Types Of Muscular Dystrophy
There are several varieties of Muscular Dystrophy, and each has relatively unique symptoms. Many do not have an impact on life expectancy, and not all kinds result in severe impairment.
Duchenne-Type Muscular Dystrophy
This one is the most typical kind. Girls can have the gene and have modest symptoms, but boys are considerably more likely to have it.
Early childhood is often when signs and symptoms first arise. The symptoms include:
- Trouble Walking
- Loss Of Reflexes
- Difficulty Standing Up
- Poor Posture
- Bone Thinning
- Scoliosis, Is An Abnormal Curvature Of The Spine
- Learning Differences
- Breathing Difficulties
- Swallowing Problems
- Lung And Heart Weakness
People with DMD typically start using a wheelchair before their teenage years.
People with DMD used to live into their late teens or early 20s. But people are now more likely to live into their 30s. This is partly a result of improvements in medical care, such as respiratory and cardiac therapy.
Becker muscular dystrophy (BMD)
Similar to DMD, Becker muscular dystrophy (BMD) is less severe. Additionally, this particular kind of muscular dystrophy affects boys more frequently than girls.
Between the ages of 11 and 25, signs of muscle weakness most commonly affect the arms and legs. Other symptoms of BMD include:
- Walking On The Toes
- Frequent Falls
- Muscle Cramps
- Trouble Getting Up From The Floor
A tiny fraction of people with this illness never need a wheelchair, and many won’t decide to use one until they’re in their mid-30s or older. Most BMD patients live into their middle years or beyond.
Congenital Muscular Dystrophy
Between birth and two years of age, congenital muscular dystrophies are frequently detectable. Parents start to realize that their child’s motor skills and muscular control aren’t maturing as they should at this point.
Symptoms vary and may include:
- Muscle Weakness
- Poor Motor Control
- Inability To sit or stand without Support
- Scoliosis
- Foot Deformities
- Trouble Swallowing
- Respiratory Issues
- Vision Problems
- Speech Problems
- Learning Differences
Mild to severe symptoms might be present. Depending on their symptoms, people with this kind of muscular dystrophy have different life expectancies. Congenital muscular dystrophy causes some people to die in infancy while others live into maturity.
Myotonic Dystrophy
Myotonia, which is an inability to relax your muscles after they contract, is brought on by this type of muscular dystrophy. Steinert’s illness and dystrophia myotonica are other names for myotonic dystrophy.
Myotonia is a sign of various muscle illnesses but is absent in those with other kinds of muscular dystrophy.
Myotonic dystrophy can affect the patients’:
- Facial Muscles
- Central Nervous System (Cns)
- Adrenal Glands
- Heart
- Thyroid
- Eyes
- Gastrointestinal Tract
Symptoms Most Often Appear First In The Face And Neck. They include:
- Drooping Muscles In The Face, Producing A Thin, Drawn Look
- Difficulty Lifting The Neck Due To Weak Neck Muscles
- Difficulty Swallowing
- Droopy Eyelids, Ptosis
- Early Baldness in The Front Area Of The Scalp
- Poor Vision, Including cataracts
- Weight Loss
- Increased Sweating
Additionally, this form of dystrophy may result in testicular atrophy and impotence. Others may experience infertility and irregular periods as a result.
Adults in their 20s are most likely to be diagnosed with myotonic dystrophy.
There is a variance in how serious the condition is and the severity of symptoms can vary significantly. While some people only have minor symptoms, others may have heart- and lung-related problems that might be fatal. The condition is common among elderly adults.
Facioscapulohumeral Muscular Dystrophy (FSHD)
The muscles in the face, shoulders, and upper arms are affected by FSHD or facioscapulohumeral muscular dystrophy. Another name for this particular kind of muscular dystrophy is Landouzy-Dejerine disease.
FSHD may cause:
- Trouble swallowing or chewing
- Distorted shoulders
- Crooked appearance of the mouth
- Shoulder blades that look like wings
A lesser percentage of FSHD sufferers could experience respiratory and hearing issues.
FSHD often advances slowly.
Symptoms often start to show up in adolescence, but they might occasionally wait until a person is in their 40s. The majority of those who have this illness live complete lives.
Limb-Girdle Muscular Dystrophy (LGMD)
- The term “limb-girdle muscular dystrophy” (LGMD) describes a collection of over 20 hereditary diseases.
- They result in muscular deterioration and loss of mass.
- Although the legs and neck might also be affected, the shoulders and hips are typically where the symptoms start.
- If one has LGMD, it could be difficult for the patient to access stairs, get out of a chair, or move heavy objects. Additionally, individuals could trip more frequently.
Many people with this form of muscular dystrophy experience severe disability within 20 years of the onset of the condition.
Oculopharyngeal Muscular Dystrophy (OPMD)
The face, neck, and shoulder muscles become weak as a result of oculopharyngeal muscular dystrophy (OPMD). Additional signs include:
- Drooping Eyelids
- Vision Problems
- Trouble Swallowing
- Voice Changes
- Heart Problems
- Difficulty Walking
OPMD is one of the rarer types of muscular dystrophy, Individuals usually begin to experience symptoms in their 40s or 50s.
Distal Muscular Dystrophy
Distal muscular dystrophy is also called distal myopathy. It is a collection of more than six conditions that target the muscles furthest from the shoulders and hips, particularly the:
The heart muscles and breathing system may both be impacted by the illness. Loss of fine motor skills and trouble walking are two signs that tend to appear gradually.
Distal muscular dystrophy symptoms typically appear in patients between the ages of 40 and 60.
Emery-Dreifuss Muscular Dystrophy (EDMD)
Emery-Dreyfuss muscular dystrophy (EDMD) often manifests in childhood and tends to afflict more boys than girls among children with male birth genders. The signs consist of:
- Upper Arm And Lower Leg Muscular Weakness
- Breathing Difficulties
- Heart Issues
- The Muscles Of The Spine, Neck, Ankles, Knees, And Elbows Are Compressed.
The majority of people with EDMD survive into mid-adulthood.
Nearly everyone has a cardiac condition by the time they are 30 years old, which calls for treatment like a pacemaker.
Progressive heart or lung conditions are the most frequent causes of short lifespans.