cervical dystonia – Infodystonia

Speaking up about silent swallowing difficulties in dystonia

November 4, 2014June 17, 2015Dr. Marie-Hélène MarionLeave a comment

Ms Lucy Hicklin ENT, Mr Paul King chief executive Dystonia society UK, Dr Marie-Helene Marion neurologist and Carol Harris speech therapist. London living with dystonia event, on swallowing and speech problems on the 8th november 2014, London.

Every day we swallow solid food like a piece of bread, water and our own saliva. This vital function occurs most of the time without us being aware of it, as a reflex. But in fact swallowing is a very fine and precise mechanism, which can be disrupted in a number of neurological conditions, the most common and dramatic one occurring after a stroke, but also in dystonia.

A few definitions:

1- Doctors talks about swallowing difficulties as dysphagia, which is the difficulty moving food from mouth to stomach.

2- Swallowing difficulties can be severe leading to a misdirection of the food to the nose, or to the larynx (voice box) and the lungs, resulting in infection of the lungs called aspiration pneumonia (as the food has been sucked int the airways).

3- Swallowing difficulties are silent when there is no manifestation which will make the person aware of the swallowing problem, such as cough, choking, needed to drink to push down the food.

4- Swallowing difficulties are subclinical when the signs are so mild that they are overlooked such as cutting food into small pieces and taking a sip of fluid with each swallow.

What are the essentials for good swallowing?

1- Of course the machinery such as the tongue, the mouth, the throat (the pharynx) the voice box (the larynx), the oesophagus (gullet) have to be healthy. Issues apart from neurological problems, such as a tumour, could obstruct the swallowing process.

2- The nervous system has to be able to conduct in an orderly fashion the different sequences of the swallowing, like a conductor with his musicians; only one “ fausse note” can disturb the all process. It’s called neurogenic dysphagia.

What are the sequences of the swallowing?

1- The oral phase: the food is collected in the mouth as a soft mass of chewed food, called a bolus.

2- The pharyngeal phase: the swallowing reflex is triggered by the bolus touching the back of the throat, which give a signal to the brain ( cortex and brainstem) to start the safe guard process: the airway needs to be protected by elevating and closing the larynx and by lifting the soft palate to close the back of the nose. The door to the oesophagus (the crico-pharyngeal sphincter) opens to let in the bolus which has been propelled downwards by the back of the tongue and the pharyngeal muscles.

3- The oesophageal phase. The bolus then passes though the gullet and into the stomach. This is under the control of the autonomic nervous system

How can swallowing difficulties be assessed?

1- -During a consultation, a speech therapist will examine the tongue strength, gag reflex, voluntary cough, and speech and perform a trial of swallowing (water, puree) and/or a 3 ounces (90 ml) water test.

2- FESS (fiberoptic endoscopic evaluation of swallowing).

A fine “spaghetti “( fibre-optic) tube, with a camera at the end, connected to a screen, is introduced by the nose and passed gently down to the throat. With the camera in place the patient is asked to swallow a food of different consistencies. The food is normally dyed blue or green to make it easy to see against the pink of the gullet. The speech therapist performing the test can see where it is going, particularly if it is getting stuck or going down into the airway (aspiration) .

3- Videofluoroscopy is video-radiography of the mouth, throat and oesophagus when the patient swallows a range of foods (biscuit, puree, yoghurt) and liquids that are coated in barium. The barium shows up on the x-rays (radio-opaque). On the video the radiographer can follow the trajectory of what has been swallowed.

4- Recording the swallowing process with electrodes in the muscles under the chin and movement sensors on the Adam’s apple can give a good indication of the timing of the different swallowing phases. It’s called an electrophysiological assessment.

Posterior aspect of the base of tongue and larynx , after removing the pharynx http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Slide10vvv.JPG#mediaviewer/File:Slide10vvv.JPG

What about swallowing difficulties in dystonia, in untreated patients?

Very few studies have addressed this topic. Most have concentrated on the swallowing difficulties in dystonic patients following treatement with Botulinum toxin injections.

I will present 5 studies of swallowing difficulties in patients with cervical and craniocervical dystonia, before treatment.

1-Riski et al (1990) studied 43 patients with cervical dystonia with videofluoroscopy and found that 51% of the patients had swallowing difficulties; in 16% the difficulties were subclinical (not known by the patient). The patients had mainly a delay in triggering the swallowing reflex and some residue in the vallecula (a groove, behind the base of tongue, usually cleared by the posterior movement of the base of tongue).

