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.
1 Trigger suspects: the possible suspects for what triggers the start of an autoimmune disease are many, but include: viruses, bacteria, diet, toxins, radiation, chronic infections, and so on.2  Risk factors: genetics (significant but not total), immune system abnormalities. Parasites: These are very rarely regarded as an autoimmune disease trigger. 2  However, there are a few rare examples of a relationship between an AI disease and a parasite: 3  Chagas' heart disease and Trypanosoma cruzi. 4  SLE / Sjogren's syndrome and the Ochocerca volvulus nematode.