Washington, D.C. — This month, Senators Jim Banks (R-Ind.) and Jeff Merkley (D-Ore.) introduced a bipartisan resolution in the United States Senate to express support for the designation of September as “Dystonia Awareness Month.”This designation aims to raise public awareness and understanding of dystonia, a complex and often misdiagnosed neurological movement disorder.
Dystonia is characterized by involuntary, excessive muscle contractions, which can cause abnormal movements and postures. It affects an estimated 250,000 to 300,000 Americans, although experts believe the true number may be significantly higher due to widespread underdiagnosis and misdiagnosis.
Senator Jim Banks (R-Ind.): “Over 250,000 Americans live with dystonia and our servicemembers have an increased risk of developing this condition. Too often, if a condition doesn’t affect millions of people, it gets overlooked and can be frequently misdiagnosed. That is why awareness is so important.”
Read the entire resolution here.