Autoimmune/Neuromuscular

Myasthenia Gravis

Myasthenia gravis is a chronic autoimmune, neuromuscular disease that causes weakness in the skeletal muscles — the muscles your body uses for movement. It occurs when communication between nerve cells and muscles is disrupted. The hallmark is muscle weakness that improves with rest and worsens with activity.

5

Symptoms

2

Causes

5

Treatments

2

Prevention

Condition Overview

Understand key symptoms, causes, diagnosis options, and treatment pathways for Myasthenia Gravis. This overview is intended for patient awareness and should be followed by specialist consultation.

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Symptoms

  • Eye muscle weakness (drooping eyelid — ptosis, double vision)
  • Facial and throat muscle weakness (difficulty speaking, chewing, swallowing)
  • Limb weakness (arms more than legs)
  • Symptoms worsen with activity, improve with rest
  • Myasthenic crisis (severe respiratory muscle weakness)

Causes

  • Autoimmune: antibodies block acetylcholine receptors (or MuSK, LRP4) at neuromuscular junction
  • Thymus gland abnormalities (thymoma in 10%)

Diagnosis

  • Physical examination
  • Blood tests (acetylcholine receptor antibodies)
  • Edrophonium (Tensilon) test
  • Repetitive nerve stimulation
  • CT scan of chest (for thymoma)
  • EMG

Treatment

  • Acetylcholinesterase inhibitors (pyridostigmine)
  • Immunosuppressants (prednisone, azathioprine, mycophenolate)
  • Thymectomy
  • Plasmapheresis or IVIG for crisis
  • Biologic agents (eculizumab, efgartigimod)

Risk Factors

  • Female sex (under 40)
  • Male sex (over 60)
  • Thymus abnormalities
  • Other autoimmune diseases

Prevention

  • No known prevention
  • Avoid triggers (infections, stress, certain medications) to prevent crisis

Prevalence

Approximately 20 per 100,000 people in the United States have myasthenia gravis.

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