Muscular dystrophy is a disease that directly affects the body's muscular system. The muscular system is an organ system consisting of skeletal, smooth, and cardiac muscles. It allows the movement of the body, maintains posture and circulates blood throughout the body. Muscular dystrophy is a genetic disease that causes progressive weakness and loss of muscle mass. There are nine types of muscular dystrophy. Of the nine types, some affect various parts of the muscular system and some are more progressive than others. There are nine main forms of muscular dystrophy: myotonic, Duchenne, Becker, limb-girdle, facioscapulohumeral, congenital, oculopharyngeal, distal, and Emery-Dreifuss. Myotonic is one of the most common forms of muscular dystrophy. Congenital means present at birth. Congenital muscular dystrophies progress slowly and affect both males and females. The two identified forms – Fukuyama and myosin-deficient congenital muscular dystrophy – cause muscle weakness at birth or in the first months of life, along with severe, early contractures (shortening or narrowing of muscles that causes joint problems). . Fukuyama congenital muscular dystrophy causes abnormalities in the brain and often seizures. Oculopharyngeal. Oculopharyngeal means eye and throat. This form of muscular dystrophy appears in men and women in their 40s, 50s, and 60s. It progresses slowly, causing weakness in the muscles of the eyes and face, which can lead to difficulty swallowing. Weakness of the pelvic and shoulder muscles may occur later. Choking and recurrent pneumonia may occur.Distal. This group of rare diseases affects adult men and women. It causes weakness and atrophy of the distal muscles (those farthest from the center) of the forearms, hands, lower legs, and feet. It is generally less severe, progresses more slowly, and affects fewer muscles than other forms of muscular dystrophy. This rare form of muscular dystrophy appears from childhood to early adolescence and primarily affects males. In very rare cases, females may be affected. For this to happen, both of a girl's X chromosomes (the one she gets from her mother and the one from her father) would have to have the defective gene. It causes muscle weakness and wasting in the shoulders, upper arms and lower legs. Life-threatening heart problems are common and can also affect carriers, those who have the genetic information for the disease but do not develop the full version (including mothers and sisters of those who suffer from Emery-Dreifuss disease). Muscle shortening (contractures) occurs in the early stages of the disease. The weakness may spread to the muscles of the chest and pelvis. The disease progresses slowly and causes less severe muscle weakness than other forms of muscular dystrophy. Most muscular dystrophies are a form of inherited disease called X-linked disorders or genetic disorders that mothers can pass on to their children even if the mothers themselves are. not affected by the disease. It is diagnosed by a physical exam that detects all possible symptoms. Blood tests are also performed on potential carriers followed by examination of their DNA. Those diagnosed are usually referred to neurologists, geneticists, and physical therapists for their treatment. Treatment involves a combination of physiotherapy and occupational therapy. Some types of muscular dystrophy can be treated with surgery