Difference Between Myasthenia Gravis and Multiple Sclerosis

Myasthenia Gravis vs Multiple Sclerosis

The nervous system, if it is the one affected, can be one of the most devastating illnesses a person can have. Everything is affected. From the body movements, such as walking, gait, up to the muscle movements, such as grasping and writing. Everything is literally affected bringing low self-confidence to a person affected by the disease.

Two not-so-common nervous system problems are myasthenia gravis and multiple sclerosis. Both of these affect the brain and the spinal system and, in short, the nervous system. Both are debilitating illnesses.

Myasthenia gravis, or M.G., is a thymus disorder. It produces antibodies which attack the acetylycholine receptors for muscle contraction. When these receptors are being attacked, the receptors decrease, thus muscle contraction won’t occur but rather muscle relaxation. Thus, the signs and symptoms of an M.G. patient are the following: ptosis or drooping of the eyelids (the patient always looks sleepy), diplopia or double vision, pokerface or blank affect, always having an open mouth, and dysphagia or difficulty swallowing. Tensilon tests confirm the patient as having M.G. Tensilon or endrophonium chloride is then injected into the patient via intravenous route. When this drug is injected, you’ll notice that the patient will resemble a happy, non-sleepy, and non-poker face for 60-90 seconds. Then it’ll come back to its sleepy poker face after 4-5 minutes as the drug wears off. When that happens, the doctor confirms M.G. in the patient.

Multiple sclerosis, or M.S., on the other hand, is also a neurologic disorder. The cause is still unknown, but the theory is that is an autoimmune disorder. It occurs mostly in women ages 20-40 years old. It is an unpredictable disease which causes remission and exacerbation. It is an unpredictable disease, and patients are advised to avoid stress which will exacerbate the condition. The most common identifying group of signs is what you call Charcot’s Triad, named after the doctor who first described the disease. Charcot’s Triad is a group of three signs including; scanning speech, intentional tremors, and nystagmus or jerking of the cheek. There are also feelings of numbness which means they will not be able to distinguish hot from cold. There is also spastic paralysis and fatigue. Similar symptoms with M.G. includes diplopia and difficulty in swallowing. There are also visual disturbances.

Both of these diseases don’t have treatments, but both have maintenance drugs. It is not a deadly disease, but extreme caution should be reported, such as difficulty in breathing because the patients are at risk for paralysis of the diaphragm.

Summary:

1.The cause of myasthenia gravis is through the thymus while there is an unknown cause for multiple sclerosis.
2.Different manifestations are distinct in both diseases, such as the Charcot’s Triad for multiple sclerosis while in M.G., it’s the facial expressions, such as poker face, eyelids drooping, and the mouth hanging open.

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