Treatment for Neuromuscular Diseases in LA
Neuromuscular diseases or NMD is a term that encompasses numerous ailments and diseases which disrupt muscle functioning either directly or indirectly.
These groups of diseases target the muscle’s nervous system control leading to spasticity or some type of paralysis. Depending on the nature and location of the problem, patients can develop Parkinson’s disease, cerebrovascular accident, Huntington’s disease, Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease, and multiple sclerosis.
Spinal muscular atrophies are related to lower motor neuron disorders whereas amyotrophic lateral sclerosis refers to a mixed lower and upper motor neuron condition.
Symptoms of neuromuscular diseases may include paresthesia, muscle weakness, muscle atrophy, numbness, fasciculation (muscle twitches), and myalgia (muscle pain). The causes of neuromuscular diseases are traced back to hereditary or autoimmune disorders.
Inflammatory muscle disorders also lead to neuromuscular diseases and include rhabdomyolysis, polymyositis, and muscle rheumatism.
Diagnosis starts with clinical observations to identify possible loss of muscle tone. Doctors also rely on electromyography to test the various antigens and chemicals found in the blood.
Treatments depend on the disease and vary on a case-to-case basis. Dr. Farzin Pedouim is a board certified neurologist based in Huntington Beach and Los Angeles. He utilizes both invasive and non-invasive methods of treatment to bring relief to his patients.