Can cervical dystonia cause jaw pain?

Complications. In some cases, the involuntary muscle contractions associated with cervical dystonia can spread to nearby areas of your body. The most common locations include the face, jaw, arms and trunk.

Can dystonia affect the jaw?

Oromandibular dystonia, sometimes referred to as cranial dystonia, is characterized by forceful muscle contractions of the face, jaw, and/or tongue. The muscle contractions cause involuntary movements that interfere with opening and closing the mouth and may affect chewing and speech.

Can cervical dystonia cause TMJ?

Believe it or not, cervical dystonia can be closely linked to TMJ disorder. Not only can both conditions be treated with the same type of oral orthotic, but they may also be linked even more closely than that.

What is dystonia of the jaw?

Oromandibular dystonia (OMD) is a movement disorder characterized by involuntary, paroxysmal, and patterned muscle contractions of varying severity resulting in sustained spasms of masticatory muscles, affecting the jaws, tongue, face, and pharynx.

Can dystonia affect your teeth?

The dystonic activities are also associated with tooth loss and hyposalivation.

Does torticollis affect jaw?

In 2012, researchers successfully found that some cases of spasmodic torticollis are linked to your mouth and jaw. Temporomandibular joint disorder (TMJ), a painful disorder that may limit the mobility of your jaw and cause jaw pain, has been found to coincide with spasmodic torticollis.

How do you treat facial dystonia?

There is a three-tiered approach to treating dystonia: botulinum toxin (botox) injections, several types of medication and surgery. These may be used alone or in combination. Medications and botox can both help block the communication between the nerve and the muscle and may lessen abnormal movements and postures.

What causes spasms in jaw?

Jaw spasms, also known as trismus, is a common condition that can be caused by dental infection, dental damage, or trauma from an injury to the face, neck, or head. Locked jaw causes derive from temporomandibular joint dysfunction (TMJ).

Can dystonia affect swallowing?

You might experience slurred speech, drooling, and difficulty chewing or swallowing. Oromandibular dystonia can be painful and often occurs in combination with cervical dystonia or blepharospasms.

Does exercise help cervical dystonia?

Exercise therapy can help to manage dystonia. While exercise doesn’t treat the dystonia itself, it does help to alleviate the symptoms. Symptoms which are positively affected by exercise include poor balance, rigid or poor posture, reduced mobility, and low stamina.