomical asymmetries, or other co-factors.

In short, recovery involves unlearning that maladaptive pattern and learning a more functional one. This requires several steps:

1. Mapping the nervous system: identifying which neural pathways are being overused and which are being neglected. Which muscles are hypertonic? Which are hypotonic?

2. Reawakening dormant nerves and pathways: gently stimulating the 'forgotten' parts of the nervous system so the brain can reconnect with them and begin letting go of overcompensating patterns.

3. Integration: weaving those reconnected parts into new, functional patterns in movement, speech, rest, and any other affected areas of life.

At Hope for Dystonia, this is exactly what we do using the Eight Steps of the Recovery Roadmap.

Click here to learn more, or book a consultation to get started.

Disclaimer: Hope for Dystonia offers coaching and educational services. We do not diagnose, treat, or cure any medical condition, and our services are not a substitute for professional medical advice. Please consult with your healthcare provider regarding any medical concerns or treatment decisions.

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