What e the symptoms of myotonic dystrophy?
Myotonic dystrophy is a form of muscular dystrophy in which the muscles have difficulty relaxing. Muscle myotonia (abnormally prolonged muscle contraction, with difficulty relaxing) may develop soon after birth or begin as late as early adulthood, especially affecting the hands, wrists and tongue. In teens, it can cause a number of problems, including muscle weakness and wasting (where the muscles shrink over time), cataracts, and heart problems. A person with myotonic dystrophy has difficulty relaxing his or her grasp, especially in the cold. Myotonic dystrophy affects heart muscle, causing irregularities in the heartbeat. It also affects the muscles of the digestive system, causing constipation and other digestive problems. Myotonic dystrophy may cause cataracts, retinal degeneration, low IQ, frontal balding, skin disorders, atrophy of the testicles, and insulin resistance. It can also cause sleep apnea–a condition in which normal breathing is interrupted during sleep. Myotonic dyst
