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FOR CANADIAN RESIDENTS ONLY
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Symptom checklist and discussion guide

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You may be experiencing a number of unexplained and concerning symptoms like difficulty climbing stairs, trouble getting up out of a chair or morning headaches. Maybe you have felt related muscle weakness or have felt short of breath. It can be easy to dismiss these symptoms, especially if you have had them for a while.

But they could be signs of an underlying problem such as a neuromuscular disease.

Something didn’t feel right with my body for years. Finally getting the answers and support I needed – that made all the difference.

– Karen*

I was always bad at sports and told not to worry – you’re just not sporty. Knowing it wasn’t me all along, but a neuromuscular disease, has provided some comfort.

– Gurpreet*

Get up, you can’t be that weak. – Comments like those have resonated with me ever since I was a kid. But I’m not weak. I have a neuromuscular disease.

– Hugo*

I was diagnosed with muscular dystrophy after years of tests and doctors’ visits, but something still didn’t feel right. I kept pushing for a specific diagnosis and I’m glad I did, because I finally have a name for my disease.

– Ana*

I can’t even describe what it feels like to lose control of your own body. I went from being completely healthy to not being able to climb stairs, get out of a chair or walk properly. Why is this happening to me?

– Lena*

I had been experiencing muscle weakness and difficulty breathing for years without a reason why. My doctor referred me to a neurologist for genetic testing and my results confirmed I had a neuromuscular disease.

– Mohamed*

It took 15 years to finally get an accurate diagnosis. My muscle weakness, clumsiness, not being able to exercise – all along it was a neuromuscular disease.

– Zahra*

Muscular Dystrophy Canada really helped me cope with my diagnosis. Their support for me and my family has been invaluable.

– Joel*

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ABOUT NEUROMUSCULAR DISEASE

Neuromuscular disease is a term used to describe various medical conditions that impair or weaken the body’s muscle function.

There are over 160 different types of neuromuscular diseases. These include:

  • Muscular dystrophy
  • Limb-girdle muscular dystrophy
  • Spinal muscle atrophy
  • Myositis
  • Pompe disease
  • Metabolic or hereditary myopathies
  • Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS or Lou Gehrig’s disease)
  • Myasthenia gravis

Many neuromuscular diseases are the result of a genetic mutation. These mutations can be passed through generations by a parent’s genes or occur spontaneously in a single person.

While some types of neuromuscular diseases occur in childhood, others may not be evident until later in life. The age of onset, cause, symptoms, severity and progression of neuromuscular diseases are all dependent on the specific neuromuscular disease and the individual.

* Fictitious patient.

Health information contained herein is provided for general educational purposes only. Your healthcare professional is the single best source of information regarding your health. Please consult your healthcare professional if you have any questions about your health or treatment.