2–Comella et al (1992) studied 18 patients with cervical dystonia with videofluoroscopy before and after Botox injections; 11% patients had clinical symptoms of swallowing difficulties and 22% had radiologic signs of peristaltic abnormality.. after Botox (see below), the signs and symptoms of dysphagia in these patients did not change, but an additional 33% developed new dysphagic symptoms and 50% of the patients developed new peristaltic abnormalities by radiologic studies.

3- Munchau et al (2000) studied 12 patients with cervical dystonia undergoing selective peripheral denervation with videofluoroscopy. 90% patients had swallowing abnormalities with 58% subclinical. The patients presented as in the Riski’s study, with delayed initiation of the swallowing reflex and abnormal tongue base posterior movement, in particular in patients with saggital shift of the head.

The subclinical dysphagia was mainly cutting food into small pieces and taking a sip of fluid with each swallow.

4–Ertekin et al (2002) studied 25 patients with cranio-cervical dystonia with electrophysiological assessment. . 36% had clinical dysphagia and 72 % had abnormal swallowing on electrophysiological recording with again delayed swallowing reflex ; also the sphincter ( the crico-pharyngeal muscle) which opens the oesophagus was hyperactive, instead of being relaxed during swallowing to let the food going through.

Ertekin developed the concept of the dysphagia limit. In this simple test patients are asked to swallow volumes of water ranging from 1ml to 20mls. In patients with clinical swallowing problems only 1-10 mls can be swallowed in one go. In subclinical patients 10-15mls can be managed. All normal subjects could swallow 20mls in 1 gulp.

5-Cersosimo et al (2005) studied 20 pts with Meige syndrome with videofluoroscopy. 90% patients had abnormal swallowing compared to 40% in a healthy population of same age. They found also residue in the vallecula as in Riski’s study

What about swallowing difficulties in dystonia in Botox dystonic patients?

Botulinum toxin injections, by weakening adjacent muscles, have been responsible of transient dysphagia in dystonic patients.

The different types of dysphagia depending of the sites of the Botox injections have been detailed in a previous post.

Conclusion

Swallowing difficulties are often silent or subclinical in dystonic patients. Patients and doctors need to speak about them as these swallowing difficulties can be worsened by Botulinum toxin treatment administered for the treatment of the dystonia.

Maybe every injector needs to offer a drink to their dystonic patients before treating them! It may be well received…..

References:

Swallowing function in patients with spasmodic torticollis.; Riski JE1, Horner J, Nashold BS Jr; Neurology. 1990 Sep;40(9):1443-5

Dysphagia after botulinum toxin injections for spasmodic torticollis: clinical and radiologic findings.; Comella CL1, Tanner CM, DeFoor-Hill L, Smith C.; Neurology. 1992 Jul;42(7):1307-10

Prospective study of swallowing function in patients with cervical dystonia undergoing selective peripheral denervation; A Munchau, C Good, S McGowan, N Quinn, J Palmer, and K Bhatia; J Neurol Neurosurg Psychiatry. Jul 2001; 71(1): 67–72.

Oropharyngeal swallowing in craniocervical dystonia, C Ertekin^*, I Aydogdu^**, Y Seçil, N Kiylioglu, S Tarlaci, T Ozdemirkiran J Neurol Neurosurg Psychiatry 2002;73:406–411

Swallowing disorders in patients with blepharospasm.: Cersósimo MG1, Juri S, Suárez de Chandler S, Clerici R, Micheli FE. Medicina (B Aires). 2005;65(2):117-20

http://www.infodystonia.com/post/24333066534/swallowing-difficulties-after-botox-injections-what-to

My head shakes: is it dystonia?

January 22, 2013June 17, 2015Dr. Marie-Hélène MarionLeave a comment

Keith Haring

Millions of people all over the world, uses her head and neck to carry heavy goods. The control of her head posture must be phenomenal and does not allow any slight involuntary movement of her head. Unfortunately, for some people the head starts shaking and even without relying on their head as a way of carrying, they found this condition very disabling.

Head tremor described a movement of oscillation of the head, making the head going side to side, called no-no tremor or up and down, called yes-yes tremor. The tremor can be regular like a pendulum or irregular, with the head going further away from time to time.

Head tremor can be due to a condition called essential tremor (essential head tremor: EHT) or due to dystonia and in that case the tremor is labeled dystonic tremor (dystonic head tremor: DHT).

