Task Spesific Dystonia
Hello everyone,
I am Sam, from land of MS, Canada. We are friend for 24 years, very closed friend, when I was 29. It was a good guy for years, just once in a while would came up to say, "don't forget me, Hello, I'm here"! In last 3- 4 years was telling "Hello" more often. Copaxone didn't work now I'm on Mavenclad. In one of latest Hellos, I got bad handwriting even with normal force in my hand and fingers. I was told I got TSD or Writer's spasm. My nero put me on Sinemet and said if not work we inject Botox in extensors muscles of thumb and index finger. He doesn't know it is because of MS for another luck. Any Idea friends?
Hi @sam10 and welcome. Now, I've just read that TSD or Writer’s spasm/cramp, "also called mogigraphia and scrivener's palsy, is a disorder caused by cramps or spasms of certain muscles of the hand and/or forearm, and presents itself while performing fine motor tasks, such as writing or playing an instrument. Writer's cramp is a task-specific focal dystonia of the hand." MS definitely causes cramps or spasms in muscles, but the underlying cause is the loss of integrity of messages to and from the brain to the muscles. So, it might be worth trying to open up new neural pathways by employing a bit of specific exercising. Try using one of those stress-busting squeeze balls and try that for a few days and see if that improves things. Botox is an option, but this is only a temporary measure as it will need repeating from time to time.
Hi @ stumbler Thanks, I'll try hand exercise, hopefully get aberrant flexor muscle innervation. I have this problem since may 2017, and trying to hold pen with my other fingers, which makes me very slow with almost unreadable handwriting😣. I have an appointment with fine motor specialist in Nov. 2019. This appointment was made in Apr. 2018. Can you believe it!! Typing doesn't help too much either because my 3rd and 4rd left hand fingers don't listen to me properly. Thanks again