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Weakness may be generalized
or localized to a part of the limb, whole limb or more than one limb. The
muscles, regional nerve, spinal cord or brain may be involved.
In Myasthenia gravis, the
patient complains of generalized weakness and/or blurred vision due to weakness
of the eye muscles. The conditions can be effectively treated, unlike hereditary
involvement of the muscles (various myopathies) which show up later in life and
has no satisfactory treatment.
A regional nerve may be
involved locally or at the exit from the spinal cord, as happens in prolapsed
discs. The part of the limb supplied by the nerve is usually affected with
numbness and/or pain. When the whole limb or more is involved, usually the
spinal cord or the brain is at fault.
Causes may be toxins and
diabetes. Surgically amenable causes may be local entrapment of nerves,
prolapsed discs, and tumors of nerves and/or the spinal cord and brain
disorders. Infections may require surgery.
Trauma to the muscle,
nerve, spinal cord or the brain is another obvious cause and healing may be
facilitated with immediate medical attention. A thorough assessment by a
neurologist will help.
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