The clinical diagnosis of the different types of head tremor can be a dilemma when the head tremor is isolated, as neurologists don’t agree between themselves on the definition of dystonic tremor. Nevertheless, the distinction needs to be done, as the treatment and the prognosis may differ.

Table1: Differential diagnosis between essential head tremor and dystonic head tremor. Dr Marie-Helene Marion, 2013, www.infodystonia.com

ESSENTIAL HEAD TREMOR

Essential tremor (ET) is a clinical description of a familial regular tremor, which affects 50% of the siblings when one parent is affected.
ET can affect hands, head, chin, tongue and voice.
Women with ET have more chance to develop a head tremor.
ET occurs on posture, so the essential head tremor (EHT) is present when sitting, walking and disappears when lying down.
ET, mainly when the tremor is affecting the hands, has the particularity of being improved by drinking alcohol and responding to beta-blockers drugs such as Propanolol.
EHT is not controlled by sensory trick such as touching the cheek or the chin with the hand.
EHT is always associated with other tremor in the arms or tongue or voice. A collaborative study between Turkey and USA looking at head tremor due ET (583 ET cases) has not found one isolated case of head tremor; all were associated with at least a mild hand tremor.

DYSTONIC HEAD TREMOR, WITH FOCAL DYSTONIA.

· Dystonic head tremor (DHT) is an irregular head tremor, which is easy to diagnose when it occurs in a patient with a obvious cervical dystonia (with abnormal head posture and muscle spasms), and considers as a tremulous cervical dystonia. DHT is one of the first symptoms of cervical dystonia in 30% of the cases and is reported in 30% to 60% of the established CD cases.
· DHT can also be present in absence of neck dystonia, but associated with other focal dystonia, such as blepharospasm, oro-mandibular dystonia, voice dystonia or even a writer’s cramp. Therefore patients with head tremor need to be examine thoroughly when speaking, eating, writing…

ISOLATED DYSTONIC HEAD TREMOR

DHT can be present but without any associated dystonia on examination; the diagnosis in that case is more difficult.

· The family history of tremor or dystonia can be absent as the penetrance of the gene for focal dystonia is low (it means that the genetic abnormality can stay silent and is not always associated with dystonic symptoms and therefore can “skip a generation”).

· The diagnosis of dystonic head tremor will be made clinically on the association of others signs.

1. The head tremor is irregular on observation

2. The head tremor is relieved by a sensory trick (similar to what describes for cervical dystonia) with fingers on the cheek or the chin.

3. The head tremor persists when patient lying down.

4. The head tremor is worst in certain position of the head (position dependant).

5. The head tremor is associated with an irregular tremor of one hand, suggestive of a dystonic arm tremor as irregular and existing only in one hand. (at the difference of ET tremor which affects both hands).

6. The head tremor is isolated, with no tremor in the hands or in the face or voice. (at the difference of EHT which is always associated with tremor in other part of the body).

CONCLUSION

Despite the fact that the patients are not always aware of their head tremor, in particular in case of EHT, head tremor can be very disabling socially.

Head tremor can benefit from therapeutic options such as drug treatment and Botox injections, which have to be offered depending of the type of tremor.

Further research is needed to characterize more precisely this movement disorder. May be it will come from unexpected study such as the episodic head tremor observed in Doberman Pinsher dog …

Dr Marie-Helene Marion is a London neurologist, specialist in dystonia and its treatment with Botox.

Doberman Pinsher dog

REFERENCES:

1-Can J Neurol Sci. 2000 May;27(2):137-42.

Head tremor in cervical dystonia. Pal PK, Samii A, Schulzer M, Mak E, Tsui JK

2-Arq Neuropsiquiatr. 2008 Dec;66(4):805-8.

Head tremor in patients with cervical dystonia: different outcome? Godeiro-Junior C, Felicio AC, Aguiar PC, Borges V, Silva SM, Ferraz HB

3-J Neurol Neurosurg Psychiatry. 2012 Feb;83(2):179-81. doi: 10.1136/jnnp-2011-300823. Epub 2011 Nov 5.

Supine head tremor: a clinical comparison of essential tremor and spasmodic torticollis patients.Agnew A, Frucht SJ, Louis ED

4-Mov Disord. 2000 Sep;15(5):960-4.

Quantification of sensory trick impact on tremor amplitude and frequency in 60 patients with head tremor.Masuhr F, Wissel J, Müller J, Scholz U, Poewe W

5-Mov Disord. 2009 Nov 15;24(15):2281-5. doi: 10.1002/mds.22777.

