Spinal muscular atrophy, or SMA, is actually a group of different muscular diseases. SMA is a progressive muscle degeneration disorder that eventually causes death. It affects approximately 4 out of every 100,000 individuals. Feeding problems are...
Muscular atrophy is the loss or wasting of muscle tissue and can occur through injuries, diseases or disuse. Muscular atrophy involving gluteal muscles can present itself as lower back pain, knee joint pain, ankle soreness or may be misdiagnosed...
Muscular atrophy can be disabling on its own. But atrophy of the muscles is usually the byproduct of another problem occurring in the body. Although muscle atrophy can occur in anyone regardless of age, children in particular can be afflicted by...
Muscle twitching refers to movements that affect only a certain region of the body. MedlinePlus says that muscle twitches occur when the muscle contracts. These muscle contractions can be normal or they may be a sign of a medical problem....
Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, also called ALS or Lou Gehrig's disease, is a neurodegenerative disorder characterized by a loss of muscle function as a result of nerve deterioration. ALS affects a subset of cells known as motor neurons. These...
Lou Gehrig's disease, clinically known as amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, is a progressive neurodegenerative disorder of the motor neurons resulting in the loss of muscle function. Lou Gehrig's disease is characterized by the deterioration of...
If you've suffered an injury that has resulted in you being bed-ridden or wheelchair-bound for an extended period of time, muscular deterioration --- or atrophy --- is a very real threat. Muscular atrophy is a condition that occurs as a result of...
Muscular diseases in babies are generally progressive. Babies may appear normal at birth but then are unable to meet expected milestones or regress in development. Muscular diseases can affect muscles that are vital for sustaining life.
Neuromuscular disorders are a group of conditions where extensive damage to the nerves occur, according to the National Institutes of Health. When the nerves die, the communication between the patient's nervous system and muscles are disrupted....
Spinal muscular atrophy, also known as SMA, can cause progressive muscle weakness and disability that normally starts in childhood. Less-severe forms of the disease can occur in adulthood. Nutritional issues arise in SMA, particularly in people...
Clubfoot, scientifically known as talipes equinovarus, is the most common birth defect of otherwise healthy babies, according to the UCSF Children's Hospital. Although the specific cause of clubfoot is not completely understood, genetics is a...
Kennedy's disease is a hereditary disease where men have a mutation on their X chromosome. They have large breasts, a low sperm count, difficulty speaking and swallowing, and weak muscles in their legs and arms. Studies have been conducted to see...
Motor neurons are nerves that send signals to the muscles. In motor neuron diseases, there are fewer nerves to send these signals. Infants with motor neuron disease have a hard time breathing, sucking and even swallowing. Their muscles and tongue...
ALS, or amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, is a form of motor neuron disease. These diseases share in common the progressive degeneration and death of the motor neurons--nerve cells in the spinal cord and brain that enable muscle movement. Symptoms...
In early stages, the progressive muscle disease amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, or ALS, also known as Lou Gehrig's disease, causes weakness, slurred speech, muscle cramps and twitching. As the disease progresses and muscles waste away, movement,...
Muscle twitches, also known as fasciculations, occur commonly in healthy people. Often these twitches have no known cause. Sometimes caffeine or stress can make them worse, as MedlinePlus explains. Twitches can come and go, and usually don't last...
Watch your body's muscular balance. If you notice more muscularity in one area than in another, and you don't know why, go see your doctor to rule out underlying problems. If you are cleared by your doctor and have some muscular atrophy on one...
According to The National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke, motor neuron diseases are a group of progressive neurological disorders that destroy cells that control muscle activity, including speaking, walking, breathing, and...
Muscle wasting is a debilitating condition in children that may result in loss of mobility, severe pain, cognitive impairment and a shortened lifespan, according to the "Merck Manual Home Health Handbook." A number of conditions may trigger...
Motor neuron disease (MND) is a group of diseases characterized by the progressive deterioration of cells that control important muscular functions, such as walking, breathing, speaking and swallowing. Under normal circumstances, neurons that...
Spinal muscular atrophy is one of the genetic conditions that's closest to an effective treatment or cure, according to the U.S. National Institutes of Health. The potential for treating this disabling and potentially deadly disease is based on...
Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, or ALS, is a degenerative condition that systematically destroys the neurons responsible for voluntary movement, according to National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke. There are an estimated 5,000...
Muscular atrophy can result from any number of physical or neurological conditions. Generally, muscle atrophy occurs from the disuse of muscle tissue, and it can be a significant problem for people with spinal-cord injuries or other afflictions...
There are many causes for the deterioration of muscles. Muscle wasting, or atrophy, occurs in two basic forms: disuse atrophy in which the muscles waste away due to lack of exercise, and neurogenic atrophy, which is muscle deterioration due to...
While apoptosis means suicide or self-destruction for the cell, it is absolutely necessary; without it, damaged and unwanted cells would not be eliminated, and tumor cells would be able to develop and escape from the immune system. But tumor cells...
Children have the natural desire and energy to go full-tilt all day long, so it's a cause for concern when your child complains of weakness or appears lethargic. See your doctor immediately when symptoms of weakness in the back and other major...
The nervous system provides a communications network for the brain to send messages to the muscles and organs of the body, and for the body to send information back to the brain. An elaborate web of sensory nerves enables people to see, hear,...
According to the Amputee Coalition, 187,000 people lose a limb each year. Below the knee amputations require intensive postoperative care and physical rehabilitation. Along with physical and emotional healing, patients learn to walk with a...
Motor neuron diseases destroy the nerves that control muscles. Muscle control originates from the brain, and consists of nerve impulses that travel through two neurons to reach the muscles. The upper motor neuron starts in the brain and sends...
