Myasthenia gravis, amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, muscular dystrophy syndrome, and Guillain – Barré syndrome are common neuromuscular diseases that can easily lead to complications if not treated promptly.
Neuromuscular diseases involve motor neurons and the peripheral nervous system including roots – nerve plexuses, nerves, and muscles. The disease occurs due to gene mutations or complications of autoimmune diseases, inflammation, infection, trauma, polluted environment…
Dr. Nguyen Thi Kim Trang, Neurology Unit, Tam Anh General Clinic, District 7, said that neuromuscular diseases often cause loss of muscle strength in one part or the entire body, causing the patient to be limited. movement, pain. If the disease is not diagnosed and treated promptly, it can progress seriously, leading to disability and death.
Muscle weakness occurs because the body’s immune system mistakenly attacks acetylcholine receptors on muscles, disrupting the connection between nerves and muscles. Symptoms include drooping eyelids, double vision, difficulty swallowing, choking, decreased muscle strength, difficulty breathing or tired breathing, and motor weakness. People with myasthenia gravis who do not receive treatment may experience complications such as respiratory failure and increased risk of other autoimmune diseases such as lupus and rheumatoid arthritis.
Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis Characterized by chronic degeneration of nerve cells in the brain and spinal cord, leading to progressive muscle weakness and atrophy. People with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis are at risk of death from respiratory muscle weakness or other complications due to immobility. Early diagnosis and treatment of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, combined with rehabilitation exercises, helps improve the quality of life for patients.
Doctor Kim Trang examines the patient. Illustration photo: Tam Anh General Clinic District 7
Muscular dystrophy syndrome belongs to the group of genetic diseases, related to the structure of muscle cells. The disease is characterized by weakness and atrophy of muscle tissue, with or without destruction of nerve tissue. Late-stage muscular dystrophy syndrome is often accompanied by cardiomyopathy, which is life-threatening.
Guillain-Barré syndrome is an acute disease, resulting from the attack of the body’s immune system on peripheral nerves. The body produces antibodies against invading agents. These antibodies simultaneously attack and damage and destroy myelin of nerves, causing symptoms of acute weakness and numbness in symmetrical areas of the body. Progressive progression in all four limbs.
Myelin is the part that surrounds motor nerve fibers, with the function of providing nutrition, protection and support for nerve impulses to be best transmitted. Loss of myelin causes motor nerves to become damaged, susceptible to fracture, degeneration and complete loss of function. Severely ill people may have difficulty breathing, respiratory failure, low blood pressure and cardiac arrest.
Chronic inflammatory demyelinating polyneuropathy (CIDP) It is a chronic disease, the pathogenesis of which is similar to Guillain – Barré syndrome. The body’s immune system mistakenly attacks myelin. However, chronic inflammatory demyelinating polyneuropathy often progresses more slowly.
Doctor Trang said that neuromuscular disease is diagnosed by clinical examination, performing appropriate paraclinical tests such as electromyography, muscle biopsy, blood tests, genetic tests, and cerebrospinal fluid tests. , CT scan 768 slices or 1975 slices, MRI scan 1.5-3 Tesla…
Depending on the type of disease, severity, symptoms, the patient’s condition and underlying diseases, the doctor can prescribe appropriate treatment methods, based on a multimodal regimen for each individual. Common treatment methods include medication, plasma exchange, surgery, and rehabilitation exercises.
People with suspected symptoms of neuromuscular disease such as muscle weakness, muscle tremors, cramps, numbness and tingling, muscle pain, difficulty moving, difficulty talking, difficulty swallowing, drooping eyelids, decreased vision, etc. You should see a neurologist promptly and get treatment to avoid dangerous complications.