Isolated head tremor: part of the clinical spectrum of essential tremor? Data from population-based and clinic-based case samples.. Louis ED, Dogu O

6-Mov Disord. 2011 Nov;26(13):2381-6. doi: 10.1002/mds.23936. Epub 2011 Sep 13.

An inherited episodic head tremor syndrome in Doberman pinscher dogs.Wolf M, Bruehschwein A, Sauter-Louis C, Sewell AC, Fischer A.

Don’t push your dystonia!

March 7, 2012June 17, 2015Dr. Marie-Hélène MarionLeave a comment

Push up and Press up have became part of the life of young adults…

Dr MH Marion explains why weight lifting is not advisable in cervical dystonia patients…

Don’t push your dystonia!

1-Push up and Press up have became part of the life of young adults. Going to the gym is a healthy and an advisable way of keeping fit in a urban society, which expect us to be sitting all day long in front of a computer and to be in full shape for climbing mountains.

However, it’s more recent that weight lifting to reinforce selectively muscle strength and to modify body shape is part of the routine of ordinary people, who are neither athletes, nor body builders. Weight lifting can quickly be part of the life style, with addictive personal challenges to lift heavier and heavier weights.

2-Cervical dystonia is a neurological condition, affecting young adults, resulting in an unbalanced activity of the neck muscles. Some muscles are hyperactive, and inhibit their counterpart on the other sides (reciprocal inhibition); for instance a patient with an involuntary rotation of the head to the right (right spasmodic torticollis) will have a large , hyperactive left Sterno-Cleido Mastoid muscle and a thin right Sterno-Cleido-Mastoid muscle. For a better understanding, read the blog “What makes my head turn?”.

The treatment of cervical dystonia is based on Botulinum injections, which correct this disequilibrium by relaxing the hyperactive muscles and on physiotherapy by reinforcing the inhibited muscles.

3- Is weight lifting contra-productive in patients with cervical dystonia?

I had the opportunity to treat few patients with cervical dystonia who were adept of weight lifting practice. These patients require larger doses of Botulinum toxin, even if the small number of cases doesn’t allow any scientific conclusion. This could explain by the fact that the exercised muscles became larger and stronger.

But the question is which exercises have an impact on the neck muscles and are some exercise worst than others, by targeting neck muscles involved in the dystonia?

I had the opportunity to discuss resistance training exercises with a specialized exercise instructor , Mr Rajah James who gave me a reference book “ Strength training anatomy” from Frederic Delavier. Every resistance training exercise is analysed in terms of functional anatomy with detailed illustrations of which muscles are targeted for each exercise. It’s an amazing book full of details and drawing, that I will strongly advise to anybody interested in exercising against resistance.

4-. Exercises to avoid at any cost:

The neck muscles are involved in the erect posture of the neck, in another words keeping the neck straight; any weight lifting will tense the neck muscles to stabilize the neck during the effort.

More specifically, shoulders muscles such as Trapezius and Levator scapulae elevate the shoulder but also are involved in the rotation, lateral flexion and extension of the neck.

Lateral Arm Raises and Shoulder Shrugs (Machine and Dumbbells shrugs), have to be avoided at any cost; they both reinforce the Trapezius in his upper and anterior part and in addition the shrugs reinforce the Levator Scapulae.

Back Press, Front Press, and Dumbbell Press are reinforcing the Trapezius muscles in its upper part.

Therefore I advise strongly against any weight lifting exercise in case of cervical dystonia;it can worsen the dystonia by reinforcing the dystonic muscles and increase the muscle unbalamnce and also it can partially compromise the effect of the Botox injections.

5- Physiotherapy for cervical dystonia

The retraining of the cervical muscles, which are becoming less active because of the dystonia, and the stretching of the overactive muscles are a very important part of the treatment. Jean-Pierre Bleton in Paris has written extensively about his original approach of physiotherapy with dystonic patients.

Frederic Delavier: Strength Training Anatomy

http://ebooksfreedownload.org/2011/04/strength-training-

Jean Pierre Bleton : Role of the physiotherapist in the treatment of dystonia

http://books.google.co.uk/books?id=haKD-PjEJ3MC&pg=PA223&lpg=PA223&dq=jean+pierre+bleton&source=bl&ots=yHGkDzRaN3&sig=VhFnlNAlPGqNlnuo7ieIMKR8yjY&hl=en&sa=X&ei=X9FXT42IDsSg8QOc2Mj-Dg&sqi=2&ved=0CFoQ6AEwBg#v=onepage&q=jean%20pierre%20bleton&f=false anatomy.htm

The Bali’s dancers head posture in patients with neck dystonia.

