Myasthenia gravis is a chronic problem of muscle weakness. The Greek translation of “myasthenia” refers to muscles with little strength. People with this condition find that their voluntary muscles get tired and are very weak. With rest the muscle weakness improves. It is most common in women under 40 years of age or over 70 years, or in men over 50 years old.

Symptoms of myasthenia gravis include double vision, droopy eyelids, problems with speaking, breathing and swallowing, and even weakness of the arms and legs. The more the affected muscles are used, the more the weakness becomes obvious. The symptoms may come and go, with remissions being common.

The cause of myasthenia involves the immune system. When our nerves tell our muscles to move, they send a chemical as a signal to the muscles. The muscles have special receptors that receive the chemical and then they respond by contracting. With myasthenia gravis the immune system makes antibodies that block the receptors on the muscles so that they can no longer respond to the nerves’ signals. This makes the muscles much weaker as there are fewer receptors available to respond to the nerves. In some, if not all people with this condition, the thymus gland is involved in producing these faulty antibodies.

Triggers for myasthenia gravis include being very tired or stressed, being ill or in extreme heat, and even some medications. Medications that are known to be a problem include beta-blockers, quinine, calcium channel blockers, and even some antibiotics.

Diagnosis of myasthenia gravis is made after a proper neurological exam by a physician. Blood tests can be done to check for the antibodies. There is a special test with a medication called edrophonium that can be done. This medication temporarily blocks the enzyme that normally breaks down the chemical signal from the nerve to the muscle. By doing so, a person who is feeling weak will improve and this identifies myasthenia gravis. Nerve conduction studies can be done as well to check the electrical signal coming along the nerve to tell the muscles what to do.

There is no cure for myasthenia gravis, but there are good treatments. Medications like edrophonium can be used to improve muscle strength. Further, medications that dampen the immune system are sometimes given. Surgical removal of the thymus glad helps sometimes as well, but is recommended for those under 60 years of age. Plasmapheresis is a last resort to filter the antibodies out of the blood. People with myasthenia gravis should not have botox treatment as this can worsen the condition.

Please see your doctor if you are experiencing any symptoms that resemble those mentioned above.