Writer's cramp

As writer's cramp ( writer's cramp, also Mogigraphie, Chirospasmus, Cheirospasmus " hand cramp " or Cheirismus ) is called a spasm of the involved when writing and the writing hand muscles moving.

The disease was initially seen as overload syndrome (see the historic Meyer text below) then applied over several decades as a psychosomatic disorder and is today counted among the group of neurological disorder dystonia ( movement disorder originating in the motor centers in the brain).

Activity-specific dystonia

The writer's cramp belongs to the golfer dystonia and dystonia of the musicians to the activity-specific focal dystonia, which appear only during those specific activities. The Writer's cramp is the most common form. It is triggered by the act of writing, as an involuntary flexion, extension or rotation of the fingers, wrist, and more rarely the elbow and the shoulder. The writing becomes cumbersome, the font is distorted and unreadable.

Historical perspective of 1890

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Symptoms

Most commonly it is expressed in the flexor muscles by spasmodic pressing the spring holding the thumb against the index and middle fingers, which interferes with the spring attitude and finally becomes so strong that the whole hand bunching claw-like writing.

Less frequently, the spring is suddenly rocketed into by the palm of the hand. Are the extensor muscles of the fingers, the seat of the writing spasm, so open up in trying to write suddenly the fingers, or just the index finger reaches out, and the writer eliminates the spring.

Rarely, the forearm muscles are contracted, with the middle of writing the hand is suddenly jerked away over the paper. Finally, the writer's cramp is a consequence of jitter and incipient paralysis of the forearm muscles, then where is the spasmodic straining during spring keep repercussion against the muscle weak state of the arm. In all cases of writer's cramp is extremely annoying and often very painful.

Causes

The causes can be very different; the most common is probably an incorrect method of teaching writing, the spring posture and body support while writing, even probably the hard springs to use to thin pen holder, rough paper. These causes must be eliminated.

Therapy

The writer accustomed to a volatile handwriting, which defines the main activity in the ascending hairline of the letter, thus the extensor muscles of the fingers employs more than their flexor muscles. Only half paralyzed and trembling arms a different method is necessary.

Such a sick clamp the spring firmly in the fold between the metacarpal bones of the thumb and index finger against the latter they andrückend, and write more from the wrist by means of the muscles of the upper and forearm. The use of very thick, rough crafted pen holder, even the inclusion of the quill into a cork or a thicker tube are relief funds for the spring attitude.

Aid

Maas ' Atremograph is the palm reproduced accurately and makes any voluntary as well involuntary, unnecessary movement of the fingers when writing impossible. In any case, must be prevented by appropriate restriction of paperwork the outbreak of the writing cramp. In the most stubborn cases electrical treatment or massage is needed.