Muscle and Nerve-Muscle Junction Disorders

Muscle Disorders

Electromyography (EMG) can assess the health and function of the muscles. These tests are important to help diagnose several neuromuscular disorders. Needle EMG tests help in the assessment of muscle functions and particularly important in the diagnosis of various muscle disorders such as muscular dystrophies, myositis, metabolic muscle disorders, and related disorders. Dr. Akhtar is well experienced and highly trained in the tests involved in the diagnosis of muscle disorders in Glasgow, Scotland.

Inherited and Acquired Myopathies

Myopathies represent a heterogeneous group of skeletal muscle disorders. Inherited myopathies are caused by mutations in different genes encoding proteins, which play an important role in the structure and function of muscles. These are characterized by morphological changes and functional changes in the muscles such as replacement of muscle tissue by fatty infiltration and connective tissue. Myopathies are classified as inherited, acquired, secondary, and idiopathic myopathies. The diagnosis of inherited and acquired myopathies is often challenging, with overlapping pathologic and clinical features. Generally, it relies on a multimodal approach.

The symptoms of myopathies can vary, but the common symptoms include cramping, stiffness of muscles, pain, weakness and rigidity, muscle twitching, muscle cramps, muscle atrophy or wasting. Severe symptoms can include muscle weakness affecting muscles of swallowing and speech causing slurred speech, difficulty in swallowing.

Needle EMG tests play an important role in the diagnosis of inherited and acquired myopathies. The test is valuable in the diagnosis of the myopathies.

Muscular Dystrophies

A muscular dystrophy is a group of inherited diseases that progressively weaken, and damage muscles over time. In one common condition, there is loss of muscle mass due to the lack of the protein called “dystrophin,” which is necessary for the normal function of the muscles. It is characterized by abnormal gene mutations, which interfere with the production of these proteins needed for healthy muscles. The absence of this protein may cause problems with walking, and muscle coordination. Different kinds of muscular dystrophies exist and the symptoms of most common types begin in childhood. The other types do not surface, until adulthood. Early diagnosis can help manage the symptoms.

Duchenne muscular dystrophy is a common example of the disease. Others like Becker muscular dystrophy are similar but show up in the mid-twenties or later. The early symptoms in muscular dystrophies include pain and muscle stiffness, a waddling gait, walking on toes, difficulty when jumping or running, difficulty standing from sitting, and frequent falls. Severe symptoms can lead to breathing problems, shortening of the tendon and muscles, inability to walk, weakened heart muscles leading to cardiac problems.

Needle electromyography can be an important test and step towards the diagnosis towards of muscular dystrophies. A needle is placed into the muscle, which helps to measure the electrical activity. The results help to show the signs, progression of the muscle disease. Dr. Akthar is well-experienced with EMG tests in Glasgow, Scotland, which can help towards the diagnosis. Early diagnosis can help treating team of physicians, neurologists and physiotherapists to come up with a suitable plan of management of muscular dystrophies.

Metabolic Muscle Disorders

Metabolic myopathies are rare disorders (often inherited), that affect the body’s muscles. Usually, it affects metabolism, which is a chemical process by which the body’s cells convert fuel sources into useable energy, nutrients, and substances that are important for health and growth. People who have metabolic myopathies lack some enzymes involved in providing energy that helps the muscles contract. When this happens, the affected muscles cannot convert the sources into energy, thus they cannot function optimally.

The symptoms of metabolic muscle disorders may vary among individuals. In some cases, symptoms may appear including muscle cramping, fatigue, muscle ache which can be exercise induced, exercise intolerance where energy returns after some rest. There can be heart problems breathing difficulty if the respiratory muscles are affected. Some people can also experience rhabdomyolysis, which is a breakdown of muscle tissue (often painful) that can lead to kidney damage. Among other tests, Electromyography (EMG) can help with diagnosis of muscle disorders. At NM-Testing in Glasgow, Scotland, Dr. Akhtar has sufficient experience in EMG tests and the diagnosis of muscle disorders. This can help rheumatologists and neurologists, muscle specialists and specialists in metabolic disorders to plan treatment options for affected patients.

Myositis

Myositis refers to a group of conditions that causes the muscles to become weak, painful, and fatigued. The word myositis means inflammation in the muscles.   The main muscles affected by this condition are around the shoulders, or hips, and thighs. Myositis can also be associated with disorders of other parts of their body, such as the skin, heart, or lungs.

