Muscular dystrophy is a group of muscle diseases that weakens the musculoskeletal system and hampers the locomotion. Muscular dystrophy can appear in any age either infancy or childhood. Muscular dystrophy manifests with progressive muscle weakness leading to decreasing activities and participation. It mainly affects the boys by age of 12 and causes difficulty in walking. It may lead to cognitive impairment and speech problems. It leads to removal of physical and structural barriers within the school environment.

WHAT IS MUSCULAR DYSTROPHY?

Muscular dystrophy is characterized by progressive muscle weakness and degeneration of the skeletal muscles that controls movements. It is caused by absence of dystrophin, a protein involved in maintaining the integrity of muscles. Muscles are the soft tissue found in human being.

Functions of muscles:

• Provides shape and form to the organism.
• Produces movement.
• Maintaining posture.
• Support and stabilizing joints.
• Assisting in circulation of blood in the body and generating heat.

HOW MUSCULAR DYSTROPHY FORMS?

Muscular dystrophy is characterized by progressive muscle weakness and degeneration of skeletal muscles that controls movements mainly caused by absence of dystrophin protein involved in maintaining the integrity of muscle. Thus leads to severe muscle wasting resulting in difficulty in walking, poor balance, frequent falls, limited range of movements, muscle spasm.

 MANAGING MUSCULAR DYSTROPHY IN AYURVEDA (SOSHA):

Muscular dystrophy refers to mamsa shosha (reduction in muscle bulk), according to Ayurveda this condition occurs due to imbalance of internal metabolism.

This occurs due to doshic imbalance and change in sapta dhatus which are basic elements maintaining body structure.

In this case there is an increase in mamsa dhatu agni, which will be leading to muscle destruction and in turn reduction in muscle bulk and increase in medas or fat, which is next dhatu of mamsa.

TREATMENT OF SOSHA:

• Range of motion exercises.
• Mobility aids.
• Physical therapy.

Ayurveda aims at treating the root cause of the disease rather than treating the symptoms. Main line of management is to correct the dhatu agni, increasing muscle bulk with special internal and external treatment modalities which increase nourishment. By taking all measures in Healing Earth Multispeciality Ayurveda Hospital, the dedicated team of doctors manages this condition with special care.