It was discovered during a social listening study in 2021 that people with Tardive Dyskinesia feel differently about their disease than those without it. Patients who discovered they had TD after using medicines meant to treat other health issues expressed a lot of resentment. Their TD symptoms caused them to feel insecure and fearful of being judged by others.
Antipsychotic medication side effects can cause an involuntary muscular movement problem called tardive dyskinesia (TD). A disorder known as psychosis affects the way your brain processes information, and antipsychotics are used to treat it. As particular anti-nausea medications block dopamine receptors in the brain, TD is triggered. Uncontrollable movements of the face, tongue, lips, or eyes are typical symptoms of this condition, but they can also affect the trunk and extremities.
Tardive Dyskinesia sufferers frequently question if the disease is long-term. When TD can be reversed, as well as how to manage and live with it, is covered in this article.
Common Symptoms & Severity
There are mild to severe signs and symptoms of TD. The growth of symptoms is usually gradual and can go unnoticed by the patients. Early indicators of TD, like subtle involuntary movements, should be observed. Mild symptoms can become moderate or severe over time.
The most common symptoms of TD are listed here:
- Gloomy expressions on the face (making faces)
- Protruding the tongue
- Lip-smacking
- Puckering of the lips
- Over-blinking of the eyes
- The writhing of the trunk
- Jerky movements of the hands, arms, or legs
Psychological distress can happen by TD's uncontrollable bodily movements. People with TD may experience feelings of shame or humiliation. This emotional toll often negatively impacts their social lives and general well-being.
Tactical, emotional, and social aspects of living with tardive dyskinesia must all be considered in the treatment process.
How to Reverse Tardive Dyskinesia?
There were no FDA-approved medicines to treat or reverse tardive dyskinesia's symptoms until last year. When treating TD symptoms, stopping or altering the dosage of the causative substance has been the traditional method until recently. First-line therapy is currently suggested using FDA-approved medicines because there is minimal evidence to support this practice.
Medications for TD
The FDA has recently authorized two new treatments for tardive dyskinesia under a fast-track procedure:
- Valbenazine (Ingrezza)
- Austedo (deutetrabenazine)
These are both VMAT2 medicines which target vesicular monoamine transporter type 2. VMAT2 medicines have been demonstrated to be effective in treating patients with mild to severe tardive dyskinesia symptoms.
Medical professionals recommend that patients explore all their treatment options with their doctor, including TD medicines, to get the most benefit from them.
Natural Remedies
Ginkgo biloba therapy may be an effective and safe treatment option for people with TD, according to a 2016 analysis of various researches. Still, more and better studies are needed to discover the facts behind this. Before using any over-the-counter (OTC) supplements, talk to your doctor about any possible drug interactions or adverse side effects.