January 24, 2012June 17, 2015Dr. Marie-Hélène MarionLeave a comment

The Bali’s dancers head posture in patients with neck dystonia.

The horizontal shift of the head.

Sometimes the analysis of the posture of a patient with cervical dystonia can be tricky; For instance the horizontal translation of the head is a movement that the dancers from Bali can do side to side so graciously. For us European it’s far from natural to dissociate the movement of the head from the neck in a side to side shift. Dystonic patients sometimes have their head shift to one side without a lateral tilt and complained of limitation of their active head and neck movements in daily life. How to analyse this dystonic posture is very important when treating the patient with Botulinum toxin injections.

Professor Reichel from Germany kindly sent me 2 weeks ago the latest English version of his book: Therapy guide spasticity-dystonia, which is a very comprehensive and practical guide of the use of Botuinum toxin in these spasticity and dystonia and reflects his vast clinical experience in these fields.

He illustrates in details the horizontal shift of the head with the underlying principle that the role of the muscles in head and neck posture depends of their insertion either on the cervical spine ( Levator scapulae, Scalenius) or on the head itself , mastoid, linae nuchae ( Sterno-cleido-mastoid, Trapezius, Splenius capitis).

The horizontal shift of the head to the right for instance will occur if at the same time the head is tilt to the left and the neck to the right. Prof Reichel uses the terminology of left laterocaput and right laterocollis.

The right levator scapulae and the right scalenius are responsible of the right laterocollis and the left Sterno-cleido-mastoid muscle, the left cervical portion of the Trapezius, and the left Splenius are responsible of the left laterocaput.

It seems complicated to follow but it’s quite obvious when examining the dystonic patient with the Bali’s dancer head posture.

But is this posture a primary dystonic posture or the results of an adaptation of the patient ‘s neck posture with a left laterocaput in order to keep the eye line straight when looking in front? There is a reflex loop between eye movement and neck muscles (the cervico-ocular reflex- COR), which with other reflexes prevents visual slip during head and body motion. But this reflex had been found weak or absent in cervical dystonia.

There is still a lot of unexplained observation in dystonia. Fortunately it does not stop neurologists to treat their patients with cervical dystonia with Botulinum toxin injections, based on a careful analysis of the posture.

Dr Marie-Helene Marion

Therapy Guide Spasticity: Dystonia (Uni-Med Science) G. Reichel

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Therapy-Guide-Spasticity-Dystonia-Uni-Med/dp/389599779X

Cervico-ocular function in patients with spasmodic torticollis

R Stel, M Gresty,T Metcalfe, AM Bronstein.

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC1014296/pdf/jnnpsyc00499-0049.pdf

Botulinum toxin has transformed the treatment of focal dystonia.

December 8, 2011June 17, 2015Dr. Marie-Hélène MarionLeave a comment

Botulinum toxin (Botox) has transformed the treatment of focal dystonia over the last 25 years. Dr Marion lectured at the SENA meeting about the contribution of Botox to neurology…

South of England Neurology Association (SENA)

The 2nd December, St George’s Hospital

Botulinum toxin (BTX/ Botox) has transformed the treatment of focal dystonia.

Dr Jeff Kimber, neurologist organised The South of England Neurology Association (SENA) meeting, hosted this time at St George’s Hospital, London. In the morning session, several talk were on movement disorders. Dr Salah Omer gave a lecture on Progressive Myoclonic Epilepsy, and Dr Bridget Mcdonald adressed the questions of the long term prognosis of cerebral palsy. I gave a lecture on the contribution of Botulinum toxin to Neurology over the last 25 years.

In 1985, I remembered as a research fellow running a clinic dedicated to patients with cervical dystonia for which the only treatment was anticholinergic drugs (triheyphenidryl, procyclidine), physiotherapy and peripheral denervation surgery (cutting the nerves of the neck muscles). Patients with focal dystonia have always a major functional disability as the dystonic spasms are triggered by action. Oromandibular dystonia is the source of chewing or speaking difficulties. Blepharospasm can lead to functional blindness. Writer’s cramp stops the patient writing. Cervical dystonia interferes with walking, writing, working in front of a screen. Spasmodic dysphonia makes talking on the phone an impossible task…

Botox treatment has been a revolution for these patients, giving them a relief and the possibility to carry on their daily activities.

