| Multiple bruises of different ages |
| Muscle cramps or spasms (painful) |
| Muscle stiffness (rigidity) |
| Muscle twitching (painless) |
| Muscle wasting |
| Muscle weakness |
|
What is muscle weakness? Muscle weakness, or myasthenia, is a decrease in strength in one or more muscles. It is a common symptom of muscular, neurological and metabolic disorders. What other symptoms might occur with muscle weakness? Muscle weakness may accompany other symptoms, which vary depending on the underlying disease, disorder or condition. Symptoms that frequently affect the muscles may also involve other body systems. Muscular symptoms that may occur along with muscle weakness Muscle weakness may accompany other symptoms affecting the muscles including: Burning feeling Loss of muscle coordination Muscle spasms Pain Paralysis Pins-and-needles (prickling) sensation Twitching Other symptoms that may occur along with muscle weakness Muscle weakness may accompany symptoms that are related to other body systems including: Blurred or double vision Diarrhea Fainting or change in level of consciousness or lethargy Fatigue Fever Gradual difficulty walking and speaking, memory loss Headache Nausea with or without vomiting Numbness or tingling in the arms or legs Symptoms of hyperthyroidism, such as protruding eyes, unexplained weight loss, heat intolerance, perspiration, and goiter Symptoms of multiple sclerosis, such as weakness, numbness or tingling, vision problems, unsteady walk, fatigue, and depression Unexplained weight loss Serious symptoms that might indicate a life-threatening condition In some cases, muscle weakness can be life threatening, especially if it occurs suddenly and on one side of the body. Seek immediate medical care (call _________) if you, or someone you are with, have any of these life-threatening sudden symptoms including: Change in level of consciousness or alertness, such as passing out or unresponsiveness Paralysis or inability to move a body part Severe abdominal cramps Sudden change in vision, loss of vision, or eye pain Worst headache of your life Muscular diseases, such as muscular dystrophy and dermatomyositis (disorder characterized by muscle inflammation), are common causes of muscle weakness. Other common causes include neurological disorders, such as Guillain-Barre syndrome (an autoimmune nerve disorder), amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS, also known as Lou Gehrig’s disease), stroke, and even a pinched nerve. The autoimmune neuromuscular disorder known as myasthenia gravis is accompanied by muscle weakness along with drooping eyelids and double vision. Metabolic disorders, such as Addison’s disease and hyperthyroidism, can lead to weakness in one muscle or a group of muscles. In rare cases, muscle weakness may be a symptom of Charcot-Marie-Tooth disease (an inherited disorder affecting the peripheral nerves). Other possible causes of muscle weakness include paralytic shellfish poisoning, botulism, and low levels of potassium in the blood. Depending on the cause, weakness may occur in one muscle, a group of muscles, or all the muscles, and it may be accompanied by pain, atrophy, cramping, or other types of muscular symptoms. In some cases, muscle weakness that happens suddenly, especially on one side of the body, can be a sign of stroke. If it occurs along with severe abdominal pain, it may by a symptom of botulism. Seek immediate medical care (call 911) if you, or someone you are with, have serious symptoms, such as a sudden change in vision, confusion, loss of consciousness for even a brief moment, severe abdominal pain, severe headache, and paralysis or inability to move a body part. What causes muscle weakness? The following medical conditions are some of the possible causes of Muscle weakness. There are likely to be other possible causes, so ask your doctor about your symptoms. Muscle overuse Infections Flu Fluid loss Dehydration Electrolyte imbalance Muscle wasting - see causes of muscle atrophy General or progressive muscle weakness causes include: Muscular dystrophy Duchenne muscular dystrophy Becker muscular dystrophy Diabetes Cushing's syndrome Anemia Thyroid disease Hyperthyroidism Hypothyroidism Nerve disorders Lupus Polymyalgia rheumatica Primary aldosteronism Guillain-Barre disease Myasthenia gravis Food poisoning Familial periodic paralysis Medication overdose (type of Medical misadventure) Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis Brain tumor Cerebrovascular accident Guillain-Barré syndrome Herniated disk Hypercortisolism Multiple sclerosis Osteoarthritis Parkinson's disease Peripheral nerve trauma (see Nerve symptoms) Peripheral neuropathy Potassium imbalance Rheumatoid arthritis Seizur disorder