BECKER MUSCULAR DYSTROPHY

Over View
Becker muscular dystrophy is a genetic condition that causes your muscles to become damaged and weakened over time, resulting in loss of muscle tissue. If you have this condition, you could begin to experience problems walking around age 16. Becker muscular dystrophy usually affects boys, with symptoms appearing between age 5 and 15. There is more than one type of muscular dystrophy, and Becker is similar to another type known as Duchenne. Becker is less severe and it is also a rare disease.
This week has been dedicating to create awareness of BMD by the MD community not forgetting to raise funds for this muscle wasting condition.

 CAUSES.
BMD is caused by an abnormal gene that is responsible foor making a protein called dystrophin. Dystrophin helps the body by keeping the muscle cells intact: without dystrophin your muscles cannot contract well. An individual can inherit the abnormal gene or it can appear even where there is no family history. The disease almost always affects males though it can occur in females. You are at a higher risk if you have relatives with the condition.

SYMPTOMS OF BMD
Symptoms occur in childhood but they can also appear in adulthood. the signs of BMD include:

• delays in walking and running for young children
• unexplained clumsiness
• cramps during exercise
• difficulty participating in sports at school
• weak muscles near your torso
• enlarged calf muscles
• difficulty lifting weights and climbing stairs
• falling and finding it hard to get up again
• eventually, loss of the ability to walk
• heart problems
• learning and behavioral difficulties

Most people with the condition can walk until at least age 16, but for some people, the disease develops later in life. Those sufferers might be able to walk until their twenties or, in some cases, their forties. Females do not usually experience symptoms.

DIAGNOSIS

Your doctor will examine you thoroughly, looking for deformed muscles and bones, abnormal heart rhythms, and muscle loss. The doctor may order a number of tests, including:

• blood tests to measure the levels of enzymes released from damaged muscles
• electrical stimulation of nerves to measure your muscle function
• a muscle tissue sample to check for signs of muscular dystrophy
• gene analysis to look for an abnormal dystrophin gene
• tests of your heart and lung function
• X-rays of your spine

TREATMENT

There is no cure for muscular dystrophy. Treatment aims to support you and improve your quality of life.

MEDICATION
You may be given steroids. Steroids may help some sufferers continue walking for longer than they would without treatment.

SURGERIES
Sometimes, due to Becker muscular dystrophy, your muscles may become permanently shortened, or contracted, and surgery may be necessary to release and lengthen them.
If your spine becomes deformed, you may also need surgery to realign it.

Other treatments
If you have heart problems, you may need a pacemaker to regulate your heartbeat. In the case of respiratory difficulties, you may need to use special equipment to help you breathe normally.

THERAPY
You may be offered a number of different therapies to help you function in your everyday life.

• Speech Therapy - This treatment can help in the later stages of muscular dystrophy if weak muscles are making speaking or swallowing difficult for you.
• Physical Therapy - Physical therapy programs can help you remain mobile, stretch your tight muscles, and ensure that you do not damage your joints. You may also learn ways to limit your energy use so that you do not become overtired.
• Occupational Therapy - This therapy can help you cope with everyday activities. You will learn to use adaptations in your home and special equipment to help you carry out essential tasks. An occupational therapist will also assess your need for mobility aids such as wheelchairs and scooters.
• Recreational Therapy - This type of therapy focuses on helping you to take part in educational and leisure activities.

OUTLOOK

Becker muscular dystrophy typically gets worse over time and reduces life expectancy. The majority of patients live between 40 and 50 years. The outlook is different for each individual because the disease can vary in its severity. Heart problems and breathing difficulties are the major complications for people with this condition.

FAMILY PLANNING

If you have relatives with Becker muscular dystrophy, you should seek genetic counseling if you are thinking of starting a family. This is important whether you are male or female, as women can carry the defective gene without having the condition. A specialist can help you assess the risk of having a child with the condition and explain the various tests and choices available to you.

This information is by JULIE RODDICK-Healthline website