Don’t wait years for answers.
Don’t cycle through dozens of doctors.
Maybe it’s a neuromuscular disease.
Late-onset neuromuscular diseases (LONDs) are a group of neuromuscular conditions that typically begin in adulthood, after years of what seems like normal muscle function. You may have muscle weakness that just doesn’t feel right, gets worse or spreads, and doesn’t seem to have an explanation. Things you should be able to do – despite your age, weight, or physical abilities – you can’t any longer.
Common Signs of LONDs
Weakness caused by a late-onset neuromuscular disease (LOND) may feel like a change in your ability to do things you’re used to doing or should be able to do.
Examples include difficulty with:
Standing from a seated position
Picking up your foot to climb a stair or curb
Walking achievable distances
Doing tasks with fingers or hands
Holding everyday items without dropping them
Lifting or keeping arms overhead
A late-onset neuromuscular disease (LOND) can cause one, two, or many of these symptoms.
If you’ve noticed any of these in yourself or someone close to you, consider seeing a doctor and mentioning this concern. You may need to ask your doctor to be screened for LONDs and for a referral to a neuromuscular specialist (NMS). If a NMS is not available in your area, a neurologist (NEURO) or physical medicine and rehabilitation (PM&R) physician who has experience diagnosing neuromuscular conditions and interpreting EMG testing may also be able to help with evaluation.
Share the LOND Clinical Decision Tool with your doctor to help them determine if you should be screened for a LOND.
What are your muscles trying to tell you?
Muscle weakness can happen for many common reasons, including aging, injury, illness, strenuous physical activity, or changes in fitness level. But neuromuscular conditions are different.
In these conditions, changes occur within the body’s cells that affect how muscles and nerves work. Nerves are controlled by your central nervous system, which is the brain and spinal cord. Neuromuscular diseases may affect the muscles themselves, the nerves that control the muscles, or the communication between nerves and muscles.
Maybe it’s time to listen to your muscles.
There are more than 20 types of LONDs including:
- Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS)
- Chronic inflammatory demyelinating polyneuropathy (CIDP)
- Kennedy’s disease
- Lambert-Eaton myasthenic syndrome (LEMS)
- Limb-girdle muscular dystrophy (LGMD)
- Myasthenia gravis (MG)
Maybe it’s time to talk to a doctor.
