Muscular dystrophy occurs in both sexes and in all ages and races. However, the most common variety, Duchenne, usually occurs in young boys. People with a family history of muscular dystrophy are at higher risk of developing the disease or passing it on to their children.

Can muscular dystrophy occur 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 persons 40s or 50s.

How does someone get muscular dystrophy?

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.

How common is muscular dystrophy in adults?

Myotonic dystrophy type 1 (DM1) is the most common adult-onset muscular dystrophy and is estimated to affect about 1 in 8,000-20,000 in the general population.

Can muscular dystrophy be diagnosed later in life?

Muscular dystrophy can occur at any age, but most diagnoses occur in childhood. Young boys are more likely to have this disease than girls. The prognosis for muscular dystrophy depends on the type and the severity of symptoms.

Can muscle dystrophy be cured?

Theres 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.

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.

What is the difference between MS and muscular dystrophy?

Overview. Muscular dystrophy (MD) is a group of genetic disorders that gradually weakens and damages the muscles. Multiple sclerosis (MS) is an immune-mediated disorder of the central nervous system that disrupts communication between the brain and body and within the brain itself.

Is FSHD serious?

Although cardiac involvement can sometimes be a factor in FSHD, it is rarely severe and is often discovered only with specialized testing. Some experts have recently recommended monitoring of cardiac function in those with FSHD.

Is exercise good for muscular dystrophy?

Muscular dystrophy results in a progressive loss of muscle mass and strength, exercise may then be considered harmful because it can induce damage, inflammation and failure of the muscles to repair themselves.

Whats the difference between MS and muscular dystrophy?

Overview. Muscular dystrophy (MD) is a group of genetic disorders that gradually weakens and damages the muscles. Multiple sclerosis (MS) is an immune-mediated disorder of the central nervous system that disrupts communication between the brain and body and within the brain itself.

Who is prone to muscular dystrophy?

Muscular dystrophy occurs in both sexes and in all ages and races. However, the most common variety, Duchenne, usually occurs in young boys. People with a family history of muscular dystrophy are at higher risk of developing the disease or passing it on to their children.

Which is worse MS or muscular dystrophy?

MD affects the muscles. MS affects the central nervous system. While MD is life-threatening, MS is not. At this point in time, theres no known cure for either condition, but treatment can help manage symptoms and slow disease progression.

Is multiple sclerosis worse than muscular dystrophy?

Muscular dystrophy and multiple sclerosis may have similar symptoms, yet they are two distinctly different diseases in the way they affect the body. MS affects the central nervous system, causing neurological symptoms, whereas MD affects the muscles causing symptoms that affect movement.

Is FSHD treatable?

Medical treatments for facioscapulohumeral muscular dystrophy (FSHD) are relatively few, and none are specific to the disease. There is no treatment that can halt or reverse the effects of FSHD, but there are treatments and devices to help alleviate many of the symptoms.

Does walking help muscular dystrophy?

Conclusions: Muscular exercise did not improve muscle strength and was associated with modest improvements in endurance during walking in patients with facio-scapulo-humeral and myotonic dystrophy. Future trials should explore which type of muscle exercise could lead to better improvements in muscle strength.