Why Do I Experience Painful Muscular Spasms In Response To Medication? Medication-Induced Acute Dystonia

Do you experience abnormal and prolonged contraction of the muscles of the eyes, head, neck, limbs, or trunk developing within a few days of starting a medication (such as a neuroleptic)?

Do you experience abnormal and prolonged contraction of the muscles of the eyes, head, neck, limbs, or trunk developing within a few days of raising the dosage of a medication (such as a neuroleptic)?

Do you experience abnormal and prolonged contraction of the muscles of the eyes, head, neck, limbs, or trunk developing within a few days after reducing the dosage of a medication used to treat extrapyramidal symptoms (movement disorder symptoms)?

Based on your answers, it is unlikely that you experience painful muscular spasms caused by a medication. Drug-induced dystonia is a severe reaction in which a person shows atypical repetitive or sustained muscular spasms of the face, neck, back, shoulders, trunk and limbs. This results in painful postures. Many drugs can cause dystonia, and onset of acute dystonic reactions may occur within minutes of drug intake, but most cased occur within 5 days. Drug-induced dystonia is in most cases caused by neuroleptics. Symptoms may include difficulty swallowing or breathing, which can be a medical emergency.

Unfortunately, you are displaying one or more symptoms typically seen among individuals who have medication-induced acute dystonia. It may be of high importance to seek medical support. Acute dystonia is characterized by involuntary movements of the face, including the eyes, jaw, and tongue, the neck, trunk, and in some cases limbs. There are many drugs that can cause dystonia. Treatment for medication-induced acute dystonia starts with discontinuing the drug and administering anticholinergics or antihistamines. Also, without treatment most of the people will improve within 12 to 48 hours. It’s essential to always carefully follow the advises of your doctor when taking drugs.