The Causes and Treatments of Muscular Dystrophy MD
http://www.healthmedicalresources.com/articles/521/1/The-Causes-and-Treatments-of-Muscular-Dystrophy-MD/Page1.html
Rebeca Walsh
By Rebeca Walsh
Published on March 9th, 2009
If you have been diagnosed with MD, or muscular dystrophy, then you
would be curious to know the causes, symptoms and treatments of the
problem. It is a genetic disease that can make the muscles weak and the
situation gets worse with type. There are different types of MDs that
affect different muscles and also have several outcomes.
If you have been diagnosed with MD, or muscular dystrophy, then you would be curious to know the causes, symptoms and treatments of the problem. It is a genetic disease that can make the muscles weak and the situation gets worse with type. There are different types of MDs that affect different muscles and also have several outcomes.
In maximum cases, mother is the carrier of muscular dystrophy and passes it along to the male children. But in the case of Facioscapulohumeral MD, both girls and boys are equally affected.
There are 50% chances of a female child to carry the gene. You can easily detect the MD gene when you are pregnant. If you have a history of MD, consult a doctor who can perform tests to find out if the gene has been carried on.
The disease has several symptoms that depends on the type of MD you have. The Facioscapulohumeral MD affects upper part of the body and face. Patients experience droopy eyelids, find difficulty in pronouncing words, have decreased facial expression and troubles in hearing. Becker MD affects lower body parts including pelvis and legs. Patients can leave an extended life with the Facioscapulohumeral and Beckers MD, without any disability.
The most severe problem is the Duchenne's MD that causes constraint to a wheelchair and can result in an early death. The weakness of muscles becomes too severe and many complications comes with this. It has been seen that young boys diagnosed with this kind of MD do not live beyond 25 years.
Physical therapy, orthopaedic braces, oral corticosteroids and group therapies are done to treat the problem of muscle dystrophy. But there is no cure for the disease. In all these treatments the focus is done on the strengthening of muscles and lowering the severity of the problem. In the cases of Facioscapulohumeral MD, patient might not even see any kind of symptom. The consequences are however devastating in the case of Duchenne's MD.
In maximum cases, mother is the carrier of muscular dystrophy and passes it along to the male children. But in the case of Facioscapulohumeral MD, both girls and boys are equally affected.
There are 50% chances of a female child to carry the gene. You can easily detect the MD gene when you are pregnant. If you have a history of MD, consult a doctor who can perform tests to find out if the gene has been carried on.
The disease has several symptoms that depends on the type of MD you have. The Facioscapulohumeral MD affects upper part of the body and face. Patients experience droopy eyelids, find difficulty in pronouncing words, have decreased facial expression and troubles in hearing. Becker MD affects lower body parts including pelvis and legs. Patients can leave an extended life with the Facioscapulohumeral and Beckers MD, without any disability.
The most severe problem is the Duchenne's MD that causes constraint to a wheelchair and can result in an early death. The weakness of muscles becomes too severe and many complications comes with this. It has been seen that young boys diagnosed with this kind of MD do not live beyond 25 years.
Physical therapy, orthopaedic braces, oral corticosteroids and group therapies are done to treat the problem of muscle dystrophy. But there is no cure for the disease. In all these treatments the focus is done on the strengthening of muscles and lowering the severity of the problem. In the cases of Facioscapulohumeral MD, patient might not even see any kind of symptom. The consequences are however devastating in the case of Duchenne's MD.