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Paralysis; Paresis; Loss of movement; Motor dysfunction
Muscle function loss is when a muscle doesn't work or move normally. The medical term for complete loss of muscle function is paralysis.
Loss of muscle function may be caused by:
The loss of muscle function after these types of events can be severe, and often will not completely return.
Paralysis can be temporary or permanent. It can affect a small area (localized) or be widespread (generalized). It may affect one side (unilateral) or both sides (bilateral).
If the paralysis affects the lower half of the body and both legs it is called paraplegia. It if affects both arms and legs, it is called quadriplegia. If the paralysis affects the muscles that cause breathing, it is quickly life threatening.
Diseases of the muscle that cause muscle-function loss include:
Diseases of the nervous system that cause muscle function loss include:
Griggs RC, Józefowicz RF, Aminoff MJ. Approach to the patient with neurologic disease. In: Goldman L, Ausiello D, eds. Cecil Medicine. 23rd ed. Philadelphia, Pa. Saunders Elsevier; 2007: chap 418.
Barohn RJ. Muscle diseases. In: Goldman L, Ausiello D, eds. Cecil Medicine. 23rd ed. Philadelphia, Pa. Saunders Elsevier; 2007: chap 447.
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