Common Symptoms Of Neuromuscular Diseases

Neuromuscular disease is an encompassing term used to describe a group of diseases that primarily cause problems with the nerves responsible for controlling voluntary muscle movement and the nerves responsible for sending sensory information to the brain. Most neuromuscular diseases involve progressive muscle fatigue and weakness. Neuromuscular diseases may be caused by a spontaneous or inherited mutation in the DNA, an infection, an autoimmune disorder, metabolic disorder, hormonal disorder, certain drugs, or a dietary deficiency. Several tests are utilized to make a diagnosis, including electromyography, blood tests, nerve conduction studies, genetic testing, and muscle biopsy. Neuromuscular diseases cannot be cured, so treatment focuses on slowing the progression of the disease, treating individual symptoms, and improving the patient's quality of life. Surgery, medications, occupational therapy, and physical therapy are common treatment methods used in individuals affected by neuromuscular diseases.

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Muscle Atrophy

A patient with a neuromuscular disease may present with muscle atrophy, a term used to describe when an individual has decreased muscle mass. Most individuals who have muscle atrophy due to neuromuscular diseases have neurogenic muscle atrophy, but disuse muscle atrophy may also occur. Neuromuscular diseases destroy the cells that trigger the muscles responsible for involuntary muscle movements. In healthy individuals, the nerve impulses move from the upper motor neurons to the lower motor neurons before they are sent out to specific muscles to produce movement. This process allows an individual to move their legs, face, tongue, arms, chest, and throat. When this process is impeded before the impulse reaches an individual's muscle due to a neuromuscular disease, the muscle is unable to move and function properly. Muscle atrophy is most often the result of impulse interruption between the lower motor neurons and the muscles that they control. The affected muscles are not used regularly, leading to muscle atrophy.

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