Disease Research (Mother's Disease)

 

Muscular Dystrophy

 

'Types of muscular dystrophy

There are many different types of MD, each with somewhat different symptoms. Not all types of MD cause severe disability and many do not affect life expectancy.

Some of the more common types of MD include:

• Duchenne muscular dystrophy – one of the most common and severe forms, it usually affects boys in early childhood; men with the condition will usually only live into their 20s or 30s
• myotonic dystrophy – a type of MD that can develop at any age; life expectancy is not always affected, but people with a severe form of it may have shortened lives
• facioscapulohumeral muscular dystrophy – a type of MD that can develop in childhood or adulthood, it progresses slowly and is not usually life threatening
• Becker muscular dystrophy – closely related to Duchenne MD, but it develops later in childhood and is less severe; life expectancy is not usually affected so much
• limb-girdle muscular dystrophy – a group of conditions that usually develop in late childhood or early adulthood; some variants can progress quickly and be life threatening, whereas others only develop slowly
• oculopharyngeal muscular dystrophy – a type of MD that usually doesn't develop until a person is 50-60 years old and doesn't tend to affect life expectancy
• Emery-Dreifuss muscular dystrophy – a type of MD that develops in childhood or early adulthood; most people with this condition will live until at least middle age'

NHS.UK  MUSCULAR DYSTROPHY  SYMPTOMS
http://www.nhs.uk/conditions/Muscular-dystrophy/Pages/Introduction.aspx

'Treating muscular dystrophy

Although there is no cure for MD, a range of treatments can help with the physical disabilities and problems that may develop. These can include:

• mobility assistance, including exercise, physiotherapy and physical aids
• support groups to help deal with the practical and emotional impact of MD
• surgery to correct postural deformities such as scoliosis 
• medication such as steroids to improve muscle strength, or ACE inhibitors and beta-blockers to treat heart problems

New research is looking into ways of repairing the genetic mutations and damaged muscles associated with the condition. There are currently promising clinical trials for Duchenne MD. Search for clinical trials for muscular dystrophy.'

NHS.UK  MUSCULAR DYSTROPHY  TREATMENT
http://www.nhs.uk/conditions/Muscular-dystrophy/Pages/Introduction.aspx