Becker Muscular Dystrophy – Symptoms, Causes & Treatment

One may experience different medical conditions for different reasons. Someone might suffer from some medical issue due to bad habits such as unhealthy eating or may get a virus when they go out into public. Some people may, however, suffer from a medical condition and not have any control over whether or not they have this condition and may suffer from it since birth. Becker Muscular Dystrophy (BMD disease) is a medical condition associated with some muscle degeneration over a period of time. This medical condition primarily affects males. Females are usually the carriers of the condition and then pass it on to their male sons. This condition is passed through an X-linked inheritance, primarily observed in males. It is rare but may have long-term effects that diminish the quality of life for a person who may have it. BMD disease occurs due to genetic mutations related to a gene that produces a type of protein called dystrophin. The protein dystrophin is essential for muscle function. As the gene to produce the protein dystrophin has mutated, many significant issues may be caused as a result.

Causes Of Becker Muscular Dystrophy

Every medical condition has some cause. There are also different types of Becker Muscular Dystrophy causes. Becker Muscular Dystrophy causes may arise as a result of some genetic mutation or inheritance from a parent. Persons who generally suffer from BMD disease are usually males who receive the genetic issue from their mother. BMD disease will generally occur due to a mutation in a gene necessary to create a protein called dystrophin. Due to this mutation in the gene necessary to produce this protein, a person may have to deal with some unique kinds of issues which may be debilitating for them health-wise. They will require a lot of medical intervention and a lot of therapy to be able to continue to be independent. While overcoming the BMD disease and Becker Muscular Dystrophy causes is difficult, one may still be able to do so with perseverance and the right medical help.

Symptoms Of Becker Muscular Dystrophy

Every medical condition may have some kinds of symptoms which may hinder the lives of those who suffer from them. A symptom is a feature of a disease or health-related problem with specific unique characteristics for different types of health problems. A genetic issue such as BMD disease may have some BMD symptoms that may cause unique issues for the person with it. There are many different kinds of BMD symptoms or Becker Muscular Dystrophy symptoms. One may generally experience muscle weakness and lack of physical ability in BMD symptoms or Becker Muscular Dystrophy symptoms. As a result of the muscle weakness, the person who has BMD disease will struggle to do basic physical activities such as climbing stairs, not being able to walk with ease, difficulty exercising, muscle pain or spasms, not being able to stay standing up, toe walking, exhaustion in performing regular tasks, cardiomyopathy difficulty breathing, struggles in matching peers when it comes to cognitive abilities, not being able to balance or coordinate oneself properly. BMD symptoms or Becker Muscular Dystrophy symptoms may become debilitating for a person with the passage of time.

Becker Muscular Dystrophy Diagnosis

In order to be sure that a person is suffering from a particular kind of medical condition and receive the necessary treatment or treatments for the same, they may need a diagnosis from a medical professional who is qualified to give a diagnosis on the same. A Becker Muscular Dystrophy diagnosis may be made in case there are necessary symptoms that may be observed in a patient. Initially, a person may only show some particular symptoms, for which they may approach a qualified medical professional. In order to finally diagnose a person with Becker Muscular Dystrophy (BMD disease), they may have to do specific tests and exams which will reveal that they have it. The exams the person will need to take involve physical, neurological, and muscle exams. One may have to provide detailed information about their medical history, family history, and symptoms.

When a person is examined for BMD disease, there may be different findings. One may observe some muscle loss in the leg and pelvis region of the concerned person. A condition called pseudohypertrophy may also be observed. Pseudohypertrophy involves the presence of excessive muscular bulk in the calves of a person. One may also be observed for a condition called scoliosis. Scoliosis is an abnormal curvature of the spine of a person.

In some cases of severe scoliosis, a person may even need surgery to fix the condition. It may inhibit the person with that condition from living an everyday life. To diagnose and identify BMD disease, the medical professional may also look for abnormalities related to the person’s muscles. These abnormalities may also include contractures. Contractures are some tightening that affects the person’s tendons, skin, and muscles). Such abnormalities usually arise when someone suffers from BMD disease, so one may look for these to diagnose it.

Tests Performed To Make A BMD Disease Diagnosis

Different tests may be performed to diagnose a particular disease or medical issue. In order to diagnose a person with BMD disease, the symptoms will first be observed. If the medical professional believes that a person or their child may suffer from BMD disease, they may perform a blood test called the Creatine Kinase blood test. Creatine Kinase is released when the muscles of a person are damaged. If there is a Creatine Kinase that is five times or more above the average level that a person may have, this will indicate that someone may have BMD. A genetic blood test may also be performed on the person. The genetic blood test will indicate any changes in the dystrophin gene. The person may likely have BMD disease if abnormal changes are observed concerning the dystrophin gene.

