Myasthenia gravis literally means grave muscle weakness.
The result is interrupted communication at the neuromuscular junctionthe area where nerve nerves connect to muscles they would control.
When this happens, nerve impulses are prevented from triggering muscle contractions.
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The severity of symptoms will vary from person to person.
MG can affect any of the voluntary muscles, but it tends to affect specific muscle groups.
Muscle Weakness
The main symptom of MG is the weakness of the voluntary skeletal muscles.
Weakness associated with MG will get worse with activity and improve with rest.
The degree of muscle weakness will vary for each individual affected.
Eye Muscle Problems
More than 50% of people with MG will have eye problems.
Eye symptoms result because the muscles controlling eye and eyelid movement are affected by the condition.
Eye symptoms of MG include:
Eye symptoms range from mild to severe.
They can change from day to day and throughout the day.
Together with muscle weakness, fatigue can severely affect your life enjoyment.
It will cause you to feel sleepy even after sleeping a full nights sleep.
Treatments for MG can be helpful in improving fatigue levels for some people.
But for others, life with MG fatigue can be challenging and negatively affect quality of life.
Rare Symptoms
When MG affects the muscles that control breathing, a myasthenic crisis can occur.
A myasthenic crisis is a disease complication because of the worsening of muscle weakness leading to respiratory failure.
The airway can also become blocked from secretion buildup and weakness of throat muscles.
A myasthenic crisis is treated with mechanical ventilation and intubation.
In a severe myasthenic crisis, a person will be on a ventilator until their muscle strength returns.
Further, MG seems to affect females much more severely than males.
Comorbid conditions can contribute to poor treatment response and decreased quality of life.
The age of onset varies between the genders.
Researchers determined muscle weakness was more evident in the female study participants.
This gland gets smaller and is replaced by fatty tissue as we age.
It can be abnormal and large in some people with MG.
Anti-AChRs proteins are located in skeletal muscle fibers.
In MG, they are the target of auto-antibodies responsible for causing the disease and keeping it active.
Temporary muscle soreness from physical activity is normal.
Butmuscle painwith no known cause that lasts for two or more weeks should be checked out by a practitioner.
Other stroke symptoms include confusion, slurred speech, face drooping, and weakness in the legs.
A myasthenic crisis may require you to go to the hospital.
If symptoms do not appear life-threatening, reach out to your healthcare provider for advice.
The condition can spread across the body and some people experience significant symptoms and severe disease activity.
Symptoms of myasthenia gravis can improve with treatment.
The goal of treatment is to improve muscle function and prevent any swallowing or breathing problems.
With effective treatment, most people will experience muscle strength improvement and will lead normal lives.
Of course, not everyone with MG will respond well to treatment or see immediate symptom improvement.
Some may need therapy for swallowing and breathing.
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