This document discusses several diseases that affect the muscular system. It describes muscular dystrophy as a genetic disease that causes muscle damage and weakness. It also discusses cerebral palsy, which causes loss of muscle tone and problems with movement from brain damage before or during birth. Another rare disease covered is fibrodysplasia ossificans progressiva, which causes soft tissues to harden into bone, restricting movement. The document provides brief overviews of several other muscular diseases including dermatomyositis, compartment syndrome, myasthenia gravis, amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, mitochondrial myopathies, rhabdomyolysis, and myofascial pain syndrome.

2. Muscles are very important part
of our body. Without muscles
the body will lose its ability to
move and carry out various
actions. In fact, without the
human muscular system, we
probably won't be able to
survive.

3. DISEASE OF MUSCULAR SYSTEM
Muscular Dystrophy
This is a genetic disease is a group of inherited
muscle disease that causes damage to muscle
fibers. The symptoms of muscular dystrophy
disease include weakness, loss of mobility and
lack of coordination. The most common diseases
classified as muscular dystrophy are Duchenne,
Becker, limb girdle, congenital,
facioscapulohumeral, myotonic, oculopharyngeal,
distal, and Emery-Dreifuss. The basic fact about
muscular dystrophy is that there is no specific
cure for muscular dystrophy. You can read more
about muscular dystrophy life expectancy.

5. Cerebral Palsy
Cerebral Palsy is one of the muscular system
diseases where a persons posture, balance
and motor functions are affected. Brain
damage during or before child birth causes
loss of muscle tone, causing problems
carrying out physical tasks in children. It is
one of the most common congenital
disorders. You can read more on symptoms of
cerebral palsy and go into the details of
treatment for cerebral palsy.

7. Fibrodysplasia Ossificans Progressiva
This is a very rare congenital disorder that
causes the soft tissues to become hard like
bones permanently. This causes the muscles,
tendons, ligaments as well as other connective
tissues to grow bones between the joints. Thus,
leading to permanent restriction of movement.
There is no effective Fibrodysplasia Ossificans
Progressiva (FOP) treatment and pain is
controlled using medications.

9. Dermatomyositis
The inflammatory myopathy that leads to chronic
muscle and skin inflammation is called
dermatomyositis. This is an progressive
autoimmune disease of the connective tissues that
causes muscle weakness. The dermatomyositis
symptoms include muscle pain, hardended
calcium deposits under the skin, gastrointestinal
ulcers, intestinal perforations, lung problems, fever,
fatigue and weight loss. It leads to a red or violet
colored skin rash on the face, hands, knees, chest
and back. There is no cure for this progressive
muscle weakness but can be controlled using
corticosteroids and immunosuppressive drugs.

11. Compartment Syndrome
Chronic compartment syndrome that is caused
by compression of the blood vessels, nerves
and muscles within a closed area of the body.
This causes tissue death due to lack of oxygen.
The compartment syndrome symptoms include
severe muscle pain, feeling of tightness in
muscles, parathesis, paralysis, etc. Treatment
involves immediate surgical treatment, called
fasicotomy. This helps in relieving the pressure
on the muscles and helping them become
normal again.

14. Myasthenia Gravis
Myasthenia gravis is a chronic autoimmune
disease characterized by muscle weakness and
fatigue. There is a breakdown of the
neuromuscular junction and thus, brain loses
control over these muscles. The myasthenia
gravis symptoms and signs include drooping
eyelids, difficulty swallowing, muscle fatigue,
breathing difficulty, inability to control facial
expressions, etc. Medications and surgical
intervention are a part of myasthenia gravis
treatment.

16. Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis
Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis is a serious
neurodegenerative disease. This
disease is also known as the Lou
Gehrig's disease. In this disease, the
motor neurons destroy that leads to loss
of control over voluntary muscle
movement. The early symptoms of ALS
include difficulty to swallow, breath and
speak. Paralysis is an advanced Lou
Gehrig's disease symptom.

18. Mitochondrial Myopathies
Mitochondrial myopathies is a condition
where the mitochondria, the powerhouse of
cells, is damaged. The symptoms of this
neuromuscular disease include muscle
weakness, heart rhythm abnomalities,
deafness, blindness and heart failure. In
some cases, it leads to seizures, dementia,
drooping eyelids and vomiting. Other
symptoms include breathing difficulty,
nausea and headache.

20. Rhabdomyolysis
Rhabdomyolysis is a condition where there is
rapid skeletal muscle destruction. This causes
the muscle fibers to breakdown into myoglobin
that is released into the urine. This leads to
kidney failure as myoglobin is dangerous to
the kidney. Rhabdomyolysis symptoms include
muscle weakness, stiffness, and pain. If
detected early, there is a possibility of
rhabdomyolysis treatment. Treatment includes
use of intravenous fluid, dialysis as well as
hemofiltration in severe cases.

22. Myofascial Pain Syndrome
Myofascial pain syndrome is a chronic
muscle pain disorder. It is characterized by
aches, pain and burning sensation around
sensitive points of the muscles called the
trigger points. One may also feel joint
stiffness, area of tension like a knot and
sleep problems due to severe pain. Use of
corticosteroids, botulism toxin injections,
massage therapy and physical therapy help
in management of myofacial pain
syndrome.

24. A new gene mutation that causes muscular
dystrophy has been identified by University
of Iowa researchers thanks to a strong
international collaboration and a single
patient with mild muscle disease and severe
cognitive impairment.
Read more: New Form of Muscular
Dystrophy Identified
http://www.medindia.net/news/New-Form-
of-Muscular-Dystrophy-Identified-82128-
1.htm#ixzz1SdelMK9Q
http://www.medindia.net/news/New-Form-of-Muscular-Dystrophy-
Identified-82128-1.htm