How can I reduce my risk or prevent dystonia altogether?

How can I reduce my risk or prevent dystonia altogether?

Dystonia happens unpredictably, so you can’t prevent it. You also can’t reduce the risk of developing primary dystonia. That’s because you either inherit it or develop it for unknown reasons.

However, some causes of secondary dystonia are preventable, or you can reduce your risk of developing them. The things you can do include:

• Eat a balanced diet and maintain a healthy weight. Many conditions related to your circulatory and heart health, especially stroke, can damage areas of your brain, causing dystonia. Preventing, delaying or reducing the severity of these conditions can have a big effect on whether or not you develop dystonia.
• Don’t ignore infections. Eye and ear infections need fast treatment. When these infections spread to your brain, they become a serious threat. Infections can cause brain inflammation (encephalitis) that can lead to dystonia.
• Wear safety equipment. Traumatic brain injuries can damage your brain and cause dystonia. That makes safety equipment essential in reducing your risk of developing this condition.
• Manage your health conditions. Chronic conditions cause or contribute to other conditions that lead to dystonia. That includes conditions like Type 2 diabetes, high blood pressure, epilepsy and others.