Muscular dystrophy isn’t a disease that you can catch from someone who has it. It’s a genetic disorder that is inherited from the parents. It is a degenerative disease of the muscles that can have the symptoms of it treated, but there is no cure. The goal is to help people with muscular dystrophy to be able to live as comfortably as possible with their disease. With 8 different known types of this disorder, some MD can actually be discovered during a pregnancy. Here are some more important facts about this disease to consider as well.
1. It Affects More People Than You Might Think
Although the disease can be identified during a pregnancy, there is nothing that can be done to prevent it from developing. 1 out of every 3,000 pregnancies are affected by muscular dystrophy and the initial symptoms of it may include a lack of muscle tone, an inability to walk normally, or the presence of scoliosis and other deformities.
Two common forms of this disease are caused by an inherited deficiency of muscle proteins. Duchenne and Becker, the names of these two MD forms, mostly affected boys and can affect 1 out of every 200 people in some way. To confirm a suspicion of MD, especially in its late-onset form, blood tests are performed and DNA is examined.
2. MD Can Wait a Long Time
The myotonic version of muscular dystrophy can take a long time to show up. This version affects 11 out of 100,000 people in the global population and can be present at birth. It can also be responsible for late-onset symptoms as the disease develops. It typically becomes present between the ages of 10-30, but people as old as 70 have experienced their first MD symptoms with this version of the disease.
Once the disease begins to manifest itself, people will generally begin to lose their ability to function normally. The muscles begin to weaken and eventually they begin to contract and this can cause pain and joint difficulties. Eventually everyone with muscular dystrophy will need help completing every day tasks.
3. Many Can Live a Normal Life
Although muscular dystrophy often robs people of the ability to complete normal tasks, this doesn’t mean that they still can’t lead a normal life. There are many options for adaptive equipment that can help many be nearly 100% independent, even with long-term symptoms in place. The life expectancy rates for many of the versions of MD are also similar to the general population at large. Even in the worst case scenario, someone diagnosed with muscular dystrophy is expected to live at least 20 years after the initial diagnosis is made.
4. MD Affects People In Many Different Ways
It is often kids that are diagnosed with muscular dystrophy, so coping with this disease can be difficult. Because the symptoms display differently in individuals with the disease, some kids might find that they have problems being able to smile because their facial muscles have weakened. Other kids might have problems with breathing and require a ventilator. Sometimes you can’t even tell that someone has MD because the muscles which are affected are either still relatively strong or aren’t affecting visual movements.
5. Exercise Can Help a Lot
When exercise is included in a treatment plan early on, people who have been diagnosed with MD have the chance to keep their muscles and tendons flexible. Certain joint exercises are especially emphasized to make sure that the muscles don’t stiffen up and cause involuntary contracting. Special braces are often worn to keep tendons loose and as flexible as possible.
Aerobic exercises can also help to keep the cardiovascular system as healthy as possible. It often helps people with muscular dystrophy to start feeling better. It is just important to limit exercise with MD because too much of it can damage the muscle. Going to the point of exhaustion is often not recommended.
6. It Has Predictability
No matter what type of muscular dystrophy has been diagnosed, the course of the disease is very predictable. Children who had MD often struggle to learn how to walk. Toddlers that have muscular dystrophy might have larger calf muscles than normal, yet seem clumsy and fall often. Trouble running or climbing stairs may also be present.
As the disease progresses, people tend to start walking on their toes or the balls of their feet. This creates a certain unsteadiness that requires people to stick out their stomachs and put their shoulders back to stay upright. Kids who are born with muscular dystrophy usually lose the ability to walk by the age of 12.
7. Meds Can Help
In certain types of MD, medicine has also been shown to have a beneficial effect. The most commonly prescribed medicine for muscular dystrophy is prednisone. Muscle relaxers that prevent involuntary contractions have also been found to be helpful in a variety of situations.
8. Watch the Heart
The heart is just like any other muscle and will be affected by muscular dystrophy. When a diagnosis has been confirmed, it is necessary for the heart to be closely watched so that any weakness can be discovered as soon as possible. If someone has good health, but has a weakened heart because that’s where their MD chose to attack, a heart transplant has shown to be an effective treatment option. Certain ACE inhibitors and beta blockers have also shown some potential in slowing down the deterioration of the muscle layers of the heart as well.
9. Don’t Change the Diet
A common response to a diagnosis of muscular dystrophy is to change the diet of the person afflicted with this disease. Although a lack of certain proteins contributes to the muscle wasting, eating more protein will not affect the course of the disease. Many doctors actually recommend that MD patients eat a diet that is high in fiber, vegetables, and fruit instead.
If anything, food restriction might become necessary since muscular dystrophy tends to create a lack of movement as the muscles get weaker. The lower calorie diet will put less stress on the skeletal muscles that may have been weakened.