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disease progresses other issues may arise such as spinal curvature, wasting of thigh muscles and enlargement of the calves. Enlargement of the heart may also occur.

There is no known cure for Muscular Dystrophy. Physical therapy and exercise keep muscles from permanently contracting around joints and Prednisone, a powerful steroid, is used as a temporary relief from weakness. Research in gene therapy is being conducted but results are so far inconclusive.

Cardiomyopathy is an abnormality of the heart, usually an enlargement of the wall(s) of one or more chambers, which can be caused by a number of things, such as: viral infections; heart attacks; alcoholism; severe long term high blood pressure; nutritional deficiencies; smoking, and; end stage kidney disease, to name some. It can also result from genetic muscle wasting in muscular dystrophy.

Cardiomyopathy is a weakening or change in the structure of the heart muscle which affects the heart's ability to pump blood properly. There are many possible symptoms of this condition, including: shortness of breath (especially when laying down); persistent dry cough; fatigue; edema (swelling from water retention) in the legs and ankles, abdomen or both; chest pain (angina); palpitations; high blood pressure; fainting; dizziness and light-headedness; decreased alertness, and; loss of appetite.

It is usually present in the condition called Congestive Heart Failure (CHF) and accounts for more than 10,000 deaths per year in the United States. More than five times that number of people are hospitalized annually. Treatment involves drugs to reduce blood pressure, diuretics to flush excess water, rest and even mild exercise to strengthen the heart.

There is some controversy regarding whether the condition is curable, but it is certainly manageable and the heart can in some cases rebuild or restructure itself to the point the patient can live a very nearly normal life.

Multiple Sclerosis (MS) is an auto-immune disease which affects the brain and spinal cord. The disease affects more women than men and often begins between ages 20 and 40, though it can manifest at any age.

While the exact cause of MS is unknown at this time, it is thought to be a result of destruction of the myelin sheath surrounding nerve tissue. The disease is progressive, with damage increasing over time.

Another aspect of MS is inflammation, caused by the body's own immune system attacking the nervous system. This inflammation destroys myelin, resulting in the

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