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.
In a few types of autoimmune disease (such as rheumatic fever), a virus or infection with bacteria triggers an immune response and the antibodies or immune cells called T-cells attack normal cells because some part of their structure resembles a part of the infecting microorganism.hose attacks cause inflammation and tissue damage that lead to autoimmune disorders. There are over 80 diseases that occur as a result of autoimmune responses. The National Institutes of Health (NIH) estimates that 23.5 million Americans are affected.