Myotonic syndrome is a neuromuscular disorder characterized by the inability to relax muscles after their contraction. Very often this disease occurs in children. In a broad sense, such a diagnosis includes any difficulties with muscle relaxation (even those that are temporary), not related to a pyramidal or extrapyramidal violation of tone.
Possible reasons
Myotonic syndrome, provided that it is congenital, is a hereditary disease. To date, medicine still has not been able to accurately determine the causes leading to the development of myotonia, however, most doctors call lesions of the subcortical nuclei, pathological processes in the cerebellum and disorders associated with autonomic nerve centers as provoking factors. In the event that the myotonic syndrome is not genetic, such pathologies as rickets, impaired metabolism, all kinds of intrauterine disorders and birth injuries can be identified as causes . It should be noted that there are often cases when the diagnosis is not confirmed: the state of muscle tone of the baby can be erroneously interpreted.
Clinical picture
Myotonic syndrome in children is characterized by a peculiar difficulty in the motor act. If normal muscles immediately relax after contractions, then in this case, on the contrary, tonic tension arises. After several contractions are made in a row, the muscle begins to gradually develop. Further work is much easier. In general, the symptoms in children begin to manifest themselves from the lower extremities, so doctors advise parents to pay attention to how the baby climbs and descends the stairs, whether he can walk quickly, how he performs actions that require coordination and attention. If a person suffers from myotonia, all of the above actions will be given to him with great difficulty: patients constantly lose balance, then they fall, before a series of movements they freeze for a long time in place. Another characteristic sign by which myotonic syndrome is diagnosed - the change mechanical excitability of the muscles. The doctor inflicts a light blow in the area of a certain muscle group, and, as a rule, the response consists in the occurrence of a spasm, and it is accompanied by the formation of muscle ridges, which are slowly smoothed out. It is natural that such a tonic reaction is most often accompanied by general muscle weakness, which, in turn, leads to the most unpleasant consequences: undeveloped back muscles form incorrect posture, weak press muscles inevitably lead to constipation and other problems with the intestines, eye muscle weakness is excellent background for the development of myopia. In addition, muscle hypotension is usually accompanied by general weakness, fatigue and persistent headaches. Women suffering from this disease are often not able to reach a climax during sex: they experience the so-called “myotonic orgasm”, which is obtained through intense contractions of the pelvic muscles.
Treatment
Unfortunately, an effective treatment for genetically determined myotonia does not exist today. If myotonic syndrome was caused by a specific cause, all efforts should be made to eliminate it. Among the effective methods, experts call massage and electrophoresis.