WRITERS CRAMP - A FOCAL DYSTONIA - ETIOLOGY, DIAGNOSIS, AND TREATMENT

The complaint of hand cramps is common among patients who consult the neurologist or the hand surgeon. Classic writer's cramp is best charac terized as a focal dystonia, and electromyographic studies reveal a ch aracteristic pattern of cocontraction of the agonist and antagonist mu scles of the forearm and hand. Although the outcome of treatment in th e past has been unsatisfying, recent experience with new pharmacologic therapy, such as injections of botulinum toxin, has produced promisin g results. Further experience and improvement in this area will likely increase the therapeutic success in the treatment of writer's cramp a nd other focal dystonias.