Helensburgh woman set for Dystonia UK charity challenge

Emma Wiseman has lived with cervical dystonia for two decades after experiencing what she believed to be a stroke at the age of 24.

The neurological movement disorder is characterised by involuntary muscle spasms and painful contractions that can cause abnormal movements and postures.

Since being diagnosed, the 44-year-old now also suffers with fibromyalgia, chronic and cervicogenic migraines and temporomandibular joint dysfunction.

Emma has lived with cervical dystonia since she was 24-year-old (Image: Newsquest)

But she's now planning to complete a wing walk to raise money for a charity that helps bring awareness of the condition and supports those who have been diagnosed with it.

She told the Advertiser: “Nobody really knows what dystonia is, yet it is the third most common movement disorder after essential tremor and Parkinson's.

“I was starting to think about my career and the future; however my diagnosis took me down a different path.

"I woke up in the middle of the night and I thought I was having a stroke because it was the left-hand side of my face, neck and arm that were having spasms.

"I didn’t know what was going on and it is scared me.

“I have been very lucky to have a great neurologist behind me who was able to diagnose me with the disorder, but it has been tricky because I now have six neurological conditions which all trigger each other.”

The 44-year-old wants to bring more awareness of people with chronic illnesses (Image: Newsquest)

Emma says she has learned over the years to manage her pain levels and to find coping mechanisms, but she says there is still so much work to do in raising more awareness for people with chronic pain conditions.

“I was on a lot of medication for many years," she said, "and I decided to come off some of them because I had lost myself.

"I came off 27 tablets from 36 because they were suppressing who I was and I didn’t know myself any more.

“I still don’t know what each day is going to bring and it has been extremely difficult to live with.

"It is hellish what I have to live with, but people can’t see it so they don’t understand.

"Living with a condition that nobody can see is so isolating. I know there will be people in Helensburgh just like me.

“It has been a really long and hard journey, which I couldn’t do without my amazing husband and two children.

"I hope to create a support group in the future, but I think there is still so much more to be done in raising awareness. This is just a small step."

Emma enjoys cold water dunks to help manage her pain (Image: Newsquest)

Emma's wing walk, which she's planning to undertake in August, will raise money for the Dystonia UK charity - which, according to Emma, has never had anyone raise funds for it by taking on such an epic challenge.

“I needed to do something big to mark those 20 years,” she explained.

“I did a parachute jump when I was 20, so I knew I wanted to do something bigger and crazier.

"I think it will feel amazing to feel free, as my condition completely controls me.

“I just want people to know what dystonia is and to support me in raising money for a cause that needs more recognition.”

To donate to her fundraiser visit her GoFundMe page at tinyurl.com/Emma-Wiseman.