- Acute Flaccid Myelitis
- Alzheimer’s Disease
- Arteriovenous Malformations
- Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder
- Back Pain
- Brain Aneurysm
- Brain Tumors
- Carpal Tunnel Syndrome
- Childhood Brain Tumors
- Delirium
- Dementia
- Hemorrhagic Stroke
- Ischemic Stroke
- Memory
- Meningitis
- Mild Cognitive Impairment
- Movement Disorders
- Multiple Sclerosis
- Neuroblastoma
- Neuromuscular Disorders
- Parkinson’s Disease
- Polio and Post-Polio Syndrome
- Speech and Language Problems in Children
- Stroke
- Transient Ischemic Attack
- Tremor
- Walking Problems
- West Nile Virus
- A1C
- Blood Glucose
- Diabetes
- Diabetes and Pregnancy
- Diabetes Complications
- Diabetes in Children and Teens
- Diabetes Medicines
- Diabetes Type 1
- Diabetes Type 2
- Diabetic Diet
- Diabetic Eye Problems
- Diabetic Foot
- Diabetic Heart Disease
- Diabetic Kidney Problems
- Diabetic Nerve Problems
- How to Prevent Diabetes
- Hyperglycemia
- Metabolic Syndrome
- Prediabetes
- Abortion
- Breast Cancer
- Breast Diseases
- Breast Reconstruction
- Breastfeeding
- Cervical Cancer
- Cervical Cancer Screening
- Cesarean Delivery
- Childbirth
- Ectopic Pregnancy
- Endometriosis
- Female Infertility
- Health Problems in Pregnancy
- High Blood Pressure in Pregnancy
- HIV and Pregnancy
- Hormone Replacement Therapy
- HPV
- Hysterectomy
- Infections and Pregnancy
- Mammography
- Mastectomy
- Menopause
- Menstruation
- Miscarriage
- Ovarian Cancer
- Ovarian Cysts
- Ovarian Disorders
- Pelvic Floor Disorders
- Pelvic Inflammatory Disease
- Pelvic Pain
- Period Pain
- Polycystic Ovary Syndrome
- Pregnancy
- Pregnancy and Drug Use
- Pregnancy and Opioids
- Premenstrual Syndrome
- Prenatal Care
- Prenatal Testing
- Primary Ovarian Insufficiency
- Sexual Problems in Women
- Stillbirth
- Teenage Pregnancy
- Trichomoniasis
- Tubal Ligation
- Uterine Cancer
- Uterine Diseases
- Uterine Fibroids
- Vaginal Bleeding
- Vaginal Cancer
- Vaginal Diseases
- Vaginitis
- Vulvar Cancer
- Vulvar Disorders
- Yeast Infections
- Alcohol
- Calcium
- Child Nutrition
- Cholesterol
- Cholesterol Levels: What You Need to Know
- Cholesterol Medicines
- DASH Eating Plan
- Eating Disorders
- Food Allergy
- HDL: The “Good” Cholesterol
- High Cholesterol in Children and Teens
- How to Lower Cholesterol
- How to Lower Cholesterol with Diet
- Infant and Newborn Nutrition
- LDL: The “Bad” Cholesterol
- Malabsorption Syndromes
- Nutrition for Older Adults
- Pregnancy and Nutrition
- Toddler Nutrition
- Triglycerides
- VLDL Cholesterol
- Alpha-1 Antitrypsin Deficiency
- Ataxia Telangiectasia
- Brain Malformations
- Cerebral Palsy
- Charcot-Marie-Tooth Disease
- Chiari Malformation
- Cleft Lip and Palate
- Color Blindness
- Congenital Heart Defects
- Craniofacial Abnormalities
- Cystic Fibrosis
- Ehlers-Danlos Syndrome
- Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorders
- Friedreich Ataxia
- Genetic Counseling
- Hemophilia
- Huntington’s Disease
- Hydrocephalus
- Muscular Dystrophy
- Neural Tube Defects
- Neurofibromatosis
- Newborn Screening
- Osteogenesis Imperfecta
- Prader-Willi Syndrome
- Pregnancy and Medicines
- Rett Syndrome
- Sickle Cell Disease
- Spina Bifida
- Spinal Muscular Atrophy
- Tay-Sachs Disease
- Tourette Syndrome
- Tuberous Sclerosis
- Usher Syndrome
- Acute Lymphocytic Leukemia
- Allergy
