The Effectiveness of Medication vs Medication Plus EMG Bio feedback on Motor Symptoms in Females with Chronic Focal Dystonia

Background and Objective: Focal dystonia is a chronic disease with unwanted side effects. The aim of this study was to investigate the effectiveness of medication in comparison to medication plus EMG biofeedback on motor symptoms in females with chronic focal dystonia. Materials and Methods: This study was accomplished using a quasi-experimental design with pre-test, post-test and follow-up. The sample consisted of random selection of ۲۰ female patients with spasmodic torticollis and ۱۰ female patients with blepharospasm, diagnosed by neurologists. Based on neurological diagnostic criteria, they were equally divided into two groups. Both groups were treated with botulinum toxin type A, but the second group participated in ۲۰ treatment sessions of EMG biofeedback for ۱۰ weeks in addition to receiving the drug. To collect the data, the participants were asked to complete F-M Scale questionnaire over the pre/ post-tests and follow-up. Results: The mean scores of motor symptoms and their subscales in the medication plus EMG biofeedback group was significantly diminished in comparison to medication group (p<۰.۰۵). Conclusion: This study suggests that medication plus EMG biofeedback can elicit more effective results than using mere drugs in the treatment of the motor symptoms in females with chronic focal dystonia.

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Keywords: Focal dystonia ، EMG biofeedback ، Medication ، Motor symptoms