Your First Appointment
During the week before your first appointment you will receive a
telephone call from a nurse practitioner that specializes in movement
disorders. She or he will collect your medical history and current
medications in detail. The physician will review this information
at the time of your first visit.
When you arrive in the Clinic, please check in with the receptionist
at the desk. The receptionist will page the physician who will come
to get you from the waiting room. An hour is scheduled for your first
appointment. Thirty minutes are allotted for follow-up appointments.
At the end of your appointment, you will be able to schedule a follow-up
appointment if you choose. Please remember to have your parking validated
at the reception desk.
What to Expect
Physicians who work in the Dystonia Clinic offer comprehensive patient evaluations and have access to a full range of therapies for adults and children. The physician will begin by reviewing your medical history, family history, current symptoms and treatment. A physical examination will be performed where you may be asked to perform tasks such as toe tapping, finger to nose, writing and walking down a hallway. Once the evaluation is complete, you and the physician can discuss recommendations and pursue the course of treatment that best fits your current symptoms.
If other people in your family have been diagnosed with a movement disorder, your physician or the Clinic’s genetic counselor may discuss the genetics of dystonia. When appropriate, the Dystonia Clinic works closely with the MGH Neurogenetics DNA Diagnostic Laboratory to provide genetic testing for some inherited forms of dystonia.