Spinal trauma Spinal disease Prolonged immobilization Motor neurone disease Polyneuritis Erb-Duchenne palsy Distal muscular dystrophy (type of Muscular Dystrophy) Dermatomyositis Inclusion body myositis Osteomalacia Cushing syndrome Botulism Tick bite Severe psychological stress Syphilis Sturge-Weber syndrome Bartter syndrome Eaton-Lambert syndrome Muscle weakness is a decrease in muscle strength, and it can be caused by a neurologic, muscular or metabolic disorder. Neurologic disorders causing muscle weakness include amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS, also known as Lou Gehrig’s disease), Guillain-Barre syndrome (an autoimmune nerve disorder), stroke, or even a pinched nerve. Muscular disorders, such as muscular dystrophy and dermatomyositis, are also common causes of muscular weakness. Metabolic conditions that can lead to weakness include Addison’s disease, low sodium or potassium levels, and hyperparathyroidism. Ingestion of toxic substance, such as insecticides, nerve gas, or paralytic shellfish poisoning, can cause muscle or nerve damage along with muscle weakness. Muscle weakness can also result from blood disorders, such as anemia and low blood sugar (hypoglycemia). Metabolic causes of muscle weakness Muscle weakness may have metabolic causes including: Addison’s disease (deceased production of hormones by the adrenal glands) Hyperparathroidism (overactive parathyroid glands) Hyperthyroidism (overactive thyroid) Hypokalemia (low potassium) Hyponatremia (low sodium) Neurological causes of muscle weakness Muscle weakness may have neurological causes including: Bell’s palsy (swollen or inflamed nerve that controls facial muscles) Cerebral palsy (group of conditions affecting the brain and nervous system functions) Charcot-Marie-Tooth disease (inherited disorder affecting the peripheral nerves) Guillain-Barre syndrome (autoimmune nerve disorder) Multiple sclerosis (disease that affects the brain and spinal cord, causing weakness, coordination and balance difficulties, and other problems) Nerve entrapment or compression, such as of the ulnar nerve in the arm Stroke Muscular disease causes of muscle weakness Muscle weakness may have muscular disease causes including: Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS, also known as Lou Gehrig’s disease, a severe neuromuscular disease that causes muscle weakness and disability) Dermatomyositis (condition characterized by muscle inflammation and skin rash) Muscular dystrophy (inherited disorder that causes a progressive loss of muscle tissue and muscle weakness) Toxic causes of muscle weakness Muscle weakness may be due to toxins including: Botulism (serious food poisoning caused by Clostridium botulinum bacterium) Insecticide ingestion Nerve gas exposure Paralytic shellfish poisoning Other causes of muscle weakness Muscle weakness may have other causes including: Anemia (low red blood cell count) Myasthenia gravis (autoimmune neuromuscular disorder that causes muscle weakness) Overuse injury (overuse of a muscle) Polymyositis (widespread inflammation and weakness of muscles) Serious or life-threatening causes of muscle weakness In some cases, muscle weakness may be a symptom of a serious or life-threatening condition that should be immediately evaluated in an emergency setting. These conditions include: Botulism (serious food poisoning caused by Clostridium botulinum bacterium) Stroke Transient ischemic attack (temporary stroke-like symptoms that may be a warning sign of an impending stroke) Questions for diagnosing the cause of muscle weakness To diagnose your condition, your doctor or licensed health care practitioner will ask you several questions related to your muscle weakness including: How long have you felt muscle weakness? Where do you feel muscle weakness? Do you have any other symptoms? What medications are you taking? What are the potential complications of muscle weakness? Because muscle weakness can be due to serious diseases, failure to seek treatment can result in serious complications and permanent damage. Once the underlying cause is diagnosed, it is important for you to follow the treatment plan that you and your health care professional design specifically for you to reduce the risk of potential complications including: Paralysis Permanent loss of sensation Permanent nerve damage (due to a pinched nerve), including paralysis Spread of infection What to Expect at Your Office VisitThe health care provider will examine you and ask questions about your medical history and symptoms, such as: Time pattern When did the weakness begin? Did it begin with an illness or injury? Did it occur suddenly or gradually? Is the weakness worse in the morning or at night? Do you notice