Cervical dystonia, also referred to as spasmodic torticollis, is defined as a rare brain disorder that causes unusual positioning or movement of the neck and head muscles. When a person has spasmodic dystonia, his or her head movements will in turn cause the positioning of the head to be somewhat off. According to the National Organization for Rare Diseases, cervical dystonia is a focal dystonia that usually begins in middle age and typically affects more women than men.