DEAR DR. GOTT: About 10 years ago, I was diagnosed with tardive dyskinesia, also known as TD. My tongue moved (wiggled) involuntary, continuously. A doctor said it would continue the rest of my life.
This was distressing so I decided to fight it. I pressed my tongue tightly in my mouth to stop the movement. Then one morning I awoke and realized my tongue wasn’t moving. Then it started moving immediately. I thought perhaps it didn’t move when it was in a state of relaxation.
During childbirth classes, I learned the technique of relaxing. When I relaxed my tongue with a conscious effort, it stopped moving. Eventually, the movement stopped.
I hope this method will help some people with this disturbing affliction.
DEAR READER: Tardive dyskinesia typically occurs after a patient has taken high doses of certain medications, over an extended period of time. It causes involuntary, repetitive tic-like movements — especially in the muscles of the face. TD is a result of damage to the body’s systems that use and process dopamine, a biochemical substance produced in the brain. It functions as a neurotransmitter to regulate emotion and movement within the body.
There are several medications that can cause symptoms of TD to include those for nasal allergies, mental illness and digestive disorders such as heartburn caused by GI reflux. One such digestive disorder drug is metoclopramide, sold under the name of Reglan in the United States. In 2004, a study of the medication’s effect on older women found an increased risk for developing symptoms of TD. By early 2009, the Food and Drug Administration issued a black-box warning to this effect.
Treatment is commonly achieved through prevention in a couple of ways. The first is by changing the offending drug to another brand or lowering the dosage. Discontinuing the medication may be an option for some and often reverses TD, but sometimes it is permanent. As you so cleverly pointed out, it can be done through relaxation techniques. Some success has been noted for severe localized problems by using Botox.