the weakness only after strenuous activity or exercise? Did it start after a viral illness, such as a cold? Did it start after a vaccination? Quality Is the weakness constant or does it come and go, sometimes affecting different parts of your body? Does the weakness affect your breathing? Does it affect talking, chewing, or swallowing? Does it affect walking, climbing stairs, sitting, or getting up? Does it affect the use of your hands, arms, or shoulders? Is there pain with the weakness? Is there numbness or tingling with the weakness? Location Is the weakness limited to a specific area? Has the area of weakness increased or decreased? Factors that make the weakness worse What makes the weakness worse? Fatigue Hunger Pain Physical activity Rest Stress Relieving factors Does anything help relieve the weakness? Eating Pain relief Rest Other symptoms What other symptoms do you have? Change in mental state, alertness, or responsiveness Change in skin color or temperature of the affected area Changes in vision Diarrhea Fever Headaches Injury Numbness or tingling Pain Vomiting Weight loss Other important information What medications do you take? Do you have any allergies? The physical examination may include special attention to your heart, lungs, and thyroid gland. If there is a local area of weakness, the examination will focus on the nerves and muscle. Tests that may be done include: Blood tests for autoimmune disorders Blood tests such as a CBC and electrolytes Lumbar puncture (CSF collection) MRI or CT scan of your head and spine Muscle biopsy Nerve conduction studies Thyroid function tests Urinalysis Causes of Muscle atrophy Muscle atrophy: Decrease in size and bulk of muscle. See detailed information below for a list of 351 causes of Muscle atrophy, http://www.rightdiagnosis.com/symptoms/muscle_atrophy/causes.htm This section discusses 351 medical conditions causing Muscle atrophy. A simple discussion of these causes with additional information is below. Causes of Muscle atrophy:The following medical conditions are some of the possible causes of Muscle atrophy. There are likely to be other possible causes, so ask your doctor about your symptoms. Muscle injury Bed rest Immobility Nerve injury Neuropathy Diabetic neuropathy Alcoholic neuropathy Subacute combined degeneration of the spinal cord Diabetes - may cause neuropathy; also muscle loss from muscle breakdown due to hyperglycemia (the cause of ketones). Rheumatoid arthritis Motor neurone diseases Duchenne muscular dystrophy Carpal tunnel syndrome Chronic infection Tuberculosis Muscle disuse Joint disuse - e.g. due to disease or injury Arthritis Joint injuries Joint inflammation Paralysis of limbs Nerve entrapment Damage to nerve supplying muscle Spinal cord lesion Primary muscle disease (myopathy) Malnutrition Alcoholism Drug use Cocaine Medications Statins Penicillamine Decreased appetite Anorexia nervosa Malignancy Chronic disease Viral infections Glandular fever Bacterial infections Tuberculosis Parasitic infections Schistosomiasis Endocrine disorders Thyroid disease Addison's Disease Cushing's Disease Herniated disk Hypercortisolism Burns Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis Stroke Spinal cord injury Protein deficiency Radiculopathy Thyrotoxicosis Peripheral nerve trauma (see Nerve symptoms) Osteoarthritis Parkinson's disease Multiple sclerosis Prolonged steroid therapy Cerebrovascular accident Parkinson disease Peripheral neuropathy Hypothyroidism Malignant disease Neglected diabetes mellitus Undiagnosed diabetes mellitus Hyperthyroidism Malaria Hookworm infestation Chronic diarrhoea Old age Disuse of limb Immobilized fractures Vascular disease Tourniquet paralysis Surgical ligation of major vessel Thrombosis of great vessel Embolism of great vessel Ischemia of motor nerves Buerger's disease Polyarteritis nodosa Ischemic palsy Volkmann's contracture Soft tissue edema Soft tissue hemorrhage Polio Syringomyelia Haematomyelia Intramedullary tumor Intramedullary ependymoma Intramedullary astrocytoma Motor neurone disease Syphilitic amyotrophy Herpes zoster Athermoatous disease Meningovascular malformations Spinal cord tumor Lumbar spondylosis Lumbar canal stenosis Spinal tumor Prolapsed lumbar intervertebral disc Cervical spondylosis Polymyositis Dermatomyositis Trichinosis Toxoplasmosis Virus infection Coxsacki B virus Duchenne's muscular dystrophy Becker's muscular dystrophy Fascioscapulohumeral Limb girdle Oculopharyngeal dystrophy Myotonic dystrophy Glycogen storage myopathy Carnitine deficiency Thyroid dysfunction Adrenal dysfunction (see Adrenal gland symptoms) Meniscal tear Prolonged immobilization Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease Sarcoidosis Steroid use |