- Animal Bites
- Ankylosing Spondylitis
- Aplastic Anemia
- Asthma
- Asthma in Children
- Childhood Leukemia
- Childhood Vaccines
- Chronic Lymphocytic Leukemia
- COVID-19 Vaccines
- Cryptosporidiosis
- Eosinophilic Disorders
- Eosinophilic Esophagitis
- Giant Cell Arteritis
- Hay Fever
- HIV
- HIV and Infections
- HIV in Women
- Hodgkin Lymphoma
- Infectious Diseases
- Infectious Mononucleosis
- Juvenile Arthritis
- Kawasaki Disease
- Lymphedema
- Lymphoma
- Multiple Myeloma
- Pemphigus
- Pneumocystis Infections
- Rheumatoid Arthritis
- Scleroderma
- Sjogren’s Syndrome
- Tonsillitis
- Vaccines
- Viral Infections
- Adhesions
- Ankle Injuries and Disorders
- Arm Injuries and Disorders
- Back Injuries
- Brachial Plexus Injuries
- Burns
- Chest Injuries and Disorders
- Concussion
- CPR
- Dislocated Shoulder
- Dislocations
- Elbow Injuries and Disorders
- Eye Injuries
- Facial Injuries and Disorders
- Finger Injuries and Disorders
- Foot Injuries and Disorders
- Fractures
- Hand Injuries and Disorders
- Heel Injuries and Disorders
- Hip Injuries and Disorders
- Inhalation Injuries
- Insect Bites and Stings
- Jaw Injuries and Disorders
- Knee Injuries and Disorders
- Leg Injuries and Disorders
- Mosquito Bites
- Neck Injuries and Disorders
- Rotator Cuff Injuries
- Shoulder Injuries and Disorders
- Spinal Cord Injuries
- Sprains and Strains
- Tick Bites
- Toe Injuries and Disorders
- Traumatic Brain Injury
- Wrist Injuries and Disorders
- Acute Bronchitis
- Bird Flu
- Chronic Bronchitis
- COPD
- COVID-19 (Coronavirus Disease 2019)
- Croup
- E-Cigarettes
- Fistulas
- Flu
- Granulomatosis with Polyangiitis
- H1N1 Flu (Swine Flu)
- Legionnaires’ Disease
- Lung Cancer
- Mesothelioma
- Pneumonia
- Pulmonary Hypertension
- Respiratory Syncytial Virus Infections
- Sleep Apnea
- Smoking
- Tuberculosis
- Whooping Cough
- Anatomy
- Assisted Reproductive Technology
- Birth Control
- Chlamydia Infections
- Circumcision
- Erectile Dysfunction
- Genital Herpes
- Genital Warts
- Gonorrhea
- Herpes Simplex
- Infertility
- Male Infertility
- Penis Disorders
- Prostate Cancer
- Prostate Cancer Screening
- Prostate Diseases
- Reproductive Hazards
- Sexual Health
- Sexual Problems in Men
- Sexually Transmitted Diseases
- Syphilis
- Testicular Cancer
- Testicular Disorders
- Vasectomy
- Abdominal Pain
- Bad Breath
- Bleeding
- Breathing Problems
- Bruises
- Chest Pain
- Choking
- Chronic Pain
- Constipation
- Cough
- Diarrhea
- Dizziness and Vertigo
- Edema
- Fainting
- Fever
- Frostbite
- Gas
- Gastrointestinal Bleeding
- Headache
- Heartburn
- Heat Illness
- Hives
- Hypothermia
- Indigestion
- Itching
- Jaundice
- Nausea and Vomiting
- Pain
- Rare Diseases
- Raynaud’s Disease
- Sciatica
- Speech and Communication Disorders
- Stuttering
Muscle Disorders
Summary
Your muscles help you move and help your body work. Different types of muscles have different jobs. There are many problems that can affect muscles. Muscle disorders can cause weakness, pain or even paralysis.
Causes of muscle disorders include:
- Injury or overuse, such as sprains or strains, cramps or tendinitis
- A genetic disorder, such as muscular dystrophy
- Some cancers
- Inflammation, such as myositis
- Diseases of nerves that affect muscles
- Infections
- Certain medicines
Sometimes the cause of muscle disorders is unknown.
