Treatment. Muscular Dystrophy

Muscular Dystrophy treatment

There is no cure for any type of Muscular Dystrophy. Treatment for Muscular Dystrophy such as medication, surgery, and physical therapy can help prevent problems in the spine and joints and allow people who have the disease to stay active for as long as possible. Human trials of gene treatment for Muscular Dystrophy with the dystrophin gene are in the near future. For example, researchers are inquiring about approaches to embed a functional dystrophin gene into the muscles of young men with Duchenne and Becker Muscular Dystrophy.

Analysts are researching the capability of certain muscle-building medications to back off or invert the movement of Muscular Dystrophy. Different trials are investigating the impacts of the dietary supplements creatine and glutamine on muscle energy generation and storage.

Muscular Dystrophy medications

For a person who has Muscular Dystrophy, the following treatment for Muscular Dystrophy medications might be recommended:

• Corticosteroids: Steroids, such as prednisone, may help slow the progression of some types of Muscular Dystrophy and may increase muscle strength. Steroids have the risk of many side effects, especially with prolonged use. Side effects include weakened bones and weight gain, which increases the risk of broken bones. For these reasons, long-term use of steroids is not always recommended as a treatment for Muscular Dystrophy.
• Heart medications: If Muscular Dystrophy causes damage to the heart muscle, Muscular Dystrophy medications like beta-blockers or ACE inhibitors may be prescribed to treat the condition.

Muscular Dystrophy therapy

Assistive devices and different types of therapy are often used to help improve the quality of life for people with Muscular Dystrophy. Examples of therapy for Muscular Dystrophy treatment include:

• Stretching exercise and range-of-motion: Stretching and moving the joints through their full range of motion can help keep a person with Muscular Dystrophy mobile and flexible and serve as a treatment for Muscular Dystrophy. As the muscles weaken, they can pull the arms and legs inward and contract. Stretching the muscles may prevent the joints from becoming fixed and frozen.
• Exercise: Swimming, walking, and other forms of low-impact aerobic exercise can help maintain mobility, muscle strength, and overall well-being. Some types of exercise might not be helpful, so be sure to talk to your doctor before starting any type of aerobic exercise.
• Braces: Braces can help with movement by providing support to weakened muscles. They can also keep the tendons and muscles straightened and stretched, preventing the progression of contractures in Muscular Dystrophy.
• Mobility aids: For people with Muscular Dystrophy or other problems with mobility, walkers, wheelchairs, and canes often help maintain independence and mobility.
• Breathing assistance: Some people who have Muscular Dystrophy develop weakness in the muscles used for breathing. A machine to help deliver oxygen to the lungs is sometimes used at night for conditions like sleep apnea. In cases of severe Muscular Dystrophy, a ventilator may be needed.

Muscular Dystrophy surgery

In some cases, people with Muscular Dystrophy develop abnormal curvatures in their spine that make it difficult for the lungs to expand. Muscular Dystrophy surgery can be performed to correct this problem and make breathing easier.

Prevention

Carriers are regularly sisters and moms of those with Muscular Dystrophy and, for the most part, do not show any symptoms. However, they may display little indications that give insights into it. In addition, they can pass the illness on to their children; their children will get the disease a fraction of the time, allowing the females to become carriers. For Duchenne and Becker Muscular Dystrophy, protein and DNA tests can recognize carriers, and DNA tests can give a pre-birth conclusion. Tests for carriers of different types of Muscular Dystrophy are currently being worked on.

Useful Advice

In the later stages of Muscular Dystrophy, as muscles used for breathing become weaker, respiratory problems may put a person with the disease at higher risk for infection. Therefore, it is important to stay current with immunizations for influenza and be vaccinated for Pneumonia.

Changes in the diet have not been shown to have an effect on the progression of Muscular Dystrophy. Because impaired mobility can lead to constipation, dehydration, and obesity, it is essential for people with Muscular Dystrophy to consume a healthy diet. Foods high in fiber and protein may help, and limiting the intake of empty calories is beneficial.

If you have Muscular Dystrophy, you may be feeling overwhelmed. The following treatment for Muscular Dystrophy may be helpful:

• Find someone you can talk to: It may be helpful to talk about your feelings with a family member, your doctor, or a friend. Consider joining a support group.
• Learn to talk about the disease: If your child has been diagnosed with Muscular Dystrophy, ask your physician for help talking about the disease with your child and ways to answer the questions that come up.