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Rare Bone or Muscle Diseases

Nearly 7,000 rare diseases affect millions of individuals in the U.S. Bone diseases such as fibrous dysplasia and Gorham's disease, along with myasthenia gravis, a rare muscle disease, are included.

  1. Considerations

    • Fibrous dysplasia, a rare bone disease, can affect just one bone or many bones. A defective gene causes weakening of the bones that will likely lead to fracture. Expect pain to accompany this disease, according to U.S. Bone and Joint Decade.

    More Considerations

    • Gorham's disease, a rare condition of the musculoskeletal system, may occur at any age. No direct connection to race or gender is apparent, according to the Lymphangiomatosis and Gorham's Disease Alliance.

    Significance

    • A rare muscle disease, myasthenia gravis, affects about 70,000 people in the U.S., according to SarasotaNeurology.com. Myasthenia gravis diagnosis includes a medical history, neurologic examination, electromyography and a Tensilon test.

    Research

    • Researchers have discovered a gene responsible for a rare genetic disorder that causes weakness in the lower leg muscles that interferes with the ability to walk, according to the Western Australian Institute for Medical Research.

    Types

    • Brittle bone disease, a rare genetic disorder, causes the bones to be easily breakable. There are eight levels or types of brittle bone disease, according to Buzzle.com.

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