Why do most medications have side effects? Why are some medications more prone to side effects than others?

The simple answer? Medications do more in your body than simply treat the initial problem. In cases where medication is administered to treat a severe disease, in some instances, the side effects may cause damaging long-term effects.

For example, if you’re living with schizophrenia, schizoaffective disorder, or any other type of similar mental illness, you may experience a wide range of symptoms, such as headaches, weight gain, nausea, and vomiting.

What you may not expect, however, is the phenomenon known astardive dyskinesia.

What Is Tardive Dyskinesia?

Tardive dyskinesia, known as TD, is a movement disorder associated directly with the use of antipsychotic medications.

TD causes patients to experience repetitive, uncontrollable muscle movements and spasms in the face, neck, and limbs. Diagnoses indicate that these symptoms are out of an individual's control. Thus, it can make even the most basic daily tasks incredibly challenging.

It is also noted that not every person taking prescription antipsychotic medication will develop TD. However, one should note any signs and symptoms observed and exhibited by the onset of TD, which are; stiff, jerky movements that appear to be involuntary. Consequently, without treatment, these side effects can become permanent.

Symptoms of Tardive Dyskinesia

Documented TD symptoms are known to occur after long-time use of antipsychotic medications. However, for some individuals, these circumstances can occur within as little as a few months of taking these medicines.

Symptoms of tardive dyskinesia include:

• Grunting

• Frowning

• Sticking out your tongue

• Blinking your eyes rapidly

• Jerking hand, arm, and leg movements

• Neck twisting

• Lip smacking

• Puffing out your cheeks

• Wiggling your fingers

• Tapping your feet

• Flapping your arms

• Thrusting out your pelvis

• Swaying from side to side

The various individuals’ experiences indicating the onset of TD appear separate and distinct. These movements may appear fast or slow but are commonly associated with interference with a person’s daily functioning.

What Causes Tardive Dyskinesia?

Antipsychotic medications used to treat mental illnesses such as schizophrenia are involved in the transmission of nerve signals. These important neurotransmitters are dopamine blockers, a chemical substance, found within the brain associated with diseases such as Alzheimer's, Parkinson’s, epilepsy, seizures, and depression. These drugs help nerve cells, muscle cells or glands, and other fibers to communicate with one another.

When the brain has toolittledopamine it produces sudden and shaky movements associated with TD. However, the use of medication promotes more effortless movements. The longer usage of these medications the higher are chances of developing tardive dyskinesia as a side effect of antipsychotic medications.

Which Antipsychotic Medications Can Cause Tardive Dyskinesia?

While Second-Generation medications are often deemed safer, TD can still occur.Older, “First-Generation” antipsychoticshave been documented as more probable to contribute to these muscle spasms symptoms.

According to theNational Alliance on Mental Illnesshere are a few known antipsychotic medications that can cause tardive dyskinesia:

First-generation or older antipsychotics:

• Chlorpromazine (Thorazine)

• Fluphenazine (Prolixin)

• Haloperidol (Haldol)

• Mesoridazine besylate (Serentil)

• Molindone (Moban)

• Perphenazine (Trilafon)

• Pimozide (Orap)

• Thioridazine (Mellaril)

• Trifluoperazine (Stelazine)

Second-generation or newer atypical antipsychotics:

• Aripiprazole (Abilify)

• Clozapine (Clozaril)

• Lurasidone (Latuda)

• Olanzapine (Zyprexa)

• Paliperidone (Invega)

• Metoclopramide (Reglan)

• Risperidone (Risperdal)

• Ziprasidone (Geodon)

Other Side Effects of Antipsychotic Medications

There are known medicines on the market that are attributed to the development of side effects. While these antipsychotics are needed by an individual afflicted with a mental illness disease, it is important to be aware of the following results that may occur:

• Restlessness

• Sexual and reproductive problems

• Sedation

• Weight gain

• Insulin resistance

• Headaches

• Constipation

• Dry mouth

• Dizziness

• Blurred vision

• Fluid retention

If you or a loved one are particularly concerned about any of these side effects, it’s encouraged to speak with your physician or mental health professional to obtain the proper medication to aid in the assistance and relief of any of these symptoms.