How to Prevent Myositis

Myositis is a generic medical term for the swelling of any muscle or muscle group in the body. There are many causes for myositis including infection or illness, injury from exercise or accidents, or even medications. Most people will experience temporary myositis due to exercise or illness at one time or another in their life, but there are also four major types of chronic myositis. Of the four chronic types, there is no way to prevent, but you can prevent the temporary kind. If you are diagnosed with a chronic type, there are therapies and medications that can help with symptoms and flare ups. Dermatomyositis and Juvenile Dermatomyositis which can affect anyone at any age, is the easiest to diagnose because before there is any muscle weakness there is a purple or red skin rash. Inclusion-body myositis (IBM), is usually found in adults over 50 and comes on slowly over time. This type usually starts with muscle weakness and falls. And lastly Polymyositis (PM), which affects people over 20 (usually woman) and has similar symptom to that of IBM.

Instructions

How to Prevent Myositis

• 1

  Make an appointment with your doctor early each year for a flu shot. This is especially important if you have a weakened immune system due to health or age.

• 2

  Cook all pork and chicken thoroughly to keep from getting food born illnesses. If you are not sure if you are cooking your meat enough, get a meat thermometer and follow the guidelines. If you have a weak immune system, you should also cook other meats and fish well.

• 3

  Clean your kitchen and bathroom well to keep bacteria down to prevent illness. It's also a good idea to keep your shoes outside because you can track germs in your home that way as well.

• 4

  Do not inject legal drugs into your skin or under the muscles. If you have to inject medication for health reason, make sure to use a clean needle every time and clean the injection site well before giving yourself a shot.