subject: An Overview Of Muscular Dystrophy [print this page] What is muscular dystrophy? What is muscular dystrophy?
Atrophy in the muscles, also known as muscle atrophy, is a type of genetic diseases that cause muscles in the body to lose its strength. Can not also make the case of muscle fibers susceptible to damage. Damage to the muscles, especially when it becomes a case of progressive, can cause severe weakness.
Thus, there is no production of protein. With this, there is nothing to keep the muscles strong and healthy. Thus, muscle weakness and loss of control in the end most likely to occur.
At risk?
Although muscle atrophy occurs in both sexes, ages and races, and there was one common denominator over the years. It has been known that muscle atrophy is more common in young boys. Muscular dystrophy (DMD) and Becker muscular dystrophy (BMD) are two examples that often occur in children.
Since this medical condition is a hereditary disease, can be transmitted from one generation to another. And can be inherited genetic abnormality, a member of the family. Even for those who have a family history of muscular dystrophy, and they are the ones who have a higher risk of a medical condition he said.
Diagnosis
And muscular dystrophy can be diagnosed through a series of diagnostic tests. However, physical examination and medical history and family are no less important at this stage. After that, you can not make the following tests.
Enzyme tests - Muscle atrophy, the muscles tend to disorder the release of some enzymes in the blood. Example is the enzyme creatine kinase (CK). He said this test confirms the existence of an enzyme, an enzyme also test and confirm the positive biopsy for dystrophy.Muscle muscle, this is a minimally invasive test for other tests. This is done by removing the sample from the patient's muscle. This will be done by making a small incision or aspiration using a hollow needle. After the sample is sent to the laboratory for further tests. Biopsy, and the presence of dystrophy.Electromyography muscles - this test uses a needle electrode through the patient's skin and directly through the muscle. Then measuring the electrical activity by a specific. Will be required of the art of patient comfort and then slowly tighten the muscles in a certain area. Once a change in the structure of the electrical activity through, it may be a case of muscle testing confirmed.Genetic - from blood samples, a technician can review a sample of the mutations. We will study some of these mutations in the genes, which may take some time as well. These defects are the cause of different types of muscular dystrophy.