Muscular Dystrophy

Muscular dystrophy is the name for a group of inherited disoders in which strength and muscle bulk gradually decline. Generally affecting males, there are nine types of muscular dystrophies usally recognized.

Muscular Dystrophy

Muscular Dystrophy affects mainly the muscular system. The muscular systems purpose is to enable the body to move, move food through the digestive system and keep the heart beating. The system includes your smooth muscles, cardiac muscles, your skelatal ligaments, and your tendons.

The diagnosis of muscle dystrophy involves a careful medical history and a thorough physical exam. Family history also gives important clues considering that all types are genetic conditions.

All muscle dystrophies are marked by muscle weakness, where boys might get up by using the Gowers Maneuver, as well as pain due to effects of weakness on joint position.

Symptoms

Diagnosis

There is no cure for muscular dystrophy. Treatment though is mainly directed at preventing the complications of weakness, including decreased mobility and dexterity, contractures, scoliosis, heart alterations, and respiratory insufficency.

Treatment

The expected lifespan for a diagnosised male is living to their early or mid-twenties. Infections in the respiratory system becomes a problem as their beathing becomes weaker, and that will usally cause death.

The Iowa Department of Public Health Birth Defect Program is leading a study focusing on muscular dystrophy. It's the first broad study to tabulate the prevalence of these disorders in the U.S.

BibliographyGale Encyclopedia of Nursing and Allied Health, 3rd ed., Detroit: Gale, 2013, pp. 2243-2250.Indian eGov Newswire. Feb 26, 2015 pNA. COPYRIGHT 2015 SyndiGate Media Inc.Paclilla, Michael, Ph.D. Life Science. Glenview, Illinois: Prentice Hall, 2001. Print.

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