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• 2 Dystonia
  • 2.1 Twisted neck
  • 2.2 Eyelid spasm
  • 2.3 Writer’s cramp
    • 2.3.1 Symptoms
    • 2.3.2 Causes
    • 2.3.3 Diagnosis
    • 2.3.4 Therapy
  • 2.4 Vocal cord spasm
  • 2.5 Spasms of the mouth, tongue and pharynx

Writer’s cramp

Dr. Christoph Oberwittler

The occupational forms of dystonia differ from other forms such as blepharospasm or spasmodic torticollis in that the involuntary muscle spasms occur only when a specific activity is performed. Writer’s cramp is a typical form of occupational dystonia: when the sufferer is not writing, his arm has no cramp. Other motor activities in which a form of dystonia specific to the activity can manifest itself are the playing of musical instruments (e.g. pianist’s cramp, guitarist’s cramp, flutist’s cramp, etc.) or some types of sport (e.g. the golfer’s “yips”, a spasm in the hand holding the club before teeing off, or in tennis).

Incidence

The total number of people in Germany with writer’s cramp is estimated to be 5600. On average, writer’s cramp starts earlier than the other types of focal dystonia, at around the mid-30s. Men are more frequently affected by writer’s cramp than women. The ratio fluctuates between 2:1 and 10:1. Many people who develop writer’s cramp have an occupation which involves writing.

Also read:

• Symptoms
• Causes
• Diagnosis
• Therapy

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Dystonia at work

• Those affected often have acceptance problems

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