Myotonic Dystrophy (Noun)
Meaning
A severe form of muscular dystrophy marked by generalized weakness and muscular wasting that affects the face and feet and hands and neck; difficult speech and difficulty with the hands that spreads to the arms and shoulders and legs and hips; the onset can be any time from birth to middle age and the progression is slow; inheritance is autosomal dominant.
Classification
Nouns denoting natural processes.
Examples
- People who have myotonic dystrophy may have difficulty articulating words and have limited range of motion in their fingers and wrists.
- Symptoms of myotonic dystrophy commonly include muscle stiffness after periods of inactivity, and wasting of muscles in the face, arms, and legs.
- Patients diagnosed with myotonic dystrophy often undergo regular monitoring of cardiac rhythm and respiratory function due to risks of complications.
- Eventually those diagnosed with myotonic dystrophy face challenges in day-to-day activities such as walking and balance, since wasting of muscles in the neck and lower limbs progresses at some level over many years.
- Testing for myotonic dystrophy includes identification of the actual disorder as well as an inquiry into family histories, as the genetic abnormality underlying this dystrophy type usually spreads with dominant heredity pattern through lineal heritage lines.