Muscular Dystrophy

A muscular dystrophy is a group of diseases that cause progressive weakness and loss of muscle mass. In muscular dystrophy, abnormal genes (mutations) interfere with the production of proteins needed to form healthy muscle. There are many kinds of muscular dystrophy. Symptoms of the most common variety begin in childhood, mostly in boys. Other types don't surface until adulthood. There's no cure for muscular dystrophy. But medications and therapy can help manage symptoms and slow the course of the disease.

Signs & Symptoms

The main sign of muscular dystrophy is progressive muscle weakness. Specific signs and symptoms begin at different ages and in different muscle groups, depending on the type of muscular dystrophy.

Diagnosis

Your doctor is likely to start with a medical history and physical examination. After that, your doctor might recommend an Enzyme test, genetic testing, muscle biopsy, Heart-monitoring tests (electrocardiography and echocardiogram, Lung-monitoring tests, and Electromyography.

Treatment

Although there's no cure for any form of muscular dystrophy, treatment for some forms of the disease can help extend the time a person with the disease can remain mobile and help with heart and lung muscle strength. Trials of new therapies are ongoing. People with muscular dystrophy should be monitored throughout their lives. Their care team should include a neurologist with expertise in neuromuscular diseases, a physical medicine and rehabilitation specialist, and physical and occupational therapists.