What Is Muscular Dystrophy?
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Muscular dystrophy is a disease of the muscles, due to which the muscles of a person become weak and thin over time. In this disease, abnormal changes in genes reduce the production of proteins that are essential for muscle health. Due to this, it becomes gradually difficult for a person to walk and in many cases, muscular dystrophy leads to problems in other parts of the body as well.
Muscular Dystrophy Symptoms
Early symptoms of muscular dystrophy are staggering, frequent falls, muscle aches, and stiffness, developmental delay, difficulty running, difficulty sitting or standing, and walking on the toes. This problem increases over time and causes other symptoms, such as inability to walk, inability to do activities, breathing being very difficult, etc.
Muscular Dystrophy Causes
Many genes make proteins to prevent muscle damage, and the problem of muscular dystrophy occurs when there is a defect in any one of these genes. The problem of muscular dystrophy is of many types, but the cause of each type is the same – the defect in the genes related to it. However, sometimes there is a defect in the eggs or embryos present in the mother’s body and the child develops muscular dystrophy. It is not yet known why these changes or malfunctions occur, but studies are going on on this topic.
Muscular Dystrophy Treatment
There is currently no cure for muscular dystrophy, but there are steps you can take to reduce the symptoms and problems it causes. Different types of therapy can be beneficial for this, such as physical therapy, occupational therapy, speech therapy, etc. Low-intensity corticosteroids may also be given to maintain muscle health. Sometimes surgery is done for bone problems so that the person does not have problems performing everyday tasks. The patient may need a pacemaker for heart problems caused by muscular dystrophy.
