Warning Signs Of Cervical Dystonia

Headaches

As the neck pain can radiate to the shoulders, it can also radiate to the head. Patients might be surprised to discover how many headaches are caused by pain in the neck, shoulders, or back. Some find pressing down on sore vertebrae can help alleviate headaches that feel like migraines. In a similar vein, alleviating the muscle spasms and tension in the neck can help keep pain from radiating to the skull. Patients might feel the pain from cervical dystonia in the base of their skull or the back of their head. It might also present as a tension headache, which is the most commonly observed kind of headache. This kind of headache occurs when individuals have a mild or moderate feeling of pain like a band wrapped around their head. The causes of tension headaches aren't understood well, but it's theorized muscle pain in the back and neck can be one of them. If cervical dystonia is causing headaches, there may be treatments available to help manage the pain.

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Extreme Exhaustion

Cervical dystonia can lead to extreme exhaustion, though not everyone with the condition will experience the same levels of tiredness and exhaustion. Having cervical dystonia doesn't mean an individual is more predisposed to fatigue or tiredness due to their brain chemistry. But when their muscles experience this kind of spasticity, there's a high likelihood of they will be kept awake during the night. Patients may wake up in pain when their muscles spasm, or they might have trouble getting to sleep because of the pain. If individuals are in pain while they sleep, their sleep quality may be restless and disturbed, so they may feel like they haven't slept at all in the morning. On top of interrupted sleep patterns, the pain from cervical dystonia can drain a patient's energy by itself, by pulling a lot of focus and awareness. The body has to use a lot of energy to fight off the pain, which can make it difficult to perform day-to-day tasks.

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