Signs & Symptoms of Muscular Disease

Muscular disease occurs in both skeletal muscles and smooth muscles. Skeletal muscles are muscles that are used for movement, such as walking. Meanwhile, smooth muscles are the muscles in the organs like the heart or the stomach. Different types of muscular diseases include muscular dystrophy, fibromyalgia and muscular atrophy.

Weakness

• Weakness occurs when the affected patient cannot move, even when the patient puts effort into movement. However, weakness can also be a sign of other issues affecting the muscles such as degenerative disorders, neurological diseases and tumors.

Stiffness

• When there is difficulty stretching a muscle, it is referred to as stiffness or a stiff muscle. For example, muscle hypertonia causes overactive reflexes (spasticity), which leads to muscular stiffness.

Walking

• Some patients of muscular diseases will suffer from a change in gait or walking ability. Walking may become difficult due to pain, weakness and stiffness. It may be seen as limping, pain when walking and unsteadiness.

Pain

• Many muscular diseases, such as fibromyalgia, can cause mild to severe pain. Pain can also be described as dull, achy, sharp or stabbing.

Additional Symptoms

• Some muscular diseases, such as muscular dystrophy, can cause secondary diseases like diabetes. There may also be other bodily changes like frontal balding, cataracts, fainting and dizziness.