What is the treatment of muscular dystrophy? First of all, muscular dystrophy requires rehabilitation as soon as possible. Its aim is to alleviate disease symptoms and thus improve the patient's quality of life. How else can patients with muscular dystrophy be treated? What is rehabilitation in muscular dystrophy?

Muscular dystrophyleads to physical impairment, thereforetreatmentandrehabilitationshould be started immediately after diagnosis of the disease. Thanks to appropriate physiotherapy, it is possible to slow down the progressive weakness and atrophy of muscles to some extent, and thus improve the patient's quality of life.

Muscular dystrophy - treatment

There is currently no causal treatment available, so there is no effective therapy available to stop or reverse the development of most muscular dystrophies. However, symptomatic treatment is possible, mainly pharmacological, and through rehabilitation and an appropriate diet. The aim of this type of treatment is to improve the patient's quality of life by alleviating disease symptoms.

Pharmacological treatment, which is used only in some cases, is mainly based on the use of steroids (in Duchenne dystrophy), which are designed to slow down the progression of the disease and improve muscle strength. Unfortunately, these drugs can cause a number of side effects, including contribute to osteoporosis and blood formation disorders.

Diet of a person suffering from muscular dystrophy should be dominated by wholesome animal and vegetable proteins. You should also increase your fish consumption. However, the consumption of flour products, rich in fats and sugars, should be limited to prevent obesity.

Muscular dystrophy - rehabilitation

Rehabilitation for muscular dystrophyis essential in order to slow the progression of the disease. It should be remembered thatexercise setshould be adapted to the stage of the disease. The rehabilitation of a patient who can walk or has difficulty in moving will be different, compared to a patient who uses a wheelchair. In each of these cases, it is important to systematically perform both passive and active exercises, adjust the pace and duration of exercises to the patient's abilities and motivate him.for physical activity.

The goalpassive exercises , during which the movements in the patient's joints are performed by a kinesiotherapist, is to maintain the mobility of the joints for as long as possible, improve blood circulation (which also prevents the formation of bedsores), as well as to prevent fixation of contractures.

In the treatment of patients with dystrophy,active exercisesare also used, preferably in a swimming pool. In water, it is easier for the patient to make movements, and thanks to the gentle resistance of the water, the patient strengthens the strength of the muscles, which affects the easier and smoother performance of movements and increases mobility in the joints.

We also recommend brine baths, whirlpool massage, classic massage, ultrasound or low-frequency electrostimulation.

An important element of physiotherapy arebreathing exercises , which are designed to teach the patient to breathe properly and fully, to maintain the strength of the respiratory muscles for as long as possible, to teach effective coughing (to prevent mucus build-up).

It is also necessary to pat the patient, supply him with orthopedic scales to prevent fixation of clubfoot, a shoelace or an orthopedic corset to prevent the scoliosis from deepening.

Treatment of muscular dystrophy - surgery

When the contractures caused by the disease cannot be healed in any other way, surgical treatment can be undertaken.

Category:

Genetic diseases