MDF Magazine Issue 62 7 August 2020 (7)

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MDMDFSA does not advocate the use of marijuana. The facts below are sharedfor informational purposes. The use of marijuana is a personal choice – Ed.By Marijuana Doctors(Medical content reviewed on 1 April 2020 by Dr Joseph Rosado, Chief Medical Officer forMarijuana Doctors)What Is Muscular Dystrophy?Muscular dystrophy encompasses an entire group of more than 30 inherited disorders, all of which cause the lossof skeletal muscle tissue and accompanying muscle weakness. Unfortunately, all of the disorders that make upthe muscular dystrophy, or MD, group are known to degenerate, or get worse over time. As a result, keeping thepatient comfortable and as pain-free as possible is often one of the most prominent treatment goals.[…] There are nine different types of MD that vary in their onset and severity. They are all caused by a geneticdefect and are all degenerative:1. MyotonicMost common form of MD for adults that is caused by a repeat in their genetic code.• Common Symptoms: Weight loss, frontal baldness, drowsiness, infertility, difficulty swallowing, vision problems,long thin face and neck, coronary issues that could become fatal before age 50• Progression: Develops in men and women from 20 to 30 years of age.2. DuchenneAccounting for more than 50% of cases, Duchenne is the most severe form of MD affecting children.• Common Symptoms: Weakness in the pelvis and upper legs, diffi culty running and jumping, waddle gait, fataccumulation in calf muscles, fall down a lot• Progression: A fast progression in boys from age three and is usually non-ambulatory by age 12. The lifeexpectancy is approximately 20 years.3. BeckerSimilar in nature to Duchenne, Becker MD can move quickly or slowly.• Common Symptoms: Difficulty getting up from the fl oor, frequent muscle cramps, walking on tiptoes, falling downa lot• Progression: Boys between 11 and 25 can begin to show symptoms, and it is often non-ambulatory by themid-thirties or later.18
MD4. Limb-GirdleBoth boys and girls can inherit the defective gene from either parent or, in more severe cases, the same geneticdefect from both parents.• Common Symptoms: Fall down a lot, develop hip weakness that spreads to shoulders, legs and neck, waddlegait, rigid spine, diffi culty climbing stairs• Progression: Usually presents in young adults and progresses to severe symptoms within the next 20 years.5. FacioscapulohumeralThis form of MD affects the face, shoulders and upper arms, although the exact gene that causes it is not known.• Common Symptoms: Difficulty closing and opening eyes, trouble smiling or puckering, bicep and tricep refl eximpairment, hearing problems, lordosis curve of the spine, muscle wasting around shoulders• Progression: Both boys and girls are affected in their teens. The life span is normal, but symptoms can bedebilitating.6. CongenitalMost often caused by a genetic defect in muscle fi ber proteins but can sometimes affect the central nervoussystem.• Common Symptoms: Scoliosis (curvature of the spine), muscle shortening that stiffens joints, difficulty withmuscle control from birth, feet deformities, intellectual disabilities, trouble breathing and swallowing• Progression: Evident by age two in boys and girls. Ambulation may never occur, but death is possible in infancy.7. OculopharyngealThis form of MD is common in specifi c ethnic groups including French-Canadian, Jewish Ashkenazi and Hispanicsfrom the southwestern United States.• Common Symptoms: Heart problems, drooping eyelids, muscle wasting in shoulders and neck, troubleswallowing• Progression: Symptoms usually reveal before age 60 and progress slowly. Some become non-ambulatory.8. DistalDistal MD can present in men and women, and it affects the forearms, lower legs, hands and feet.• Common Symptoms: Trouble extending fi ngers, difficulty hopping or standing on heels, inability to climb stairswithout difficulty, trouble forming hand gestures• Progression: Usually presents between ages 40 to 60. Progression is slow but could eventually result in the needfor a ventilator.9. Emery-DreifussThis MD variation is caused by a defect in the proteins surrounding cell nucleus, and it affects boys primarily.• Common Symptoms: Elbows may lock in a fl exed position, shoulder deteriorates, walk on tiptoes, rigid spine,facial muscle weakness, chronic muscle shortening in back of neck, ankles, knees, elbows or spine• Progression: Symptoms often present by age ten. Heart problems occur in late 20s, and death from pulmonaryor cardiac failure is likely in middle age.MD is considered a rare disease by the National Institutes of Health because it affects fewer than 200,000 peoplein the US population. Each year, between 500 and 600 male infants are diagnosed with MD, putting the incidencerate at approximately one in every 544,000. For the thousands who suffer, MD is a debilitating and potentially fatalcondition.Treatment for Muscular DystrophyMD itself does not typically cause severe pain; however, secondary chronic pain associated with the disorders isestimated to affect two-thirds of the sufferers. Pain is caused by muscle cramps or spasms as well as stiff joints,pressure sores and muscle twitches. While traditional treatments such as physical therapy, heat application andexercise can alleviate some of the pain associated with MD, narcotic pain medication is often required at somepoint.19
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MDF Magazine Issue 62 7 August 2020 (7)

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