Degenerative Muscle Disease Symptoms
Degenerative muscle diseases cause progressive damage and loss of muscle cells with associated weakness. There are many types of degenerative muscle diseases, and they act in different ways to cause loss of functional muscle mass. The muscular dystrophies, amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, myasthenia gravis, and other inherited and acquired diseases cause muscle degeneration. The symptoms of degenerative muscle diseases relate to progressive weakness in the affected muscle groups.
If you are experiencing serious medical symptoms, seek emergency treatment immediately.
Walking Difficulties
Degenerative muscle diseases that affect the large muscles of the legs and buttocks characteristically cause walking difficulties. Duchenne muscular dystrophy, the most common of the muscular dystrophies, is one such disease 1. Children with Duchenne muscular dystrophy exhibit walking difficulties from an early age. They often walk with the legs spread widely apart and frequently stumble or fall due to weakness of the upper leg muscles. As the disease progresses and muscle weakness increases, the ability to walk is eventually lost. The National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke (NINDS) reports that most children with Duchenne muscular dystrophy are wheelchair-bound by 12 years of age 124.
Loss of Muscle Strength
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The loss of muscle cells associated with degenerative muscle diseases causes progressive and often profound loss of strength in the affected muscles. This symptom is characteristic of all degenerative muscle diseases, although the muscle groups exhibiting the most pronounced weakness vary from one disease to another. For example, NINDS notes myasthenia gravis commonly affects the muscles of the eyes and face, causing drooping eyelids and odd or diminished facial expression. In contrast, people with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis or Lou Gehrig's disease may present with weakness of the fingers and hands that causes difficulty with tasks such as writing, opening jars or buttoning a shirt.
- The loss of muscle cells associated with degenerative muscle diseases causes progressive and often profound loss of strength in the affected muscles.
- This symptom is characteristic of all degenerative muscle diseases, although the muscle groups exhibiting the most pronounced weakness vary from one disease to another.
Muscle Fatigue
Loss of muscle mass increases the workload on the remaining muscle cells, which are typically in suboptimal condition because of the disease process. The result is easily induced muscle fatigue, often with minimal muscular activity. “The Merck Manual for Healthcare Professionals” explains that myasthenia gravis is a special case regarding this symptom in that the muscles show a measurable decline in strength upon use 3. With rest, the muscles return to pre-use strength only to rapidly fatigue again when used.
- Loss of muscle mass increases the workload on the remaining muscle cells, which are typically in suboptimal condition because of the disease process.
- The Merck Manual for Healthcare Professionals” explains that myasthenia gravis is a special case regarding this symptom in that the muscles show a measurable decline in strength upon use 3.
Speech, Chewing and Swallowing Difficulties
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Degenerative muscle diseases that affect the muscles of the mouth and throat typically cause speech, chewing and swallowing difficulties. The Myasthenia Gravis Foundation of America notes that these symptoms are common with myasthenia gravis 5. Facioscapulohumeral muscular dystrophy and amyotrophic lateral sclerosis also frequently cause speech and swallowing difficulties, according to NINDS.
Breathing Difficulties
Degenerative muscle diseases involving the chest muscles cause breathing difficulties. Often the onset of involvement of the respiratory muscles in a degenerative muscle disease heralds the imminent demise of the afflicted person. People with severe involvement of the respiratory muscles typically require ventilator support.
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References
- National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke: Muscular Dystrophy
- National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke: How Do the Muscular Dystrophies Differ?
- Merck Manual for Healthcare Professionals: Facioscapulohumeral Dystrophy
- National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke: Myasthenia Gravis
- National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke: What are the Symptoms of Myasthenia Gravis?
- Finsterer J, Löscher WN, Wanschitz J2, et al. Secondary myopathy due to systemic diseases. Acta Neurol Scand. 2016;134(6):388-402. doi:10.1111/ane.12576
- National Institute of Arthritis and Musculoskeletal and Skin Diseases. Basic facts about muscles. Updated July 2019.
- Biga LM, Dawson S, Harwell A, et al. Chapter 10. Muscle tissue, In: Anatomy & Physiology. XanEdu Publishing Inc; 1st edition; 2013:976-984
- The Myositis Foundation. Polymyositis
- The Myositis Foundation. Dermatomyositis
- Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. What is muscular dystrophy? Updated December 2, 2019
- Myasthenia Gravis Foundation of America, Inc. MG facts
- The ALS Foundation. What is ALS?
- Medline Plus. Rhabdomyolysis. Updated July 16, 2019
- American Heart Association. What is cardiomyopathy in adults? Updated March 31, 2016
- Finsterer J, Löscher WN, Wanschitz J2, et al. Secondary myopathy due to systemic diseases. Acta Neurol Scand. 2016;134(6):388-402. doi:10.1111/ane.12576
- Santilli V, Bernetti A, Mangone M, et al. Clinical definition of sarcopenia. Clin Cases Miner Bone Metab. 2014;11(3): 177–180. doi:10.11138/ccmbm/2014.11.3.177
- The IQVIA Institute for Human Data Science. Understanding neuromuscular disease Care. 2018.
- Brigham and Women’s Hospital. Electromyography
Writer Bio
Dr. Tina M. St. John owns and operates a health communications and consulting firm. She is also an accomplished medical writer and editor, and was formerly a senior medical officer with the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. St. John holds an M.D. from Emory University School of Medicine.