Amongst other causes, myositiscan be caused by side effects of medications and also auto immune disorders where the immune system of the body mistakenly injures the muscle tissue, which leads to inflammation in the muscles. Sometimes myositis can also be associated with underlying malignant conditions which may be known or could also be unknown and undiagnosed. Therefore, prompt and early diagnosis of myositis and any potential associated underlying conditions can be of utmost importance for the patients and their treating physicians. Early diagnosis can also help physicians plan variety of treatments which may help with controlling inflammation and symptoms.

Needle EMG tests can be pirtculalrly important in picking up changes in the muscle related with myositis and therefore diagnosis of the condition  Dr. Akhtar at NM-Testing Glasgow, Scotland, has experience in  diagnosing  myositis with the help of needle EMG tests, which can help treating physicians in making an early and  suitable plan to manage the condition.

Nerve Muscle Junction Disorders

Electrical impulses are conducted by the nerves and transmitted to muscles. Electrical pulses travelling through the muscles make these contract. Electrical impulses when reach nerve endings, are transmitted to the muscles through a complex process across nerve and muscle junctions. Electrical impulses reaching nerve endings are converted into chemical signals and transmitters which are then transmitted across these specialised areas of nerve and muscle junctions. These chemical transmitters attach to special receptors in the muscles and trigger further electrical impulses in muscles. The disorders in the transmission of electrical and chemical transmission at the nerve and muscle junction lead to interruption or impairment in the normal communication between muscles and nerve cells. This impairment prevents muscles to contract normally leading to symptoms of fatigability and weakness of muscles.

Single fibre EMG tests are highly specialised needle EMG tests and similarly repetitive nerve stimulation tests are highly specialised nerve conduction tests, which help in the assessment of the function of nerve and muscle junction. These tests also help in the diagnosis of various disorders of nerve and muscle junction.

Dr. Akthar in Glasgow, Scotland is highly trained in conducting these highly specialised tests for the diagnosis and prognosis of various nerve muscle junction disorders such as Myasthenia gravis, Lambert Eaton Myasthenia Syndrome, and related disorders.

Myasthenia Gravis

Myasthenia Gravis (MG) is a nerve muscle junction disorder categorised by weakness and fatigue of muscles. It is usually caused by an autoimmune process where body’s own immune system mistakenly attacks the receptors for chemical transmitters in the nerve and muscle junction, leading to impairment in the transmission of electrical and chemical transmission at the nerve and muscle junction. This impairment prevents muscle contracting normally resulting in weakness of muscles. It can effect muscles in various body regions including muscles around the eyes, limbs and it can also affect muscles involved in swallowing and respiration. The common symptoms of myasthenia gravis include weakness of muscles, particularly the arm and leg muscles, drooping of eyelids, double vision and speech difficulties. The condition can also affect muscles involved in swallowing and respiration leading to difficulty in breathing, chewing, and swallowing, in which case urgent medical attention can be required.

Dr. Akhtar is an expert in Single Fibre EMG tests and Repetitive nerve stimulation tests, assessing the function of nerve muscle junction in the diagnosis of conditions like Myasthenia Gravis. Early and timely diagnosis of the condition helps neuromuscular specialists to make suitable treatment and management plans for the affected patients in Glasgow, Scotland.

Lambert Eaton Myasthenic Syndrome

Lambert Eaton Myasthenic Syndrome (LEMS) is another example of nerve and muscle junction. The symptoms of Lambert Eaton Syndrome may include muscle fatigue, trouble when walking, weakness, aching muscles, drooping eyelids, trouble breathing, chewing, swallowing, and speaking. Some people also notice difficulty when climbing stairs, lifting objects, or raising their arms. It is a condition in which the immune system affects or attacks the neuromuscular junctions. This type of nerve and muscles junction disorder can often be associated with already known or yet to be diagnosed underlying malignant disorders including “small cell lung cancer.” Therefore, early diagnosis of the condition and early diagnosis and management of a potential undiagnosed under lying malignant condition can be of utmost importance, for the patients and treating physicians.

Dr. Akhtar is an expert in Single Fibre EMG tests, Post exercise CMAP tests and Repetitive nerve stimulation tests, assessing the function of nerve muscle junction which are vital in the accurate diagnosis of conditions like Lambert Eaton Myasthenic Syndrome (LEMS). This helps neuromuscular specialists, neurologists and treating physicians to plan management of the condition.