Limb Weakness

About the Symptom

Decreased muscle strength, where you try your best to move a limb but a normal muscle contraction doesn't occur. Muscle weakness is typically due to nerve issues or problems within the muscles.

When to See a Doctor

Seek professional care if you experience any of the following symptoms

• Weakness in arms or legs

Possible Causes

Generally, Limb weakness can be related to:

• Muscular Dystrophy

  Muscular dystrophy (MD) is a group of diseases causing progressive weakness and muscle wasting. It is caused by mutated genes that normally allow healthy muscles to form. Different types of MD can appear at different ages, ranging from childhood to adulthood, and also present different levels of severity and clinical manifestations.

• Neuromyelitis Optica (NMO)

  Neuromyelitis optica (NMO) is a rare condition in which the immune system damages the spinal cord and the optic nerves.

• Chronic Inflammatory Demyelinating Polyneuropathy

  Chronic inflammatory demyelinating polyneuropathy (CIDP) or chronic relapsing polyneuropathy happens when the immune system attacks the myelin sheaths (protective fatty coverings) around the nerves. The exact triggers are unclear but could be systemic conditions like liver disease, diabetes, infections, cancer, immune system disorders, etc.

• Progressive Multifocal Leukoencephalopathy (AIDS-Related PML)
• Transverse Myelitis
• Subcortical Hemorrhage
• Familial Amyloid Polyneuropathy
• Neuralgic Amyotrophy
• Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS)

Related Serious Diseases

Sometimes, Limb weakness may be related to these serious diseases:

• Pontine Infarction / Hemorrhage

  Also known as a myocardial bridge, this is a condition present at birth where a segment of the coronary artery (the heart's major blood vessels) runs through the heart wall beneath the muscle bridge. It can have no symptoms or sometimes lead to a myocardial infarction (heart attack) and this type of heart attack is called a bridge infarction.

Doctor's Diagnostic Questions

Your doctor may ask these questions to check for this symptom:

• Do you have weakness in your arms or legs?
• When did you first notice the weakness in your arms or legs?
• How long does a single episode of weakness in your arms or legs typically last?
• Which of the following best describes how the weakness in your arms or legs appeared?
• How is your weakness in your arms or legs now?

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