Symptoms:

• Weakness or loss of movement that varies in severity, such as:
  • Difficulty chewing
  • Difficulty climbing stairs
  • Difficulty lifting objects
  • Difficulty talking
  • Drooping head
  • Need to use hands to arise from sitting or lying positions
• Swallowing difficulty, gagging, or choking
• Vision changes such as:
  • Blurry vision
  • Double vision
  • Problems maintaining a steady gaze

Additional symptoms that may be associated with this disease:

• Blood pressure changes
• Dizziness upon standing
• Dry mouth

Signs and tests:

A physical examination shows weakness or paralysis that gets slightly better with activity. Reflexes may be decreased. There may be loss of muscle tissue.

Tests to help diagnose and confirm the condition may include:

• EMG
• Nerve conduction velocity
• Tensilon test