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using your hands, muscle weakness, especially after exertion, drooling, and facial paralysis. Diagnosing myasthenia includes nerve conduction studies to see how well the muscles respond when the nerves are stimulated and blood tests for different antibodies.

There is no cure for myasthenia gravis but remission is possible with treatment. Treatment includes medications to improve the communication between the muscle and the nerve such as neostigmine or pyridostigmine and anti-inflammatory medications such as prednisone to decrease the body's immune response. Symptoms can be made worse by stress and heat exposure making changes in lifestyle a priority for some patients. There are online support groups for myasthenia gravis. Additional information can be found at www.myasthenia.org.

Fibromyalgi a is considered to be the most common muscle disease. Getting a diagnosis of fibromyalgia, however, is one of the most difficult to achieve. It has taken researchers many years to get fibromyalgia recognized as more than a psychosomatic disorder otherwise known as "all in your head". Slowly the medical community is beginning to recognize fibromyalgia as an actual physical disease although much of the disease remains a mystery. The main symptom of fibromyalgia is severe chronic pain all over the body. This pain can be disabling. Other symptoms include muscle spasms, stiffness, difficulty sleeping, depression, anxiety, headaches, irritability and intestinal difficulties. The problem with diagnosing fibromyalgia is that these symptoms are common for many other disorders.

It is not known what causes fibromyalgia. In some it seems to appear gradually over a number of years while others have an abrupt onset. A nerve chemical called substance P and nerve growth factor in the spinal fluid are higher in patients with fibromyalgia as well as lower serotonin levels. Diagnosing fibromyalgia is done by examining the 18 "tender points" on the body that are common in all people. Those with fibromyalgia have increased sensitivity and amplified pain at these tender points. A diagnosis is achieved if the patient has increased tenderness or pain in at least 11 of the 18 tender points. Treatment includes antidepressants to raise serotonin levels and injections into the trigger points of pain medications and steroids. There does not seem to be any benefit from narcotic pain relievers for fibromyalgia sufferers. There also is no known cure for fibromyalgia. An excellent source of information is the National Fibromyalgia Association. Their website is www.nfaware.org.

While muscular dystrophy, myasthenia gravis and fibromyalgia are not the only muscle diseases, they are the most common. Research is ongoing in all areas to find the causes and hopefully cures for these diseases. Those suffering from them need our support and encouragement as these diseases can be debilitating. If you feel you have more than just a minor muscle sprain, see your primary care physician immediately.

Learn more about this author, Valerie Johnson.
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