- Tags:
- Show more
- Pages:
- 1
- Words:
- 275
Muscular Dystrophy Name University Muscular Dystrophy Muscular dystrophy is a type of disorder that causes the progressive loss of muscle mass and causes progressive muscle weakness. According to research, the primary forms of this disease is known to affect one in every five thousand males. It is caused by genetic mutation which interferes with the creation and production of the protein responsible for the building and maintenance of healthy muscles (Dystrophin protein). It is usually hereditary and may thus run within a family (Tidy, 2016). Moreover, it is known to have no cure, but has treatments that slow the progression and alleviate the symptoms. Early symptoms Some of its early symptoms and indicators include; frequent falls, especially in children, walking on toes, learning disabilities for example late speech development, jumping and walking difficulties, a waddling gait, difficulty in standing and sitting and finally, stiffness and pain in the muscles. However, as time progresses, inability to walk and difficulty swallowing can become more likely. Moreover, due to the weakening of the heart and lung muscles, breathing and cardiac problems become apparent (Newman, 2017). The Curvature of the spine can also be caused because of the weakening of the skeletal muscles that support its structure. Diagnosis There are different techniques used in the diagnosis of muscular dystrophy. They include; genetic testing, enzyme assay, lung monitoring, heart monitoring, biopsy, and electromyography. Genetic testing Since muscular dystrophy is as a result of genetic mutations, genetic tests can be undertaken to screen for changes in the dystrophin
Leave feedback