It’s important to inform the public and the funding body in healthcare profession that Botulinum toxin is not a beauty cream but a major therapeutic tool and that every department of neurology should be given the resources to offer this treatment to their patients.

Marie-Helene Marion

London Btx Centre

What makes my head turn?

November 23, 2011June 17, 2015Dr. Marie-Hélène MarionLeave a comment

What makes my head turn? Find out with Dr Marion, neurologist which muscles of the neck are responsible of turning the head on one side in neck dystonia

What makes my head turn?

The neck muscles involved in the involuntary posture in cervical dystonia need to be identified for Botulinum toxin injections and physiotherapy. Here are some hints.

See the sketche below.

The head is placed on the top of the cervical spine and can pivot about 90 degrees on both sides. The pivot of the head is possible if one neck muscle is pulling forward and if another one on the other side is pulling backward.

The Sterno-Cleido-Mastoid (SCM) muscle

is the muscle pulling forward and rotating the head to the opposite side (right SCM turns the head to the left).

The Splenius Capitis

is the muscle pulling the head backward and rotating the head to the same side (left Splenius turns the head to the left).

The SCM muscle is a long superficial muscle easy to palpate on the front of the neck, and the Splenius is a deep muscle, difficult to palpate, behind the ear.

The shoulder muscles

In addition, there are 2 muscles which are both neck and shoulder muscles: the Levator scapulae and the Trapezius ; both lift up the shoulder, but the Levator scapulae is a deep muscle, responsible for the posture “shoulder up and forward “ and works with the Splenius in turning the head to the same side (the left Levator Scapulae will contribute with the left Splenuis to the rotation of the head to the left, )

The Trapezius is a superficial muscle and can contribute to the rotation of the head to the opposite side, working together with the SCM (the right Trapezius will contribute with the right SCM to the rotation of the head to the left).

These muscles are the most frequent targets for Botulinum toxin injections to control the dystonic rotation of the head. The palpation of these muscles is important, as dystonic muscles feel more bulky under the fingers.

It may sound complex but looking at the drawing should make it simpler to grasp…

Marie-Helene Marion

London BTX centre

Cervical dystonia: what does the examination look for?

November 2, 2011June 17, 2015Dr. Marie-Hélène MarionLeave a comment

Cervical dystonia: what does the examination look for? Dr Marion tells you how the clinical examination is important to optimise the Botox treatment.

Cervical dystonia: what does the examination look for?

Patients with cervical dystonia described at onset an intermittent feeling of pulling in the neck muscles; over the months, the head take an abnormal posture. Torticollis is defined by the head (the chin) turned to one side; laterocollis by the head tilt toward one shoulder; retrocollis by the head pulled backward in extension, chin up; antecollis by the head flexed downward, chin down to the chest. These abnormal postures are due to the involuntary movement of the neck on the trunk. There is also the possibility of abnormal movement of the head on the neck, the head going forward like a goose or going backward giving a double chin posture.

The diagnosis of cervical dystonia is made on the involuntary movement and the abnormal posture of the head, and often delays by many years from the onset of symptoms. They are other rare causes of abnormal posture of the head that a neurologist can exclude by a neurological examination and investigations.

But like the BSP, every patient is different and need to be examined carefully to document precisely the abnormal dystonic posture to know which muscle is pulling too much! Then these muscles, which are responsible of the pulling, will be the one to inject with Botulinum toxin. The difficulty comes from the action of the neck muscles which are often mixed (rotating the head on one side and tilting on the other side), resulting in mixed abnormal posture of the head (predominant rotation with a degree of tilt and extension).

It’s best to see the patient at his worst!

The patient is asked to walk, to stand up, to write or to lie down depending of the triggering factors. Usually the worst posture is achieved standing, eyes closed. The fixation of the eyes on an object helps the person to keep the head straight; when closing the eyes, the head lost the visual cue and shift to its maximal abnormal posture. Then to write down the degrees of the rotation, tilt, extension and flexion to be able at the next visit to assess the improvement under treatment.

It’s also important to see the patient at his best!

I ask the patient if he has a “geste antagoniste” (French expression also used by the Anglo-Saxons neurologists!); for instance stopping the pulling in rotation by touching with one finger the cheek without exerting an opposing force to the movement. What’s count is the improvement of the pulling by simply touching a part of the head or neck. It’s also called sensory trick and it’s a hallmark of the dystonic phenomenon.

Then when the posture is clearly documented, identifying which are the leading muscles behind, is based on surface anatomy (palpation) and functional anatomy (which muscle is doing what!).