Myotonic Dystrophy | Definition|Treatment | Expert Homeopathy

Definition

It is a hereditary disease characterized by myotonic, muscular wasting of characteristic pattern, cataract, testicular atrophy, and frontal baldness, and aggravation in winters.

Types

Myotonia congenital [Thomsen's disease]: Type 1

• Inherited as a Mendelian dominant.
• Appears in early childhood.
• Slow relaxation of contracted muscles involuntarily or by mechanical stimulation.
• The patient may be unable to open his eyes or relax his fist if tightly closed.

Dystrophic myotonic [Myotonic atrophy]: Type 2

• Hereditary, appears between the age of 20 and 30.
• Wasting of facial, temporal, sternomastoid muscle, shoulder girdle, etc.
• Tongue shows myotonic after voluntary contraction or percussion of the muscle.
• Ptosis is prominent.
• The patient may have cataracts, frontal baldness in men, and gonadal atrophy leading to impotence and sterility in males and amenorrhea in females.
• Distal muscles are more severely affected.

Symptoms

• The most prominent feature is wasting or sternomastoid.
• The myotonic muscle may show sustained contraction on direct percussion.

Treatment

• Avoidance of prolonged bed rest and inactivity, and encouragement of the patient to maintain a full and normal life as possible.
• Surgical management of cataracts when they are matured.
• Obesity should be prevented, if possible.
• Skeletal deformities can be prevented or delayed by passive and active stretching exercises. Fasciotomy or tendon lengthening operations and long leg braces may aid in preserving ambulation for several additional years.

Perineal muscular atrophy

Symptoms/Signs

• Occurs in young age.
• Familial.
• Firstly unilateral or bilateral foot drop develops due to wasting of the muscles of feet, with high-stepping gait and gradually the calf muscles and lower third of thigh muscles are also wasted.
• This gives a picture of inverted champagne bottle, appearance of legs.
• Wasted muscles may show fasciculations.
• Claw hand in later stages.
• Power of muscles is well-preserved in-spite of so much wasting.
• Some sensory changes may be seen in later stages.

Homeopathic Medicines, commonly used in treatment of diseases of muscles

• Abrotanum: Painful contraction of soft limbs, wasting of lower limb. Cannot hold neck.
• Arnica: A muscular tonic.
• Arg. Nit: Rigidity of calves with debility. Walks and stands unsteadily.
• Kali. Phos: Paralytic lameness in extremities after exertion.
• Pic. Acid: Great weakness, tired heavy feeling in limbs, worse exertion. 
• Plumb Ac: Severe muscular cramps and extreme tiredness in muscles.
• Plumb. Met: Progressive muscular atrophy, acts on neuromuscular junction.
• Sarcolact acid: Paralytic weakness and tired feeling in limbs. Stiffness of thighs and calves. Cramps in the calves. Muscular prostration after any exertion.
• Zinc Met: Lameness, weakness in muscles, twitching.
• Gels: Extreme fatigue after exercises. Loss of power of muscular control and lack of muscular coordination.