Stay informed. See MDA updates on COVID-19

Latest Editions

Recent Quest Articles

Simply Stated: Elevated Enzymes

Elevated enzymes are a frequently encountered problem in general medical practice, but their meaning often isn't so simple to discern. When they're found with a neuromuscular disease, the situation can get complicated.There are thousands of enzymes in the cells in our bodies, where they act as catalysts for all the chemical reactions that take place in these cells. Without them, these reactions either wouldn't occur or would be too slow for the cells' needs.

Read More

Advances in Inclusion-Body Myositis

On winter mornings in icy Prescott, Wis., Ed Bankston gets up early, and, as he has done for many years, drives to his office in St. Paul, Minn. Bankston, 55, has been an attorney with the St. Paul District of the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers since 1988, and he now heads the district's legal department.

Read More

Sorting Out Speech Services

"People always think speech therapy is related to speech and not to assistive technology or swallowing disorders," says Sharon Veis, a speech-language pathologist at the Voice, Speech and Language Service and Swallowing Center of Northwestern University in Chicago.Veis says she doesn't mind being called a "speech therapist," but she and other speech professionals prefer the term used by the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association, which is "speech-language pathologist," or simply SLP.

Read More

Simply Stated: Germ Line Mosaicism

One area that causes frequent misunderstanding is the phenomenon of germ line mosaicism.Here's a typical question (actually a composite of several queries to "Ask the Experts"): Five years ago, I gave birth to a child with Duchenne muscular dystrophy (DMD). At that time, they tested my blood cell DNA and said I didn't have the deletion in my dystrophin genes that causes DMD. My son, Danny, does have a deletion.

Read More

Keeping Your Focus: Eye Care

When people think about neuromuscular disorders, eye problems usually aren't the first thing that comes to mind. That makes sense, because most eye problems in neuromuscular disease are, thankfully, not too severe, treatable with therapy for the underlying disorder, or correctable with special lenses or surgery. But in some disorders, problems can persist, and they range from nuisances to major impediments to quality living.

Read More

Simply Stated: Electromyography and Nerve Conduction Velocities

Diagnosis of neuromuscular disease hinges on a doctor's ability to identify a specific defect of neuromuscular function. Sometimes, a doctor can infer this functional defect — and the disease associated with it — by giving a physical exam, doing a blood test or looking at the anatomy of nerves and muscles.

Read More

Simply Stated: Muscle Biopsies

A muscle biopsy is a surgical procedure in which one or more small pieces of muscle tissue are removed for further microscopic or biochemical examination. The procedure, often used in the diagnosis of a neuromuscular disorder, is considered "minor" surgery and is usually performed under local anesthetic.

Read More

Simply Stated: Stiffness, Cramps and Twitching

Neuromuscular diseases can cause a variety of symptoms other than muscle weakness. Some people may feel their muscles are stiff or don't respond quickly; others might complain of cramps or twitches; while still others get tired quickly during exercise.Not all of these symptoms are painful, but some can be inconvenient or annoying. Learning the medical names and natures of these symptoms can lead to better discourse between you and your doctor, and sometimes better management of symptoms.

Read More

Physical Therapy: Flexibility, Fitness and Fun

Say "physical therapy" and most people think of World War II movies with wounded heroes struggling with weights and pulleys, athletes nursing injuries in whirlpool baths, and heart attack survivors sweating on treadmills.Say "physical therapy" and "muscular dystrophy" in the same sentence and you may get the same uncertainty from anxious parents that you do from skeptical insurance company representatives.

Read More

Coping with Anesthesia

Wendy Hinton says she "still gets goosebumps" when she thinks about the morning of Oct. 25, 1989.She and her husband, Doug, had brought their 2-year-old son, Shayne, to St. Anthony's Central Hospital in Denver to have a routine procedure that doctors thought might help the child's frequent ear infections and difficulty breathing through his nose.

Read More

Manage your Quest subscription

 

 

 

MDA Resource Center: We’re Here For You

Our trained specialists are here to provide one-on-one support for every part of your journey. Send a message below or call us at 1-833-ASK-MDA1 (1-833-275-6321). If you live outside the U.S., we may be able to connect you to muscular dystrophy groups in your area, but MDA programs are only available in the U.S.

Request Information