Becker Muscular Dystrophy Treatment

One may have to take a different approach to treat different health-related issues. Some health-related issues may be caused because of a virus or flu. On the other hand, there may be health and medical conditions such as BMD disease, which may either arise as a result of a genetic mutation in a person or may be passed down from one person to another in a hereditary sense. It is important to address medical issues appropriately and not leave them unchecked because ignoring them could lead to further health issues.

On diagnosis of BMD disease by a medically trained professional, a person may move ahead to receive BMD treatment. There is no cure for BMD disease. One may only receive BMD treatment or Becker Muscular Dystrophy treatment with short-term effects. One may be able to receive some Becker Muscular Dystrophy treatment which will help the person suffering from the condition handle the symptoms better. These treatments and medical assistance will also prevent the patient’s quality of life from reducing too much due to the effects of BMD disease.

Corticosteroids may be given to a person as Becker Muscular Dystrophy treatment to improve their lung function and slow scoliosis from occurring, hindering the situation of cardiomyopathy, which is essentially a condition wherein it is too hard for the heart to pump blood to the rest of the body of the person. Cardiomyopathy as a BMD treatment or Becker Muscular Dystrophy treatment can cause heart failure in many instances, so trying and preventing this condition from arising is imperative. Rehabilitation will assist in allowing the person to be able to move around and do physical activity for a longer period of time. It may also help in strengthening the muscles of a person so that they may move around, therapy related to speech, occupational as well as recreational therapy which may play a huge role in living an everyday life and ensuring that the quality of life may be maintained to the farthest extent for the patient.

Additionally, to assist the patient with BMD disease and offer some BMD treatment, they may be afforded some kind of aid to help them stay mobile. They may also be given medication like ACE inhibitors and BETA blockers to prevent cardiomyopathy. Surgery may help when it comes to scoliosis and contractures. Tracheostomy and assisted ventilation may assist a person with BMD disease that has experienced respiratory failure. One may note that while there are no medicines that can cure BMD disease, there is a lot of research currently being done on the condition and even new drugs that are undergoing clinical testing that has shown promising signs of being able to treat BMD disease. We may have a possible cure for BMD disease soon, so the outlook is quite positive for treatment.

Relation between Becker Muscular Dystrophy & Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy

Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy (DMD disease) and Becker Muscular Dystrophy (BMD disease) are both diseases that may be caused by some genetic mutation or inherited by male children from their mothers. For this very reason, Becker Muscular Dystrophy (BMD disease) is often linked to and sometimes even confused with the medical condition of Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy (DMD disease). Both are very similar and caused by similar reasons. Still, a person with BMD disease may experience less severe effects than the effects that are observed with the medical condition of Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy (DMD disease). BMD is also less common than Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy (DMD).

How Does Becker Muscular Dystrophy Affect A Person?

Becker Muscular Dystrophy (BMD disease) is a degenerative medical condition that usually involves degenerating a person’s muscles over time. The condition is primarily associated with and caused by a mutation in a gene that produces a kind of protein called dystrophin. Males may also inherit BMD disease from their mothers, who may be carriers of the condition. Females usually only carry this condition and rarely suffer from it. Even if females have the BMD disease condition, they may not suffer extensively and only usually experience comparatively mild symptoms. Due to the inadequate amount of dystrophin in their body, a person experiences muscle weakness and degeneration. A person initially feels muscle weakness around their legs and pelvis. This muscle weakness may travel to the body’s upper parts with time, causing increasingly stronger effects as time passes.

Becker Muscular Dystrophy Inheritance

A medical condition can be passed down within families, most of the time from a parent to their child. When a particular medical condition is passed through generations through the genetics of the family members, this is called Becker Muscular Dystrophy inheritance. One may like to understand more about Becker Muscular Dystrophy inheritance. While many cases of BMD disease may be caused only because of a mutation, many cases of BMD disease result from inheritance. Those who are AMAB or Assigned Male At Birth may have X and Y chromosomes. In the case of women, they have two X chromosomes. For the medical condition to be recessive or not affect the person, there must be two copies of that disease-causing gene. Since BMD disease is only present on the X chromosome, males are more likely to suffer from the condition of Becker Muscular Dystrophy. The females will usually only carry the recessive genes that cause BMD disease, passing them down to their sons, who will suffer from and experience the effects of it. In this manner, Becker Muscular Dystrophy inheritance usually affects males, not females.

