Muscular atrophy is a medical condition that is marked by the wasting away of muscle tissue, often due to natural disease processes or leading a sedentary lifestyle. There are several muscular atrophy treatment options available, including exercise, physical therapy, or electrical stimulation. Prescription medications or supportive devices such as walkers or braces may also be effective muscular atrophy treatment methods. Choosing the best muscular atrophy treatment depends on the overall health of the patient and the amount of physical activity that is possible for the individual.
Regular exercise is considered to be the most effective muscular atrophy treatment method. A person who either leads a sedentary lifestyle by choice or due to having a job that requires sitting at a desk for several hours per day may particularly benefit from adopting a healthy exercise routine. Finding time to exercise can help to keep the muscles of the body healthy and prevent atrophy from occurring.
Physical therapy may be a good muscular atrophy treatment for those who have physical limitations. A physical therapist can often manually move body parts so that the muscles remain active. The doctor and the physical therapist may work together to teach the patient to perform as many physical exercises as possible at home, with occasional visits to the office so the physical therapist can help to move muscle groups that cannot be sufficiently exercised by the patient.
Electrical stimulation may be used as a form of muscular atrophy treatment in an effort to help restore lost muscle strength. This is done by having a medical professional apply a weak electrical current to the outside of the affected muscle. As the current is extremely weak, this is a painless procedure.
Muscular atrophy treatment may include the use of prescription medications, especially if the condition is caused by an autoimmune condition such as lupus or multiple sclerosis. The most commonly used prescription medications that are used for this purpose are steroid medications injected directly into the affected muscle.
Supportive devices are sometimes used as a form of muscular atrophy treatment. Braces may be used, especially if the atrophy is severe and has caused further complications such as joint damage. The use of these supportive devices is often able to provide the patient with a greater sense of independence as well as more control over body movements. Canes or walkers may be used for the same purpose when the atrophy is less severe.