An otherwise healthy 43-year-old woman comes to the physician because of several episodes of involuntary movement of her head over the past few months. These episodes are sometimes associated with neck pain and can last minutes to hours. Neurologic examination shows no abnormalities. During examination of the neck, the patient's head turns to the left. She states this movement is involuntary, and that she is unable to keep her head from turning. After 5 minutes, she is able to straighten her head again. This patient's condition can be best characterized as which of the following?

Question

An otherwise healthy 43-year-old woman comes to the physician because of several episodes of involuntary movement of her head over the past few months. These episodes are sometimes associated with neck pain and can last minutes to hours. Neurologic examination shows no abnormalities. During examination of the neck, the patient's head turns to the left. She states this movement is involuntary, and that she is unable to keep her head from turning. After 5 minutes, she is able to straighten her head again.  This patient's condition can be best characterized as which of the following?

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

Eductional Objective: Dystonia is a syndrome of prolonged, repetitive muscle contractions.  This condition may be the result of impaired function of the basal ganglia.  Cervical dystonia (spasmodic torticollis), blepharospasm, and writer's cramp are the most common types of focal dystonia.

An Otherwise Healthy 43-Year-Old Woman Comes to the Physician Because