Severe myasthenia or severe myasthenia is an autoimmune disease that causes progressive muscle weakness. It is most common in women and usually starts between the ages of 20 and 40. Symptoms of severe myasthenia may appear suddenly, but usually begin to appear and gradually worsen.
The causes of severe myasthenia are related to a change in the immune system that causes antibodies to attack certain structural structures critical to muscle control.
- Myasthenia gravis has no definitive cure but treatment for each case with specific remedies and physiotherapy exercises can improve quality of life.
The most common initial symptoms of myasthenia gravis are
As the disease progresses, symptoms worsen and include:
In the most severe episodes, there may also be damage to the respiratory muscles, a condition called a myasthenic crisis, which is severe and can lead to death if not treated immediately in the hospital.
Symptoms usually worsen with repeated use of the affected muscle, but this can also occur when exposed to heat, when stressed or anxious, or when using anxiolytics or antibiotics.
Most of the time, your doctor distrusts the diagnosis of myasthenia gravis by evaluating your symptoms, physical examination, and studying a person’s medical history.
However, several tests can be used to detect other problems and confirm a severe myasthenia. Some of these tests include electromyography, MRI, CT scans, and blood tests.
Myasthenia gravis is caused by a change in the immune system that causes certain antibodies to attack muscle receptors. When this happens, the electrical message cannot properly pass from neurons to muscle fibers and, as a result, the muscle does not contract, demonstrating the characteristic weakness of myasthenia.
There are several types of treatments that can improve a person’s quality of life, depending on the symptoms they present. Some of the most commonly used forms include:
Medications are the most commonly used form of treatment because, in addition to being practical, they give excellent results. The most commonly used drug types are:
In addition to oral remedies, your doctor may also recommend the use of intravenous medications, such as monoclonal antibodies, which decrease the number of certain defense cells in the body, improving symptoms of myasthenia gravis.
Plasmapheresis is a therapy, similar to dialysis, in which blood is drawn from the body and passed through a machine that eliminates excess antibodies that attack muscle receptors, facilitating the passage of the electrical signal between neurons and muscle fibers.
While it is a successful treatment, it also presents health risks such as bleeding, muscle spasms and even severe allergic reactions.
Surgery is a rarer treatment, but may be necessary when a tumor is identified in an organ of the immune system that causes the production of antibodies that generate severe myasthenia.
Motor and respiratory physiotherapy is also indicated in the treatment of myasthenia gravis to strengthen muscles, improve range of motion, breathing and prevent respiratory infections.