MD can begin in infancy or childhood, or later in life.
Diagnosis typically begins with an evaluation of symptoms but is only confirmed after significant testing.
While theres no known cure for muscular dystrophy, treatments may help slow progression and improve symptoms.
Most types of muscular dystrophy are hereditary diseases.
Some types of muscular dystrophy can be fatal.
Symptoms may appear as late as age 25.
Becker MD also progresses slower than DMD and is typically milder.
Unlike some forms that primarily affect boys, these types affect all genders.
It mostly affects boys, though girls may be mildly affected.
It can cause potentially life-threatening complications due to the weakening of the heart and muscles involved in breathing.
Electromyographyis a test that uses electrodes to examine the electrical signals sent by the nerves in your muscles.
They help doctors identify diseases that affect the nerves and muscles as well as the extent of any damage.
Facioscapulohumeral muscular dystrophy (FSH MD) begins in adolescence or early adulthood and affects both genders.
FSH MD primarily affects the muscles of the face, shoulder blades, and upper arms.
It often makes the shoulders slope forward and causes difficulty raising the arms.
A gene mutation is a permanent alteration in one or more genes.
Mutations cause changes in a particular genes instructions for making a protein.
That leads to proteins that are missing or malfunctioning, which leads to disease.
Most forms of muscular dystrophy are due to genetic mutations.
Most forms of muscular dystrophy are genetic diseases.
Genetic testing involves examining your genes, chromosomes, or proteins for evidence of mutations.
Limb-girdle muscular dystrophy is a form of MD that develops in teenagers or young adults.
Also known as Steinert’s disease or MMD, this is the most common form of adult muscular dystrophy.
It starts with muscle weakness in the face and then moves on to the feet and hands.
A woman with myotonic MD can give birth to an infant with a congenital form of the disease.
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