Medical brain notes 7

  DISEASES OF THE MUSCLES So far we have learnt about the various diseases of the brain and the nervous system. Now we will discuss the basic diseases of the muscles. We know that the brain regulates every part and organ of our body. This system consists of the large brain, small brain, spinal cord, the nerves emanating from them, the  neuromuscular junction  and  muscles . In the previous chapter we have discussed in detail about the disease of the neuromuscular junction namely, Myasthenia Grams. Now we will start with the hereditary muscular disorders i.e.  hereditary myopathies  which form the major chunk of muscular diseases. 1.   Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy : This hereditary disease is a sex-linked recessive disorder of muscles related to X- chromosome which is found in about 30 per one-Iakh boys. The females do not suffer from this disease but they are the carriers of the disease. This disease is present from birth but its symptoms are noticed at...

  Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy : This hereditary disease is a sex-linked recessive disorder of muscles related to X- chromosome which is found in about 30 per one-Iakh boys. The females do not suffer from this disease but they are the carriers of the disease. This disease is present from birth but its symptoms are noticed at the age of 3 to 4 years. The child falls while walking, has difficulty in getting up and climbing stairs with a gradual increase in weakness. The muscles of the calves get enlarged which is known as Pseudo Hypertrophy. By the age of 10 -12 the patients need to take the support of a wheel chair. These patients are highly susceptible to aggressive and life threatening infections of the lungs. Such children may suffer from slow mental growth and heart diseases. Diagnosis : i.                 This disease is diagnosed as described below ii.         ...

  Polymyositis and Dermatomyositis : In these diseases, initially the process of inflammation occurs in the muscles and the muscles start becoming emaciated-wasted. The main symptom of this disease is the weakness of the muscles that gradually increases and makes the patient handicapped. Reddish erythema is seen on the face, back, chest, elbows and knees of the patient. There can be pain in muscles in 50 per cent of cases.   Causes : These diseases are not hereditary diseases. Changes in the protective immune system of the body, produce cells, which destroy the cells of the muscles and hence this disease occurs. It should be noted that this disease is not contagious.   Symptoms : The symptoms, their intensity and the rate of development shows a lot of variation. Weakness in the muscles spreads in a few months. Some times it may hold back, but in most of the cases ifthe right treatment is not taken, the weakness keeps on increasing gradually. The patient’s gait (walk) beco...