The most common is Duchenne muscular dystrophy (DMD). The next most common is Becker muscular dystrophy (BMD). Symptoms are almost the same as Duchenne, but less severe.
Signs and symptoms
Symptoms of muscle disease may include muscular weakness, rigidity, loss of muscular control, numbness, tingling, twitching, spasms, muscle pain and certain types of limb pain.
Blood tests.
A blood test will let your doctor know if you have elevated levels of muscle enzymes, which can indicate muscle damage. A blood test can also detect specific autoantibodies associated with different symptoms of polymyositis, which can help in determining the best medication and treatment.
Myositis (my-o-SY-tis) is a rare type of autoimmune disease that inflames and weakens muscle fibers. Autoimmune diseases occur when the body's own immune system attacks itself. In the case of myositis, the immune system attacks healthy muscle tissue, which results in inflammation, swelling, pain, and eventual weakness.
Duchenne muscular dystrophy (DMD) is the most common inherited neuromuscular disorder that affects all races and ethnicities. DMD only affects males. Children with DMD may lose the ability to walk as early as 7 years of age.
The diseases most frequently mistaken for muscular dystrophy were polymyositis and the syndrome of "benign hypotonia." Polymyositis, with its protean manifestations and variable course, may mimic all of the forms of muscular dystrophy so closely that differentiation becomes especially difficult. 1.
Doctors use a blood test to look for elevated levels of a substance called creatine kinase, which is released into the bloodstream when muscle fibers deteriorate. Elevated levels may mean you have an inflammatory myopathy.
There's no cure for muscular dystrophy.
But the main symptom is muscle weakness and other muscle-related issues. Each type can affect different muscles and parts of your body.
Muscle biopsies, which involve the removal of a small piece of muscle tissue using a needle or small incision. Providers examine the tissue under a microscope to check for hallmarks of MD. Patients diagnosed by muscle biopsy usually need genetic testing as well to confirm mutations in their genes.
Blood enzyme tests are often the first step in the diagnosis of muscular dystrophy, and they're used to check for higher-than-normal creatine kinase (CK) levels, which may reveal inflammation or the death of muscle fibers.
MRI imaging of muscle tissue may be useful for diagnosing muscular dystrophy. The technique also can be used to monitor changes in disease progression over time.
Myositis is the name for a group of rare conditions. The main symptoms are weak, painful or aching muscles. This usually gets worse, slowly over time.
A long, thin face with hollow temples, drooping eyelids and, in men, balding in the front, is typical in myotonic dystrophy. The muscles of the neck, jaw, and parts of the head and face may weaken, especially in DM1. Facial weakness is less common and milder in DM2.
Viruses or bacteria may invade muscle tissue directly, or release substances that damage muscle fibers. Common cold and flu viruses, as well as HIV, are just a few of the viruses that can cause myositis.
The most frequent viral causes of myositis are the influenza viruses and enteroviruses, with symptoms of myositis typically starting a few days after the onset of fever. Symptoms are most prominent in the proximal musculature (arms and legs), and pain is often exacerbated by movement.
Autoimmune disorders that specifically affect the muscles, joints, and nerves include rheumatoid arthritis (RA) and multiple sclerosis (MS). Polymyalgia rheumatica, which also involves the joints, is thought to be an autoimmune condition, according to the Arthritis Foundation.
CT scan – where a series of X-rays are taken to create a detailed image of the inside of your body, which will reveal any muscle damage.
A creatine kinase (CK) test measures the amount of creatine kinase in your blood. Elevated CK levels may indicate skeletal muscle, heart or brain damage or degeneration — either chronic (long-term) or acute (short-term). Other names for a creatine kinase test include: CK total.
Diagnosing the muscle injury begins with obtaining a detailed clinical history of the trauma, followed by a physical examination with inspection and palpation of the muscles involved, along with function tests with and without external resistance(11).
We also asked people about where they experience pain most frequently. People responded that they most frequently felt pain in the lower back and legs. Back pain was reported in 66% of people with MMD and 74% of people with FSHD. Leg pain was reported in 60% of people with MMD and 72% of people with FSHD.
The average lifespan for Duchenne muscular dystrophy is 18 to 25 years. With early treatment, it can reach 30 years. But recent technological advances have made it possible to improve treatment. As a result, people living with the disease live better and longer.