What is Muscle Atrophy?

Muscle atrophy is a loss or wasting away of your muscle tissue. When your muscles atrophy, you'll notice a loss of muscle mass and strength. When you have muscle atrophy, your muscles appear smaller than usual. Muscle atrophy can occur due to malnutrition, aging, genetics, lack of exercise, or certain medical conditions. Disuse (physiologic) atrophy happens when you use your muscles less. Neurogenic atrophy occurs due to nerve issues or illnesses.

What are the symptoms of Muscle Atrophy?

The symptoms of muscle atrophy vary with the underlying cause of your condition. The most conspicuous sign of muscle atrophy is diminished muscle bulk. Some of the other indications of muscle atrophy are:

• One arm or one leg is smaller than the other.
• Weakness in one arm and or one leg.
• Numbness or tingling sensation in your arms and legs.
• Difficulty in walking or balance.
• Difficulty swallowing or speaking.
• Facial weakness.
• Slow decline in memory.

What causes Muscle Atrophy?

The reason behind muscle atrophy varies with the kind you have. Disuse (physiologic) atrophy results from insufficient use of your muscles. If you refrain from using your muscles, your body will not waste the energy it would otherwise spend maintaining them. Rather, your body will begin to break down your muscles, causing them to lose strength and size. Disuse atrophy can impact you if you:

• Maintain a sedentary routine.
• Suffer from poor nutrition.
• Fail to engage in regular physical activity.
• Spend most of the day at a desk job.
• Remain on prolonged bed rest.
• Have inherited conditions such as muscular dystrophy or Charcot-Marie-Tooth disease.
• Experience immobility of limbs due to stroke or other diseases, like dermatomyositis.
• Develop muscle loss associated with aging (sarcopenia).

Neurogenic atrophy results from an injury or illness that affects nerves that attach to your muscles. If these nerves become damaged, they are unable to initiate the muscle contractions necessary to stimulate movement. If your muscles don't contract, your body assumes that you no longer need them. So, your body begins to dissolve them, making them smaller and weaker. Diseases and other ailments that can damage these nerves include:

• Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) is a disease that affects nerve cells in the brain and spinal cord.
• Guillain-Barré syndrome is a condition where the immune system attacks the nerves.
• Carpal tunnel syndrome occurs when pressure on a nerve in the wrist causes pain and numbness in the hand.
• Polio is a viral infection that can lead to paralysis.
• A spinal cord injury can result from trauma and may affect movement and feeling.
• Multiple sclerosis is a disease that disrupts communication between the brain and the body.

What does muscle atrophy feel like?

If the atrophy occurs in your arms and legs, you might experience tingling, numbness or weakness in your arms and legs. If it happens in your face or throat, your facial muscles might begin to feel weak, and you might have trouble speaking or swallowing.

How long does it take muscles to atrophy?

The duration of muscle atrophy varies with your age, fitness level, and the etiology of your atrophy. Should your muscle atrophy result from disuse (physiologic), the process may initiate within two to three weeks of not exercising your muscles. Neurogenic muscle atrophy can set in earlier, depending on your state of health.

How is muscle atrophy diagnosed?

To diagnose muscle atrophy, your doctor will conduct a physical examination and also inquire about your symptoms. Your doctor will examine your arms and legs and measure your muscle mass. Besides this, your doctor will also take tests, such as:

• Blood test.
• Muscle or nerve biopsy.
• Electromyography (EMG).
• Nerve conduction studies.
• X-rays.
• Computed tomography (CT) scan.
• Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) scan.

What treatments are used for muscle atrophy?

Treatment of muscle atrophy varies with the type. Disuse (physiologic) atrophy can be treated with normal exercise and improved nutrition. Your doctor might suggest physical therapy or an exercise regimen. Even though you may not be able to actively move a joint in your body, you can still perform exercises while wearing a splint or brace. Your doctor might have you meet with a dietitian to plan a healthy eating regimen. Your doctor might also recommend nutritional supplements.

Neurogenic atrophy can be managed by a unique type of physical therapy known as electrical stimulation. Your physical therapist will put electrodes on your skin over your muscles. The electrodes send tiny electrical impulses to your nerves and muscles. The electrical impulses attempt to artificially exercise or contract your muscles. This may help you sustain your muscle mass and strength.

Your physical therapist can also suggest ultrasound therapy. Ultrasound therapy uses sound waves to aid muscle healing.

Your doctor will also recommend surgery if you develop a contracture due to muscle atrophy. A contracture develops when your muscle tissues become fibrous. The tissue makes it difficult for you to stretch the muscle, hindering movement.

Can muscle atrophy be reversed?

Disuse (physiologic) atrophy may occasionally be reversed by exercise and a normal diet. Your health care professional may begin treating you with an exercise regimen that you follow in the water. Exercising in water can ease the workload on your muscles. Neurogenic atrophy usually cannot be undone due to the physical loss that has already occurred in your nerves.

How long does it take to recover from muscle atrophy?

How long it takes to rebuild muscle after atrophy varies with the type of atrophy and the severity of your condition. Disuse (physiologic) atrophy can typically be reversed, but not overnight. You can regain muscle from atrophy by exercising regularly and maintaining a healthy diet. You might begin noticing improvement within several months, but you might not rebuild your strength for many months.

Why choose Tender Palm Super Specialty Hospital for muscle atrophy treatment in Lucknow, India?

Tender Palm Super Speciality Hospital offers advanced Muscle Atrophy treatment in Lucknow at an affordable cost. We have a team of experienced neurologists, neuromuscular specialists, physiatrists, and rehabilitation experts who provide accurate diagnosis, personalized care, and advanced treatment for Muscle Atrophy. Our neurosciences team has extensive experience in successfully treating Muscle Atrophy in Lucknow, India.

To seek an Expert Consultation for Muscle Atrophy treatment in Lucknow, India:

Call us at +91-9076972161
Email at care@tenderpalm.com

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