Neuro Muscular Disease

Neuromuscular Disease

 

Neuromuscular disease is a very broad term that encompasses many diseases and ailments that impair the functioning of the muscles, either directly, being pathologies of the voluntary muscle, or indirectly, being pathologies of nerves or neuromuscular junctions.

 

Neuromuscular diseases are relatively rare conditions that affect the neuromuscular system including the muscles, the peripheral motor nerves in the arms, legs, neck and face, the neuromuscular junction where the nerves and muscles meet, and the muscle-controlling motor neurons in the spinal cord.

What is Neuromuscular Disease?

A neuromuscular disease is a disorder that affects the peripheral nervous system. The peripheral nervous system includes muscles, the nerve-muscle (neuromuscular) junction, peripheral nerves in the limbs, and the motor-nerve cells in the spinal cord.

Neuromuscular diseases affect the function of muscles due to problems with the nerves and muscles in your body. The most common symptom of these diseases is muscle weakness.

Conditions and Symptoms:

• Muscular weakness
• Rigidity
• Loss of muscular control

• Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS)
• Botulism
• Congenital myasthenic syndromes
• Congenital myopathies
• Cramp-fasciculation syndrome
• Elevated creatine kinase
• Fasciculations
• Inclusion-body myositis
• Lambert-Eaton syndrome
• Mitochondrial myopathy
• Motor neuron disease
• Muscle disorders
• Muscular dystrophy
• Myasthenia gravis
• Myotonic dystrophy
• Neuromuscular junction disorders
• Neuromyotonia (Isaacs syndrome)
• Peripheral neuropathy
• Polymyositis
• Research

Types of Neuromuscular Diseases

Muscular Dystrophies

Generalized muscle weakness which progresses very slowly, with possible joint deformities

 

Peripheral Motor Neuron Diseases

Weakness and atrophy of muscles and nerves of the arms and legs which may involve foot deformities and some numbness. Ankle sprains are common.

 

Motor Neuron Diseases

Generalized muscle weakness, trouble swallowing and sucking, breathing trouble, paralysis of legs and arms. High incidence of fatality during very early childhood

 

Neuromuscular junction diseases

Generalized weakness and fatigability of voluntary muscles, including those controlling mobility, eye movement, swallowing and breathing. Can be controlled with medication in some cases.

 

Metabolic Diseases of Muscle

The varied weakness of shoulder, hip, face and neck muscles, which usually occurs with other metabolic conditions.

 

Treatment

Treatment of Neuromuscular diseases focuses on neutralizing or delaying symptoms, enhancing physical mobility and social interactions, and preventing heart and lung complications.