Multiple sclerosis, rheumatoid arthritis, and polymyalgia rheumatica are three types of autoimmune disorders that affect the joints or nerves. Autoimmune disorders occur when the body's own immune system mistakenly starts attacking healthy tissue.
Myositis (my-o-SY-tis) is a rare type of autoimmune disease that inflames and weakens muscle fibers. Autoimmune diseases occur when the body's own immune system attacks itself. In the case of myositis, the immune system attacks healthy muscle tissue, which results in inflammation, swelling, pain, and eventual weakness.
The most common is Duchenne muscular dystrophy (DMD). The next most common is Becker muscular dystrophy (BMD). Symptoms are almost the same as Duchenne, but less severe.
Myasthenia gravis. Myopathy. Myositis, including polymyositis and dermatomyositis.
Signs and symptoms
Symptoms of muscle disease may include muscular weakness, rigidity, loss of muscular control, numbness, tingling, twitching, spasms, muscle pain and certain types of limb pain.
Distal muscular dystrophy (DD) is a group of rare diseases that affect your muscles (genetic myopathies). DD causes weakness that starts in the lower arms and legs (the distal muscles). It then may gradually spread to affect other parts of your body. The muscles shrink (atrophy).
The diseases most frequently mistaken for muscular dystrophy were polymyositis and the syndrome of "benign hypotonia." Polymyositis, with its protean manifestations and variable course, may mimic all of the forms of muscular dystrophy so closely that differentiation becomes especially difficult. 1.
Polymyositis is a disease that causes muscles to become irritated and inflamed. The muscles eventually start to break down and become weak. The condition can affect muscles all over the body. This can make even simple movements difficult.
Myositis is a disease that makes your immune system attack your muscles. It causes chronic inflammation — swelling that comes and goes over a long time. Eventually, this inflammation makes your muscles feel increasingly weak. It can also cause muscle pain.
The main symptoms are weak, painful or aching muscles. This usually gets worse, slowly over time. You may also trip or fall a lot, and be very tired after walking or standing. If you have any of these symptoms you should see a GP.
Cancer that occurs near or in a joint, such as bone cancer and cancer that spreads to the bone, can cause joint pain. Lung cancer, breast cancer, prostate cancer, and multiple myeloma are more likely to involve and spread to the bone. Leukemia can also cause cancer cells to cluster in the joints.
Sudden pain in all the joints can be a symptom of several conditions, including infections, gout, ME/CFS, and some autoimmune conditions. It can also be an indication of complications after an illness, such as post-viral syndrome or reactive arthritis.
Chronic fatigue syndrome is marked by profound tiredness. Symptoms often get worse with physical or mental activity. In addition to severe tiredness, symptoms include light sensitivity, headache, muscle and joint pain, trouble concentrating, mood swings, and depression.
Blood enzyme tests are often the first step in the diagnosis of muscular dystrophy, and they're used to check for higher-than-normal creatine kinase (CK) levels, which may reveal inflammation or the death of muscle fibers.
Muscle biopsies, which involve the removal of a small piece of muscle tissue using a needle or small incision. Providers examine the tissue under a microscope to check for hallmarks of MD. Patients diagnosed by muscle biopsy usually need genetic testing as well to confirm mutations in their genes.
Typically, the first symptom of distal muscular dystrophy (DD) is weakness in the distal muscles — those farthest away from the hips and shoulders such as those in the hands, feet, lower arms or lower legs. With time, other muscle groups may become affected as well. Intellect isn't affected in this disease.
What are inflammatory myopathies? The inflammatory myopathies are a group of rare diseases that involve chronic (long-standing) muscle inflammation, muscle weakness, and in some cases, muscle pain. Myopathy is a general term used to describe a number of conditions affecting the muscles.
Electromyography. This test involves inserting a thin needle electrode through the skin into the muscle. Electrical activity is measured as you relax or tighten the muscle, and changes in the pattern of electrical activity can confirm a muscle disease.
A CK test is most often used to diagnose and monitor muscular injuries and diseases. These diseases include: Muscular dystrophy, a rare inherited disease that causes weakness, breakdown, and loss of function of skeletal muscles.
Fibromyalgia is one of a group of chronic pain disorders that affect connective tissues, including the muscles, ligaments (the tough bands of tissue that bind together the ends of bones), and tendons (which attach muscles to bones).