Tardive dyskinesia is a movement disorder in which people experience uncontrollable, repetitive, and abnormal movements of the face, torso, and other body parts. Some examples of such movements are grimacing and blinking without any control. This disorder affects the nervous system in people and debilitates some of their motor nerve functionality. If one identifies the signs of this movement disorder early and addresses them, it may eventually help treat the condition.

Let’s understand the symptoms, causes, and management options of this disorder.

Tardive dyskinesia symptoms
Here are some common indicators of tardive dyskinesia that doctors look for in patients to accurately diagnose the condition.

Sticking out tongue involuntarily
The tongue comes with a complex set of muscles to aid its movement. The brain and several nerves help the movement and sensory functions of the tongue. Tardive dyskinesia affects this connection and, thereby, causes people to involuntarily move their tongue in and out of their mouth without any prior hint.

Smacking or puckering the lips involuntarily
All the symptoms of this disease are related to involuntary movements. Like the tongue, even the lips and teeth movements are regulated by the motor neurons present in the zone. Ultimately, these neurons receive impulses from the brain to work normally. When the tongue starts moving irregularly, the lips and other areas of the mouth also have a knock-on effect. This is why it is not uncommon for people with this disorder to smack or pucker their lips involuntarily from time to time.

Some of the other uncontrollable facial movements include blinking really fast, chewing even when there is no food in the mouth, puffing out of the cheeks frequently, frowning randomly, and making grunting sounds now and then.

Irregular limb movements
As one can expect, motor neurons are spread throughout the body. Tardive dyskinesia tends to affect most such nerves and body parts. Therefore, one may experience involuntary movements in their arms, fingers, legs, and toes. Some of the irregular movements seen in people with this disorder are involuntary finger wiggling, feet tapping without any control, arm flapping that happens randomly, pelvic thrusting, and random swaying from side to side.

All these involuntary movements leave individuals with this disorder vulnerable to injuries and other issues. So, it is advisable for family members or healthcare professionals to constantly be around tardive dyskinesia patients to make sure they are safe and sound.

Tardive dyskinesia causes
The main cause of tardive dyskinesia is the long-term usage of specific prescribed treatment options. These options are often used to treat issues like mental illnesses, neurological problems, or stomach problems. However, unregulated usage can lead to people slowly losing control of their motor functionality.

Some healthcare researchers have found that dopamine receptor-blocking prescription-based solutions are most likely to gradually debilitate the brain and cause tardive dyskinesia over a period. Dopamine is a neurotransmitter that sends messages to dopamine receptors to control body movements. Any disruptions in its production can lead to tardive dyskinesia.

Essentially, when prescription-based treatment options are used for long periods, they slowly start creating unwanted chemical changes in one’s brain. These chemical changes in the brain make certain people more sensitive to dopamine than others. This sensitivity tends to trigger involuntary and exaggerated body movements.

Certain individuals are more vulnerable to tardive dyskinesia than others, such as those with a history of diabetes, those suffering from other disorders caused by using prescription-based solutions, people with traumatic brain injury, and human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) patients.

As medical research keeps getting better, more and more details and causes of this disorder can keep emerging.

Tardive dyskinesia treatment options
Some of the ways that help manage tardive dyskinesia are as follows:

Reducing the duration and dosage of prescription-based options
As stated above, the long-term, unregulated usage of prescription-based treatment options is one of the main causes of tardive dyskinesia. Therefore, to reduce the risk of this disorder, healthcare professionals generally advise people to use the lowest effective doses of prescription-based solutions.

Practising stress-reduction techniques
Stress can worsen the symptoms of tardive dyskinesia. Practicing stress-reduction techniques such as meditation can help turn down the nervous system’s impulses and responses to stressful situations. Mindfulness-based breathing techniques are also equally helpful in managing the condition.

Exercising regularly
People can feel better physically and psychologically by exercising regularly. Regular walks and other body movements can help people with tardive dyskinesia manage the condition. One can consult with their healthcare practitioner and engage in swimming and aerobic exercises to manage their movements and impulses better.