Natasha
Dear Teoman Yibar I don't know what kind of myopathy you have and I send you common information. If you want to learn more information about it you can visit www.mdausa.org. I think you can find much useful information on this site about myopathy. If you can not visit this site I'll try to help getting information. WHAT ARE MYOPATHIES? Autoimmune myopathies are a group of diseases that involve inflammation of the muscles and may be associated with diseases of internal organs. Diseases affecting muscles include polymyositis, dermatomyositis and inclusion body myositis. The main symptom is muscle weakness in the upper arms, upper legs and neck, muscle pain, fatigue, joint pain and swelling, rashes over the face and knuckles, fevers, swallowing difficulty and shortness of breath. CAUSE The cause of myopathies is unknown, but environmental factors (such as viral infections) and genetic predisposition are felt to be important in some cases. HEALTH IMPACT * Only about 1 new case per 100,000 is diagnosed each year. * Myopathies occur two to three times more frequently in women than men. * Severity of disease varies from a mild form with almost no symptoms to a severe, life-threatening disease. DIAGNOSIS Diagnosis is attained through a history and physical exam, certain laboratory tests, muscle biopsy and electromyography (a study of the electrical activity of muscle). Other diseases or conditions such as hypothyroidism, toxin exposure, drug reactions and genetic disorders may also affect muscles and need to be ruled out. TREATMENT These complex diseases can involve many body organs and, while not curable, many of the symptoms can be treated effectively with patient education, physical and occupational therapy, and medications. Medications may include corticosteroids and immunosuppressive drugs (drugs that keep the immune system from attacking its own body), such as methotrexate and azathioprine. THE RHEUMATOLOGISTÕS ROLE IN TREATING MYOPATHIES Rheumatologists specialize in the diagnosis and treatment of myopathies. Researchers play a critical role in both basic science and clinical investigation of the disease. Rheumatologists educate other physicians about the disease and its treatment. MDA's SEARCH FOR A TREATMENT OR CURE Muscular Dystrothy Association has continuously funded promising scientific investigations worldwide seeking treatments and cures for the myopathies. The Association makes every effort to support new experimental treatments whenever there is a reasonable scientific basis for doing so. With the future discovery of the defective genes responsible for the inheritable myopathies, researchers will begin fashioning therapies aimed at providing normally functioning genes to compensate for the defective ones, as well as therapies to overcome the absence or abnormality of the proteins. Under the auspices of MDA's Medical and Scientific Advisory committees, Association-backed scientists intensively search for the underlying causes and the potential therapies that might eliminate in part or whole the effects of these various inheritable and endocrine myopathies. I'd like to know some answers. May you tell me the address of hospital where did you have treatment and what kind of treatment did you have? Thank you for information Sincerely Natasha My e-mail: plasma@mail.iks.ru