Saturday, February, 11, 2012

Myotonia congenita

Table of Contents

Alternative Names

Thomsen's disease; Becker's disease


Treatment

Treatment for symptoms includes:

  • Mexiletine
  • Phenytoin
  • Procainamide

Support Groups


Expectations (prognosis)

People with this condition can do well. Symptoms only occur when a movement is first started. After a few repetitions, the muscle relaxes and the movement becomes normal. Symptoms may improve later in life.


Complications
  • Aspiration pneumonia caused by swallowing difficulties
  • Frequent choking, gagging, or difficulty swallowing in an infant
  • Abdominal muscle weakness
  • Chronic joint problems

Calling your health care provider

Call your health care provider if your child has symptoms of myotonia congenita.



Review Date: 03/21/2010
Reviewed By: David C. Dugdale, III, MD, Professor of Medicine, Division of General Medicine, Department of Medicine, University of Washington School of Medicine; Luc Jasmin, MD, PhD, Department of Neurosurgery at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center, Los Angeles, and Department of Anatomy at UCSF, San Francisco, CA. Review provided by VeriMed Healthcare Network. Also reviewed by David Zieve, MD, MHA, Medical Director, A.D.A.M., Inc.

A.D.A.M., Inc. is accredited by URAC, also known as the American Accreditation HealthCare Commission (www.urac.org)