Do you constantly feel tired? Do you suffer from rapid fatigue in your muscles? If so, there are high chances that you may be suffering from MG. Myasthenia gravis often termed as Goldflam disease, is a neuromuscular disease, where the muscles get tired easily and become weak. The muscles around the eyes are the first to get affected due to which some patients have developed double vision. In this condition, muscles which cannot be controlled voluntarily are not affected, for instance; the disease does not have any effect on the heart muscles. An autoimmune disorder, Myasthenia gravis causes weakness in the muscles by blocking the acetylcholine receptors, thus inhibiting the stimulative effect of the neurotransmitter acetylcholine. The treatment of Myasthenia gravis consists of managing the symptoms and it generally affects people belonging to an age group of 40-60 year.
Myasthenia gravis symptoms
The weakening of the voluntary skeletal muscles is the first and foremost symptom of Myasthenia gravis. The muscles fail to contract normally because they are not able to respond to the impulses properly. Thus a blocked communication between the muscles and nerve results in weakness. Some of the symptoms of Myasthenia gravis are:
While not everyone may experience the same symptoms, the degree of muscle weakness changes on daily basis. If the symptoms are left untreated, the severity may increase.
Causes of Myasthenia gravis
The neurological disorder, Myasthenia gravis is more often caused by an autoimmune problem. This disorder occurs when the immune system of your body attacks healthy tissue instead of infectious tissue by mistake. The antibodies are designed to attack infectious cells; however, when it attacks the neurotransmitter substance, it results in muscle weakness. According to the scientists, the main cause of Myasthenia gravis is not clear till date. However, experts say that thymus gland is connected with the production of abnormal antibodies. It is suspected that certain medications can also trigger the onset of this neurological disorder. Here’s a list of few known causes that can further make the symptom worse:
Myasthenia gravis crisis This condition arises when the respiratory muscles become paralyzed. In patients with already weak muscles, the Myasthenia crisis may trigger an infection or some adverse reaction which may lead a patient to use assisted ventilation to stay alive.
Diagnosis of Myasthenia gravis
The doctor may perform a few physical examination test and other important tests to diagnosis the condition. Few of the physic tests are:
The doctor may also perform certain diagnostic tests to probably check for the disease. Some of the diagnostic test includes: