A Twist of Fate: An Involuntary Spasm of Head and Neck Muscles: A Case Report
Abstract
Ajay Challapalli and Terence K Gray DO
A 51-year-old female presented to the clinic with worsening persistent and involuntary spasm of head and neck muscles that included a right head tilt, decreased cervical rotation and rhythmic twisting of the chin to the right laterally. The patient presented with significant medical history for anxiety, tremors, and depression. She stated her biological mother has had a similar presentation of symptoms for several years. Our patient was prescribed medications to treat her comorbid conditions. These included Fluoxetine, Gabapentin and Mirtazapine. It appears the use of Prozac and gabapentin exacerbated her symptoms of cervical dystonia. To alleviate the persistent symptoms, this case report aims to discuss how several drugs can worsen dystonia as well as how the use of onabotulinumtoxinA (Botox) or Botolinum toxin A can alleviate cervical dystonia symptoms.