In most cases, muscular dystrophy (MD) runs in families. It usually
develops after inheriting a faulty gene from one or both parents
. MD is caused by mutations (alterations) in the genes responsible for healthy muscle structure and function.
Can you get muscular dystrophy later in life?
It can affect anyone from teenagers to adults in their 40s. Distal muscular dystrophy affects the muscles of the arms, legs, hands, and feet. It usually
comes on later in life
, between ages 40 and 60. Oculopharyngeal muscular dystrophy starts in a person’s 40s or 50s.
Are you born with muscular dystrophy?
Onset usually occurs in the teenage years but can begin in childhood or as late as age 50. Congenital. This type affects boys and girls and is apparent
at birth or before
age 2. Some forms progress slowly and cause only mild disability, while others progress rapidly and cause severe impairment.
At what age is muscular dystrophy diagnosed?
Muscular dystrophy is usually diagnosed in children
between 3 and 6 years of age
. Early signs of the illness include a delay in walking, difficulty rising from a sitting or lying position, and frequent falling, with weakness typically affecting the shoulder and pelvic muscle as one of the initial symptoms.
Can you randomly get muscular dystrophy?
Muscular dystrophy can occur at any age
, but most diagnoses occur in childhood. Young boys are more likely to have this disease than girls.
What race is muscular dystrophy most common in?
It appears that DMD is significantly more common in
white males
than in males of other races.
Can muscular dystrophy be cured?
There’s currently no cure for muscular dystrophy
(MD), but a variety of treatments can help to manage the condition. As different types of MD can cause quite specific problems, the treatment you receive will be tailored to your needs.
Can a woman get muscular dystrophy?
Duchenne muscular dystrophy usually affects males. However,
females are also affected in rare instances
. Approximately 8% of female Duchenne muscular dystrophy (DMD) carriers are manifesting carriers and have muscle weakness to some extent.
Is muscular dystrophy painful?
MMD patients may experience
painful muscle cramping
because of myotonia, which is delayed relaxation or sustained contraction of the muscle fibers.
Does muscular dystrophy run in families?
Muscular dystrophy can run in families
, or a person can be the first in their family to have a muscular dystrophy. There may be several different genetic types within each kind of muscular dystrophy, and people with the same kind of muscular dystrophy may experience different symptoms.
What is the first symptom of facioscapulohumeral muscular dystrophy?
Facial weakness
is often the first sign of FSHD. It may not be noticed right away by people with FSHD and usually is brought to their attention by somebody else. The muscles most affected are those that surround the eyes and mouth.
What organs does muscular dystrophy affect?
Many individuals eventually lose the ability to walk. Some types of MD also affect
the heart, gastrointestinal system, endocrine glands, spine, eyes, brain, and other organs
. Respiratory and cardiac diseases may occur, and some people may develop a swallowing disorder.
Which parent carries the muscular dystrophy gene?
DMD is inherited in an X-linked pattern because the gene that can carry a DMD-causing mutation is on the
X chromosome
. Every boy inherits an X chromosome from his mother and a Y chromosome from his father, which is what makes him male. Girls get two X chromosomes, one from each parent.
Can you get muscular dystrophy in your 60s?
This form of muscular dystrophy appears in men and
women
in their 40s, 50s, and 60s. It progresses slowly, causing weakness in the eye and face muscles, which may lead to difficulty swallowing. Weakness in pelvic and shoulder muscles may occur later.
What is the difference between muscular dystrophy and muscular atrophy?
A Word From Verywell. While
muscular dystrophy can cause muscle atrophy
, they are not the same condition. Muscular dystrophy is a genetic condition encompassing nine main types, while muscle atrophy refers to the loss of muscle tissue. Muscle atrophy can often be reversed with treatments and exercise.
What is the rarest form of muscular dystrophy?
Fukuyama type congenital muscular dystrophy (FCMD)
is one of several forms of a rare type of muscular dystrophy known as congenital muscular dystrophy. It is inherited as an autosomal recessive trait. Symptoms of this disorder are apparent at birth and progress slowly.
