dystonia

American  

[dis-toh-nee-uh] / dɪsˈtoʊ ni ə /

noun

Pathology.

1. abnormal tone of any tissue.

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dystonia British  

/ dɪsˈtəʊnɪə /

noun

1. a neurological disorder, caused by disease of the basal ganglia, in which the muscles of the trunk, shoulders, and neck go into spasm, so that the head and limbs are held in unnatural positions

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Other Word Forms

• dystonic
  adjective

Etymology

Origin of dystonia

dys- + -tonia

Example Sentences

Musicians can develop a dystonia that affects their ability to form their mouths around brass or wind instruments.

From Slate • Apr. 18, 2026

Jacob was diagnosed with the rare condition when he was a few days old, and since developed gastrointestinal dystonia, a debilitating stomach condition caused by neurological impairment.

From BBC • Nov. 29, 2025

It’s happened often enough that scientists at the Mayo Clinic have a more formal definition for it—involuntary wrist spasms that can stem from a neurological condition called focal dystonia.

From The Wall Street Journal • Oct. 29, 2025

Laryngeal dystonia, known previously as spasmodic dysphonia, is a rare condition that affects over 50,000 people in the US and Canada.

From Science Daily • Nov. 20, 2024

The Mayo Clinic describes it as “a type of focal dystonia, a condition that causes involuntary muscle contractions during a specific task.”

From Salon • Aug. 1, 2024