Living with Dystonia
![Rogers Hartmann was active and healthy before she was stricken by dystonia. Rogers Hartmann was active and healthy before she was stricken by dystonia.](https://images.oprah.com/images/tows/200903/20090319/20090319-tows-rogers-dystonia-290x218.jpg)
Imagine being an active, 30-something woman one day. Then, just a few weeks later, you find yourself bedridden and unable to control your body.
In May 2008, Rogers Hartmann, a television and film producer, says she woke up with a stiff neck, and her head was tilting to the right. Within a week, Rogers' body was fully contorted and bent at a 90-degree angle.
After a series of misdiagnoses, Rogers was diagnosed with dystonia, a rare neurological disorder that causes her muscles to pull her body to the right. The tug-of-war going on inside her body causes excruciating pain.
"I'm a 37-year-old woman, but I feel 80 or 90," she says. "It just feels like muscle contractions you can't control, and as the day progresses and depending on how much I do that day, I'm more and more crooked to the right."
In May 2008, Rogers Hartmann, a television and film producer, says she woke up with a stiff neck, and her head was tilting to the right. Within a week, Rogers' body was fully contorted and bent at a 90-degree angle.
After a series of misdiagnoses, Rogers was diagnosed with dystonia, a rare neurological disorder that causes her muscles to pull her body to the right. The tug-of-war going on inside her body causes excruciating pain.
"I'm a 37-year-old woman, but I feel 80 or 90," she says. "It just feels like muscle contractions you can't control, and as the day progresses and depending on how much I do that day, I'm more and more crooked to the right."
As a reminder, always consult your doctor for medical advice and treatment before starting any program.