Charcot Marie Tooth Disease- Causes And Symptoms
Charcot Marie tooth disorder (CMT) is among those hereditary motor and sensory neuropathies, , a bunch of diverse inherited disorders of the peripheral nervous system characterized by progressive reduction of muscle tissue and signature sensation across different areas of the human body. Currently incurable, this disorder is the most frequently inherited neurological disease, and affects approximately 1 in 2,500 people. CMT was formerly classified as a subtype of both muscular dystrophy.
Charcot (shahr-KOH)-Marie-Tooth disease is a group of inherited disorders that cause nerve damage. This damage is mostly in your arms and legs (peripheral nerves). Charcot-Marie-Tooth is also called hereditary motor and sensory neuropathy.
Charcot-Marie-Tooth disease results in smaller, weaker muscles. You may also experience loss of sensation and muscle contractions, and difficulty walking. Foot deformities such as hammertoes and high arches are also common. Symptoms usually begin in your feet and legs, but they may eventually affect your hands and arms.
Symptoms of Charcot-Marie-Tooth disease typically appear in adolescence or early adulthood, but may also develop in midlife.
Symptoms of Charcot Marie Tooth disease
Signs and symptoms of Charcot-Marie-Tooth disease may include:
- Difficulty lifting your foot at the ankle (footdrop)
- Awkward or higher than normal step (gait)
- Frequent tripping or falling
- Decreased sensation or a loss of feeling in your legs and feet
- Weakness in your legs, ankles and feet
- Loss of muscle bulk in legs and feet
- High foot arches
- Curled toes (hammertoes)
- Decreased ability to run
Since Charcot-Marie-Tooth disorder progresses, symptoms can spread in the legs and feet into the arms and hands. The intensity of symptoms may vary considerably from person to person, even among relatives.
Causes of Charcot Marie Tooth disease
Charcot-Marie-Tooth disorder is an inherited, genetic illness. It happens when there are mutations in the genes which affect the nerves in your toes, legs, arms and hands.
From time to time, these mutations harm the nerves. Other mutations damage the myelin sheath, the protective coating that surrounds the nerve. Both trigger weaker messages traveling between your extremities and brain.
That means a number of those muscles in your toes might not get your brain’s signal to contract, and that means you are more likely to trip and fall. And your brain might not get pain messages in the toes, so in the event that you’ve rubbed a blister on your toe, by way of instance, it can get infected without your understanding.
