Muscular Dystrophy

Muscular dystrophy is a progressive disease that involves increasing weakness of the muscles. There are many different types of, but in most cases the skeletal muscles weaken and this often results in dramatically reduced mobility.

The first documented case was in 1830, but it is likely to have been a factor in human development much before that. This disease is inherited, and the different types of muscular dystrophy are inherited differently. It is said to be sex linked and is carried on the x chromosome. In males the existence of an altered gene will cause the disease to be present, but in women, who have 2 x chromosomes, it is necessary for both chromosomes to be altered. Women who only have 1 altered x chromosome are said to be carriers, and often suffer from much milder symptoms.

There are many different symptoms of muscular dystrophy. Some of the more common ones are poor balance, frequent falls, and walking difficulty. This makes a lift chair a good tool for those with muscular dystrophy. A lift chair is a chair that makes standing and sitting much easier for those who are mobility challenged. The base of these types of chairs rises and lowers via an electric motor. The base moves very slowly and allows you to easily stand or sit without straining the muscles or joints. Often sitting too much or bed rest can worsen the disease, so it is important to find a happy balance between sitting and movement.

There are several different types of muscular dystrophy. One generally less severe type is called Becker's disease. A much more common type is Duchenne's disease. In terms of childhood muscular dystrophy, it is the most common. Another common type is Congenital muscular dystrophy. This can be fatal, begins at childbirth, and consists of muscular weakness and respiratory problems. There are several other types that take affect at various stages of life.

The severity of these diseases greatly depends on the type of muscular dystrophy. Some like, Duchenne's disease, commonly can result in death. Typically the most severe cases occur during childhood, but some do not occur until the person is over 40 years of age. While there is no known cure, physical therapy has been shown to help in some cases and is widely practiced. Most importantly perhaps is allowing the individual to be as independent as possible. This helps on a physiological and psychosocial level that is often very powerful.

Many researchers are striving to understand this disease better, in the hopes of finding a cure. There is hope that through the use of special proteins that are found naturally in the body, this disease will one day be controlled. Jerry Lewis, an Emmy award winning comedian, has supported the Muscular Dystrophy Association since its creation in the 1950's. He helps them raise money for research and treatment of this disease.

This s a very serious disease and hopefully sometime very soon, we will have a better means of preventing and treating it. While it can be fatal, many live a full and happy life with this disease.