Can You Get Muscular Dystrophy At Any Age?

Muscular dystrophy (MD) is a group of genetically inherited disorders that are characterized by progressive weakness and degeneration of the skeletal muscles.¹ Muscular dystrophy is classified into 9 major forms.

Different types of muscular dystrophy occur at different ages and they are classified accordingly. Let us see how.

Myotonic muscular dystrophy:

• This type is also known as Myotonic muscular dystrophy or Steinert’s disease
• It is the commonest form of muscular dystrophy in adults
• It is seen in both males and females
• It can appear at any time from childhood to later ages
• This disease is characterized by prolonged stiffness of muscles after movement, specially aggravated in cold seasons
• The life expectancy in this disease is usually less

Duchenne muscular dystrophy:

• This is the commonest form of muscular dystrophy in children ¹
• This is seen to be affecting only males
• It is usually seen to be starting between ages 2 to 6
• The muscles start decreasing in size and grow weaker over time
• The rate of progression of the disease is different for different persons
• Most cases face deformities of arms, legs and spine and may need a wheelchair very early in their lives
• The life expectancy in this disease is usually up to late teens or early twenties

Becker muscular dystrophy:

• This type has some similarities with Duchenne muscular dystrophy, but is comparatively milder than that ¹
• The symptoms start later in life and progress slowly
• This type also is seen to be affecting only males
• This type can cause cardiac problems
• Life expectancy is usually beyond 30s in this type of muscular dystrophy

Limb-girdle muscular dystrophy:

• This type of muscular dystrophy affects both males and females
• It is seen to be starting in late teens or early adulthood
• In this type, the muscular weakness starts in the hip muscles and progresses to the shoulders, arms and then legs
• Over time, walking becomes increasingly difficult
• Those suffering from this type have a life expectancy of about middle age to late adulthood

Facioscapulohumeral muscular dystrophy:

• This type involves the weakness of facial, shoulder blade and upper arm muscles ¹
• This affects both males and females
• It is greatly varying in severity
• It may cause very mild muscle weakness or a disabling one
• The muscle weakness may cause problems with chewing, swallowing speaking etc.
• Most people affected with this type can walk throughout their lives and their life expectancy is near to normal

Congenital muscular dystrophy:

• This type is present at the time of birth
• This type progresses very slowly
• This can affect both males and females
• This type may cause muscle weakness at the time of birth or within a few months of birth

Oculopharyngeal muscular dystrophy:

• This type affects the eye and the throat
• This type is usually seen beyond 40s to 60s
• This type progresses very slowly and causes problems with eye and face
• It may lead to swallowing difficulty
• In later stages, it may result in weakness in pelvic and pectoral muscles

Distal muscular dystrophy:

• This is a rare group of diseases
• It affects both men and women in adulthood
• It causes wasting of the distal muscles- the muscles that are far from the center, like those of forearms, feet etc.
• It is comparatively a less severe type and is seen to be progressing more slowly
• It also affects fewer muscles than other forms

Emery-Dreifuss muscular dystrophy:

• This type is seen to be appearing in childhood or early teens and affecting mainly males. Females are affected very rarely
• This is also a rare form of muscular dystrophy
• It causes muscle wasting in shoulders, upper arms and legs
• Muscle shortening can be seen in early stage of the disease
• Chest and pelvic muscles may get weakened
• This type is slowly progressing one and affects fewer muscles as compared to other types of muscular dystrophy

Muscular dystrophy is a genetically inherited group of disorders. It can occur at any age and is classified accordingly into various types.

References:  

Also Read:

• Duchenne’s Muscular Dystrophy (DMD) or Muscular Dystrophy: Causes, Symptoms, Treatment
• What is Limb Girdle Muscular Dystrophy & How is it Treated?
• What is Facioscapulohumeral Muscular Dystrophy: Causes, Symptoms, Treatment