Myasthenia Gravis: Symptoms, Causes and Prevention

                                               

                                                             

In myasthenia gravis, a rare neuromuscular condition, there is an issue with how the nerves trigger the contraction of the muscles, which causes the voluntary muscles to rapidly weary and weaken. Myasthenia gravis, which literally means severe muscle weakness, is frequently moderate, and the average lifespan is not affected.

Because the muscles around the eyes are frequently the first to be damaged, the eyelids typically droop. Patients may also experience double vision in addition to breathing, eating, swallowing, speaking, and leg and arm paralysis. The muscles of your heart and other unconscious muscles are unaffected. Despite the lack of a cure, treatment might lessen or even get rid of symptoms.

Symptoms of Myasthenia Gravis

Myasthenia gravis (MG) symptoms can be very diverse. Some people will only experience this in their eye muscles, while others may experience it in multiple muscles, including the ones that regulate breathing.

• Fatigue is the most common symptom.
• In two out of every three patients, drooping in one or both eyelids, double vision, or both are early symptoms.
• They might struggle with speaking. Speech can become nasal or slurred.
• Swallowing becomes more difficult to eat, drink, and swallow medicines, and the person may choke easily. Drinking may cause fluid to leak from the nose.
• During a meal, the muscles required for chewing may become less strong, particularly if the food is tough or chewy, like a steak.
• If particular facial muscles are compromised, an altered or strange smile may appear.
• For 10% of individuals, weakness in the limbs is the initial symptom. Activities such as lifting or walking may become more difficult when the arm and leg muscles deteriorate.
• Other muscles, like those in the throat, eyes, or face, frequently suffer when leg muscles are implicated.

During periods of exertion, symptoms frequently get progressively worse before becoming better after resting.

Causes of Myasthenia Gravis

MG is an autoimmune disorder. When a person's immune system assaults their own body tissues, they can develop an autoimmune condition. The immune system's purpose is to track down and eliminate any foreign invaders, including bacteria, poisons, and viruses. Antibodies circulate in the blood of a person who has an autoimmune disease and unintentionally assault healthy cells and tissues.

In the case of MG, the antibodies inhibit or kill the muscle receptor cells, reducing the number of muscle fibres that are accessible. The outcome is that the muscles are unable to contract adequately, easily becoming exhausted and feeble. Although the exact cause of this is uncertain, the thymus gland, which is situated in the upper chest beneath the breastbone, appears to be important. MG is an autoimmune disorder.

The immune system's purpose is to track down and eliminate any foreign invaders, including bacteria, poisons, and viruses. Antibodies circulate in the blood of a person who has an autoimmune disease and unintentionally assault healthy cells and tissues.

In the case of MG, the antibodies inhibit or kill the muscle receptor cells, reducing the number of muscle fibres that are accessible. The outcome is that the muscles are unable to contract adequately, easily becoming exhausted and feeble.

Although the exact cause of this is uncertain, the thymus gland, which is situated in the upper chest beneath the breastbone, appears to be important.

The thymus gland grows until adolescence and is enormous during infancy. After then, it shrinks and finally gives way to fat. About 1 in 10 adult MG patients have a benign tumour in the thymus gland, and a considerable portion of MG patients with adult disease have an excessively large thymus gland.

Genetic factors might be important. Additionally, conditions like illness, fatigue, a high fever, or emotional or mental stress can make symptoms worse. Newborns can develop neonatal myasthenia if they have MG antibodies from their mother. The signs typically go away in two to three months, and MG in newborns and kids is quite uncommon.

Prevention of Myasthenia Gravis

MG can't be stopped. However, a person can take action to stop a symptom flare-up or stop consequences from occurring.

These include maintaining good cleanliness to prevent infections and swiftly treating them when they do. Avoiding excessive heat and overexertion is also a good idea. The frequency and intensity of symptoms can both be decreased by effective stress management.

Myasthenia Gravis Treatments Centre Kochi | Raha Ayurveda Hospital