Myasthenia gravis is defined as adisease in which the immune system attacks the acetylcholine receptors at the nerve-muscle junctions.
Myasthenia gravis is a neuromuscular disorder that causes weakness and fatigue in the muscles. It is an autoimmune disease that affects the neuromuscular junction, the area where nerve impulses are transmitted to muscles. The immune system mistakenly attacks and damages the receptors on the muscles that receive nerve impulses, leading to muscle weakness and fatigue.
Some common symptoms of myasthenia gravis include drooping eyelids, difficulty speaking, chewing, swallowing, or breathing, muscle weakness that worsens with activity, and fatigue.
Myasthenia gravis can be diagnosed through a physical exam, medical history, and various tests such as a nerve conduction study, electromyography, blood tests, and imaging tests.
Treatment for myasthenia gravis usually involves medication to improve muscle strength, immunosuppressive therapy to suppress the immune system and reduce the attack on the neuromuscular junction, and plasmapheresis or intravenous immunoglobulin to remove or block the harmful antibodies.
In severe cases, surgical intervention such as a thymectomy (removal of the thymus gland) may be necessary. With proper treatment, many people with myasthenia gravis are able to manage their symptoms and lead normal, active lives.