Dystonia vs dyskinesia

[anashenwrath, ASN, RN]

Hi all,

Could someone help me sort out the difference between dystonia and dyskinesia? My book is sort of unclear.

Here's how I understand it: Dyskinesia covers a range of movement disorders, of which dystonia (sustained muscle spasms) is one. So all dystonias are dyskinesias, but not all dyskinesias are dystonias. Is that right?

Also, as far as I can tell, dopaminergics are an antiparkinsonian drug, and can be used to treat extrapyramidal side effects (incl dyskinesia), but long-term use of dopaminergics can cause... dyskinesia? That seems a little counterintuitive to me, but is it correct?

Thank you so much to anyone who can help!

[CaliforniaRNnow]

Dystonia is a neurological movement disorder, in which sustained muscle contractions cause twisting and repetitive movements or abnormal postures.

Dyskinesia is a movement disorder which consists of effects including diminished voluntary movements[1] and the presence of involuntary movements, similar to tics or choreia. Dyskinesia can be anything from a slight tremor of the hands to uncontrollable movement of, most commonly, the upper body but can also be seen in the lower extremities.

Source: wikipedia