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Muscular Dystrophy
What is Muscular Dystrophy?
It is a name for a group of
conditions which have in common a progressive wasting and weakening of the
muscles.
Who does it affect?
Many thousands of adults and
children are affected in the UK. Symptoms can appear at birth or they may start
later in life.
What causes it?
It is usually inherited. A
defect in the gene is passed on from one generation to the next. The defects
responsible for the weakening of the muscles. Sometimes muscular dystrophy
appears in a family which has had no previous history of it.
Is
there a cure?
No. At the moment there is no treatment or cure. However,
physiotherapy can be of help.
This information is from The Muscular
Dystrophy Group, a registered charity who give practical help by providing
information, advice and counselling, supported by a network of family care
officers. They offer a variety of free fact sheets and booklets about
neuromuscular conditions and publish a magazine and newsletter.
In
certain cases it also gives financial assistance to families. This may be in
the form of grants towards essential aids and equipment.
These are
some of the conditions that come under the umbrella of the Muscular Dystrophy
Group:
Duchenne
Facioscapulohumeral (FSH)
Myotonic Dystrophy
Spinal
muscular Atrophy (SMA)
Charcot Marie Tooth (CMT) or Hereditary Motor and
Sensory Neuropathy (HMSN)
Congenital MD
The Myopathies
The
Myotonias
Limb Girdle types
Polymyositis and Dermatomyositis
Emery-Dreifuss MD
For more information contact: Web site: www.muscular-dystrophy.org