How is mnd treated

Management of the condition will require input from a team of health professionals that may include:. Medical Library Topics. Motor neurone disease - symptoms, diagnosis, treatment.

Motor neurone disease is an incurable condition that causes the progressive degeneration of the nerve cells that control muscles.

Life expectancy varies but most people with motor neurone disease live just a few years beyond diagnosis. In New Zealand, more than people are thought to have motor neurone disease at any one time.

Symptoms can include muscle spasms; exaggerated reflexes; and the gradual wasting and weakness of muscles responsible for speech, chewing, and swallowing. As the condition progresses, sufferers may be unable to walk, speak, use their arms and hands, or hold up their head. Motor neurons in the brain and spinal cord send electrical messages from the brain to the muscles to move the arms, legs, trunk, neck, and head.

As motor neurons degenerate, the muscles do not work properly and gradually weaken and waste away. This muscle weakness and wasting affects speech, swallowing, movement, and breathing. There are different forms of motor neurone disease. Each form is named according to the pattern of symptoms it presents. A fourth form of the disease, primary lateral sclerosis PLS , is rare and often only provisionally diagnosed. Most cases of motor neurone disease occur randomly, with no known cause. Motor neurone disease is most commonly diagnosed in those over the age of 40 years, occurring mainly in those aged between 50 and 70 years.

The lower motor neuron starts in the spinal cord and ends in the muscles. Nerve cell degeneration and death causes muscle weakness, abnormal reflexes and decreased ability of the brain to control muscle movement. The affected nerve cells do not grow back, but healthy nerve cells can attempt to reconnect to the muscles, which slows the progression of the disease. There are several types of motor neuron disease, including amyotrophic lateral sclerosis ALS or Lou Gehrig's Disease , spinal muscular atrophy, Werdnig-Hoffman disease, and infantile spinal muscular atrophy.

It only affects the skeletal muscles and does not affect automatic muscles like the heart. Who gets Motor Neuron Disease? Motor neuron disease can affect anyone, but most people are over the age of 40, and men are affected slightly more often than women.

Approximately 2 in , people will get motor neuron disease. It does not seem to be caused by specific foods, lifestyles, or injuries. How is Motor Neuron Disease diagnosed? After learning the patient's history and performing a physical examination, a physician may perform an EMG study.

They may also use an MRI or blood studies to look for other diseases which can present like a motor neuron disease. How is Motor Neuron Disease treated? There is no cure for motor neuron disease. Only one medication is currently available, called Riluzole. It slows the progression of ALS by a small amount. To the casual observer, a person with Friedreich ataxia may seem to be drunk. Content on this website is provided for information purposes only. Information about a therapy, service, product or treatment does not in any way endorse or support such therapy, service, product or treatment and is not intended to replace advice from your doctor or other registered health professional.

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The State of Victoria and the Department of Health shall not bear any liability for reliance by any user on the materials contained on this website. Skip to main content. Neuromuscular system. Home Neuromuscular system. Motor neurone disease MND. Actions for this page Listen Print. Summary Read the full fact sheet. On this page.

There are several types of MND. Doctors classify them according to whether they are hereditary or not, and which neurons they affect. The types include:. Motor neurons instruct the muscles to move by passing on signals from the brain. They play a role in both conscious and automatic movements, such as swallowing and breathing. The exact causes are unclear, but the National Institute of Neurological Diseases and Stroke reports that genetic, toxic, viral, and other environmental factors may play a role.

The different types of MND cause similar symptoms and have three stages: early, middle, and advanced. The diseases progress at different speeds and vary in severity. In the early stage of MND, symptoms develop slowly and can resemble those of other health conditions.

The specific symptoms depend on the type of MND and the area of the body it affects. Typical symptoms begin in one of the following areas:. A study suggests that up to half of people with ALS experience brain involvement, including memory and language problems.

Some people also experience insomnia , anxiety , and depression. Eventually, a person with advanced ALS needs help moving, eating, breathing, or a combination of these. The disease can become life threatening, and breathing problems are the most common cause of death. MND can develop in adults or children, depending on the type.

These diseases are more likely to affect males than females.