National Institute of Arthritis and Musculoskeletal and Skin Diseases
Genetics
- Actin-accumulation myopathy: MedlinePlus Genetics National Library of Medicine
- Adenosine monophosphate deaminase deficiency: MedlinePlus Genetics National Library of Medicine
- Brody myopathy: MedlinePlus Genetics National Library of Medicine
- Cap myopathy: MedlinePlus Genetics National Library of Medicine
- Central core disease: MedlinePlus Genetics National Library of Medicine
- Centronuclear myopathy: MedlinePlus Genetics National Library of Medicine
- Collagen VI-related myopathy: MedlinePlus Genetics National Library of Medicine
- Congenital fiber-type disproportion: MedlinePlus Genetics National Library of Medicine
- Danon disease: MedlinePlus Genetics National Library of Medicine
- Early-onset myopathy with fatal cardiomyopathy: MedlinePlus Genetics National Library of Medicine
- Fibrodysplasia ossificans progressiva: MedlinePlus Genetics National Library of Medicine
- Glycogen storage disease type III: MedlinePlus Genetics National Library of Medicine
- Glycogen storage disease type VII: MedlinePlus Genetics National Library of Medicine
- Hereditary myopathy with early respiratory failure: MedlinePlus Genetics National Library of Medicine
- Hyperkalemic periodic paralysis: MedlinePlus Genetics National Library of Medicine
- Hypokalemic periodic paralysis: MedlinePlus Genetics National Library of Medicine
- Inclusion body myopathy with early-onset Paget disease and frontotemporal dementia: MedlinePlus Genetics National Library of Medicine
- Isolated hyperCKemia: MedlinePlus Genetics National Library of Medicine
- KCNK9 imprinting syndrome: MedlinePlus Genetics National Library of Medicine
- Malignant hyperthermia: MedlinePlus Genetics National Library of Medicine
- Miyoshi myopathy: MedlinePlus Genetics National Library of Medicine
- Multiminicore disease: MedlinePlus Genetics National Library of Medicine
- Myopathy with deficiency of iron-sulfur cluster assembly enzyme: MedlinePlus Genetics National Library of Medicine
- Myosin storage myopathy: MedlinePlus Genetics National Library of Medicine
- Myostatin-related muscle hypertrophy: MedlinePlus Genetics National Library of Medicine
- Myotonia congenita: MedlinePlus Genetics National Library of Medicine
- Nemaline myopathy: MedlinePlus Genetics National Library of Medicine
- Neutral lipid storage disease with myopathy: MedlinePlus Genetics National Library of Medicine
- Paramyotonia congenita: MedlinePlus Genetics National Library of Medicine
- Phosphoglycerate kinase deficiency: MedlinePlus Genetics National Library of Medicine
- Phosphoglycerate mutase deficiency: MedlinePlus Genetics National Library of Medicine
- Potassium-aggravated myotonia: MedlinePlus Genetics National Library of Medicine
- Rippling muscle disease: MedlinePlus Genetics National Library of Medicine
- STAC3 disorder: MedlinePlus Genetics National Library of Medicine
- Tubular aggregate myopathy: MedlinePlus Genetics National Library of Medicine
Encyclopedia
- Aging changes in the bones – muscles – joints Medical Encyclopedia
- Aldolase blood test Medical Encyclopedia
- Lactate dehydrogenase test Medical Encyclopedia
- Muscle biopsy Medical Encyclopedia
- Myopathic changes Medical Encyclopedia
- Myotonia congenita Medical Encyclopedia
- Orthopedic services Medical Encyclopedia
- Volkmann contracture Medical Encyclopedia
Teenagers
- Bones, Muscles, and Joints Nemours Foundation
Reference Desk
- Bones, Muscles, and Joints: The Musculoskeletal System Nemours Foundation
- Structure of Skeletal Muscle National Cancer Institute
Treatments and Therapies
- Botulinum Toxin Injections: A Treatment for Muscle Spasms American Academy of Family Physicians
Patient Handouts
- Caring for muscle spasticity or spasms Medical Encyclopedia
- Compartment syndrome Medical Encyclopedia
- Contracture deformity Medical Encyclopedia
- Creatine phosphokinase test Medical Encyclopedia
- Electromyography Medical Encyclopedia
- Eyelid twitch Medical Encyclopedia
- Hypotonia Medical Encyclopedia
- Muscle aches Medical Encyclopedia
- Muscle atrophy Medical Encyclopedia
- Muscle function loss Medical Encyclopedia
- Muscle twitching Medical Encyclopedia
- Rhabdomyolysis Medical Encyclopedia
- Weakness Medical Encyclopedia
Clinical Trials
- ClinicalTrials.gov: Muscular Diseases National Institutes of Health
- ClinicalTrials.gov: Rhabdomyolysis National Institutes of Health
Specifics
- Congenital Myopathy National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke
- Extra-Abdominal Desmoid Tumors (Aggressive Fibromatoses) American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons
- Familial Periodic Paralyses National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke
- Hypotonia National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke
- Mitochondrial Myopathies National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke
- Multifocal Motor Neuropathy National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke
- Myotonia National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke
Diagnosis and Tests
- Creatine Kinase National Library of Medicine
- Electromyography (EMG) and Nerve Conduction Studies National Library of Medicine
- Musculoskeletal MRI Radiological Society of North America
- Needle Biopsy Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research
Children
- EMG (Electromyogram) (For Parents) Nemours Foundation
- Healthy Muscles Matter National Institute of Arthritis and Musculoskeletal and Skin Diseases
- Your Muscles Nemours Foundation
Find an Expert
- Find a Physical Medicine & Rehabilitation Physician American Academy of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation
- Find a Rheumatologist American College of Rheumatology
- National Institute of Arthritis and Musculoskeletal and Skin Diseases National Institute of Arthritis and Musculoskeletal and Skin Diseases
- National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke
Related Issues
- Foot Drop Syndrome National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke