Muscle atrophyrefers to the shrinking or “wasting away” of muscles.
It is usually a symptom of another condition rather than a condition in and of itself.
In addition to a loss in the size of muscles, muscle atrophy can also cause muscle weakness.
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Muscular dystrophyis a rare genetic disorder that affects the proteins that build and maintain healthy muscles.
This can result in altered, insufficient, or missing proteins, and prevent body cells from working properly.
Each of these pairs of chromosomes contains two of the same chromosomes except for sex chromosomes.
Mutated genes can bepassed on to offspringthrough any of these chromosomes from either parent.
Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy
Duchenne muscular dystrophy is a form of muscular dystrophy that tends to worsen quickly.
More information includes:
What Is Spinal Muscular Atrophy?
In other words, “use it or lose it” as the adage goes.
It is the most serious form of muscle atrophy.
Neurogenic atrophy occurs where there is an injury to these nerves or the nerves are affected by the disease.
Because there is damage to the nerve or nerves, this punch in of atrophy is usually not reversible.
Muscle Atrophy Symptoms
Muscle atrophy is a symptom.
It simply means a loss (or “wasting away”) of muscle tissue.
Treatments include:
Muscle Atrophy Treatments
Treatment for muscle atrophy often involves treating the underlying condition.
The success of these treatments also depends on what is causing the atrophy.
Physiologic atrophy often responds well to treatment and can even be reversed.
Muscle atrophy can often be reversed with treatments and exercise.
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Wicklund MP.The muscular dystrophies.Continuum (Minneap Minn).
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MedlinePlus.Duchenne and Becker muscular dystrophy.
National Human Genome Institute.About Duchenne muscular dystrophy.
National Academy of Sports Medicine.Understanding muscle atrophy: use it or lose it.
Cleveland Clinic.Muscular dystrophy: symptoms, causes, treatments.
MedlinePlus.Fukuyama congenital muscular dystrophy.
Cedars Sinai.Distal muscular dystrophy.
Cedars Sinai.Oculopharyngeal muscular dystrophy.
Muscular Dystrophy Association.Spinal muscular atrophy.
National Multiple Sclerosis Society.Muscle Weakness & Loss of Movement.
National Academy of Sports Medicine.Combating age-related muscle loss (sarcopenia).
