dukemaster911
New member
- Joined
- Dec 3, 2015
- Messages
- 2
- Reason
- Learn about ALS
- Country
- US
- State
- Massachusetts
- City
- Boston
I'm aware that in later stages of ALS symptoms present as True Weakness, but I was curious as to what many of you first experienced with ALS.
I found an interesting website that describes three different types of weakness.
Primary or true muscle weakness
This shows itself as an inability to perform what you want to do with a muscle, even the first time you try. There is a reduction in the force which the muscle can exert, however hard you try. The muscle is not working properly - it has become abnormal.
When this kind of weakness occurs the muscles are often floppier than usual, and reduced in bulkiness. It can happen, for example, following stroke. It is also seen in muscular dystrophy. Both of these conditions result in weakened muscles which cannot move the usual load. It's a real change in muscle power.
Muscle tiredness
This is sometimes called asthenia. It is a sense of weariness or exhaustion that you feel when using the muscle. The muscle isn't genuinely weaker, it can still do its job, but it takes you more effort to manage it. This type of weakness is often seen in people who have chronic fatigue syndrome, sleep disorders, depression, and chronic heart, lung, and kidney disease. It may be due to a reduction in the speed with which the muscle can get its energy supply.
Muscle 'fatiguability'
Some muscle tiredness is mainly muscle 'fatiguability' - the muscle starts off normally but tires very quickly and takes longer to recover than normal. This often goes with muscle tiredness, but is particularly seen in some uncommon conditions such as myasthenia gravis and myotonic dystrophy.
Would you guys say that your symptoms started out as muscle weakness, or looking back would you say that you first noticed problems with one of the other two kinds of weaknesses?
Thanks!
I found an interesting website that describes three different types of weakness.
Primary or true muscle weakness
This shows itself as an inability to perform what you want to do with a muscle, even the first time you try. There is a reduction in the force which the muscle can exert, however hard you try. The muscle is not working properly - it has become abnormal.
When this kind of weakness occurs the muscles are often floppier than usual, and reduced in bulkiness. It can happen, for example, following stroke. It is also seen in muscular dystrophy. Both of these conditions result in weakened muscles which cannot move the usual load. It's a real change in muscle power.
Muscle tiredness
This is sometimes called asthenia. It is a sense of weariness or exhaustion that you feel when using the muscle. The muscle isn't genuinely weaker, it can still do its job, but it takes you more effort to manage it. This type of weakness is often seen in people who have chronic fatigue syndrome, sleep disorders, depression, and chronic heart, lung, and kidney disease. It may be due to a reduction in the speed with which the muscle can get its energy supply.
Muscle 'fatiguability'
Some muscle tiredness is mainly muscle 'fatiguability' - the muscle starts off normally but tires very quickly and takes longer to recover than normal. This often goes with muscle tiredness, but is particularly seen in some uncommon conditions such as myasthenia gravis and myotonic dystrophy.
Would you guys say that your symptoms started out as muscle weakness, or looking back would you say that you first noticed problems with one of the other two kinds of weaknesses?
Thanks!