What is myasthenia gravis? The autoimmune disorder that is difficult to diagnose

Our free Living Well weekly newsletter will help you live a happier and healthier life. She developed double vision and a weakness in her arms, legs and hands. In healthy people, nerves send a chemical called acetylcholine. This chemical messenger tells muscles that they should contract by binding to the receptor. In myasthenia, antibodies block or kill these receptors. The result is a muscle weakness which worsens when you are active and improves during rest. This is known as “fatigueability”What are the symptoms of muscle weakness? Muscle weakness can make it difficult to breath or cause choking. This is known as a “myasthenic crisis” In our research, we interviewed a woman in her 30s who has myasthenia graveis. She described how it feels to be in a crisis. “My speech slows, and I sound like I’m drunk, even though I’m fighting to breathe. Sometimes I can’t talk at all. Having my mum there to advocate for me has been life-saving, because I can’t explain what’s happening. Staying calm helps me cope.”Another man in their 70s explains how quickly the disease can manifest: “It came on at my 70th birthday party. I developed ocular MG [a form of myasthenia gravis affecting the eyes] in the middle of my speech, and my grown children thought I was having a stroke. They rushed me to hospital – and that’s how it all began.”What causes it and who does it affect?It’s unclear what causes the disease, but it’s not thought to be hereditary.There is some evidence that it is more likely to occur with other autoimmune conditions, such as autoimmune thyroid disease, lupus and rheumatoid arthritis, but the evidence remains incomplete.Myasthenia gravis can appear at any age. Myasthenia Gravis is more common among women, especially those who are younger (often before the age of 40). Men tend to get it later in life. The diagnosis can be difficult. “clinical”This article was originally published by The Conversation, and has been republished with a Creative Commons license. The original article is available. A few tests can be used to confirm the diagnosis. These include blood tests for antibodies and nerve conduction studies, which measure electrical activity in nerves and muscle. There is no cure for the disease, but there are a number of treatment options that can manage symptoms. Anticholinesterase Inhibitors are taken by mouth and temporarily improve nerve-muscle communication. Immunosuppressive medications are also used. They dampen down the immune system, reducing its ability to attack. These include intravenous immunoglobulin and plasma exchange. These are expensive therapies that block or remove harmful antibodies. In some cases, these treatments require at least a half-day hospital stay to administer intravenous drips. This is a major factor in the abnormal immune reaction in myasthenia graveis patients. Some people still have difficulty accessing treatment, even though most are subsidised. Plasma exchange and IVIg are not available in all hospitals, for example, meaning patients in regional areas may face long travel distances or delays in receiving urgent care.What is the long-term outlook?While myasthenic crises are life-threatening, the evidence so far suggests the disease won’t have a significant impact on life expectancy for most people. The treatments are designed to reduce the disease activity, rather than offer a cure. People with myasthenia graveis can experience a wide range of symptoms. Many people will need to be hospitalized frequently, and 10% may have a difficult-to-treat form of the disease. Some people may have minimal symptoms that require little or no treatment. Many find their symptoms unpredictable. Myasthenia Gravis is a condition that affects women in their 60s. She has been suffering from it for ten years. “I think you just get used to managing – to finding your own rhythm in all the uncertainty.”
2025-11-10 14:27:23