1 Cervical dystonia, or torticollis, is the most common type. 2  Cervical dystonia typically occurs in middle-aged individuals. 3  It has, though, been reported in people of all ages. 4  Cervical dystonia affects the neck muscles, causing the head to twist and turn or be pulled backward or forward. Cervical dystonia affects the neck muscles, causing the head to twist and turn or be pulled backward or forward. 2  Cranial dystonia affects the head, face, and neck muscles. 3  Oromandibular dystonia causes spasms of the jaw, lips, and tongue muscles. 4  This dystonia can cause problems with speech and swallowing.
Autoimmune diseases occur when the immune system attacks healthy cells in the body. It seems counter-productive for our immune system to attack our own bodies, but scientists think that there is a naturally occurring level of autoimmunity that is going on all the time in humans and other higher animals.
Definition of autoimmune disease. 1  Autoimmunity is present in everyone to some extent. 2  Direct evidence requires transmissibility of the characteristic lesions of the disease from human to human, or human to animal. 3  Examples of autoimmune diseases that fulfill the criteria of direct evidence are.