Life Expectancy With Becker Muscular Dystrophy

One may like to understand more about Becker Muscular Dystrophy life expectancy and the outlook for a person concerning this. Becker Muscular Dystrophy life expectancy may look different for different people. Some people may only need some aids to move around, like a cane or a brace, but some people may be severely impacted by BMD disease and become wheelchair-bound due to its effects. For such people, life expectancy may be significantly lowered. If a person has some heart or respiratory issues as well, the life expectancy of the person may fall significantly as a result. The life span and life expectancy of a person who suffers from BMD disease usually range from 40 to 50 years of age. This is generally considered a shorter lifespan than general. Most lifespans range between 75 to 80 years on average, so people with BMD disease generally lose out on at least 25 to 30 years of life, and even during the time they are alive, face health issues that may have a negative impact on their quality of life.

Can BMD Disease Be Prevented?

One may want to understand how a medical condition like Becker Muscular Dystrophy (BMD disease) can be prevented. Medical issues can be debilitating. They can cause a lot of stress, worries, and complications for people. These complications may also comprise financial complications, which have become a massive issue in recent years due to rising costs and increased pressures on the healthcare structures in the country. BMD disease is a genetic condition inherited or caused by some mutation that is out of the hands of anyone. It is, therefore, impossible to prevent BMD disease. One may note, however, that if a person has BMD disease and is worried that they may pass the condition on to their child, they may opt for genetic counseling to understand how their condition may impact their child.

How Shall One Take Care Of Themselves Or A Patient Of Becker Muscular Dystrophy?

A person with Becker Muscular Dystrophy (BMD disease) may need to be cared for sensitively. The person with the condition must be encouraged to exercise regularly to keep the body moving. It may also be ensured that the person gets good quality assistance from a medical professional. Any complications related to Becker Muscular Dystrophy (BMD disease) must be addressed correctly. Complications related to Becker Muscular Dystrophy (BMD disease) could be heart and breathing issues, among other issues that could arise. A person with Becker Muscular Dystrophy (BMD disease) must undergo suitable therapy for the best possible quality of life. They must visit or be given the necessary help to visit a healthcare professional and be encouraged to try and be as independent as possible.

What May The Medical Outlook For Becker Muscular Dystrophy Be Like?

Becker Muscular Dystrophy (BMD disease) is a genetic medical issue that may generally be diagnosed between the ages of 5 and 15. This condition usually worsens with time, meaning the person with Becker Muscular Dystrophy (BMD disease) will struggle more. Without proper medical assistance, the person suffering from Becker Muscular Dystrophy (BMD disease) cannot fend for themselves and function independently. Therefore, they will need the right kind of encouragement and assistance. A person with Becker Muscular Dystrophy (BMD disease) may develop a need for a wheelchair or some other kind of walking assistance such as a walking stick or walker. As their condition deteriorates, they will become less independent and require more help from others. The person with Becker Muscular Dystrophy (BMD disease) may also suffer from heart and respiratory issues, which may shorten their lifespan. The general lifespan of a person suffering from Becker Muscular Dystrophy (BMD disease) is 40 to 50 years of age. In general, Becker Muscular Dystrophy (BMD disease) patients will experience a shorter lifespan than others.

Is Becker Muscular Dystrophy A Rare Disease?

Yes, Becker Muscular Dystrophy (BMD) is a rare disease or medical condition. This condition only affects about 3 to 6 people for every 100,000 people. The primary group affected by the condition of Becker Muscular Dystrophy (BMD disease) is males, so half the population, which comprises females, is al[lready ruled out from experiencing the effects of the condition, which can sometimes be debilitating and leave a person reliant on others.

Why Is Learning About Medical Conditions Like BMD Important?

Conditions like Becker Muscular Dystrophy (BMD) may only impact a small group of people, but learning and being knowledgeable about such conditions may be beneficial to all as it may create a scenario that if the symptoms of Becker Muscular Dystrophy (BMD) do show up in a person or someone that they may know, or a child who may know the person that is well read up about it, they may be able to take a quicker approach when it comes to taking up some medical guidance or assistance related to it and even understand what kind of therapies or lifestyle one may have to take up to create a lifestyle where one can best deal with Becker Muscular Dystrophy (BMD) while still living with it.

Conclusion

While the condition of Becker Muscular Dystrophy (BMD) may have several adverse effects, like how it may reduce a person’s quality of life and cause muscle degeneration, it is important to focus on its positives. A positive approach towards someone who is suffering from BMD disease is to ensure that their quality of life does not fall any further, perform the necessary therapy and treatments that will create the best scenario for the patient who is suffering from the condition and reduce the impact felt as a result of the condition so that the person may be able to enjoy other aspects of their life while still living with the condition.

Such conditions can incur heavy medical expenses, and just personal funds might not be enough to cover the costs. In such cases, online fundraising is an excellent method to raise funds for medical treatment and Impact Guru is one of the best crowdfunding platforms to raise medical funds.