What is Myositis- Extremely Painful Disease Samantha is Suffering From

Nowadays, actress Samantha Ruth Prabhu is very busy promoting her upcoming film “Yasoda.” But a few days back, the actress confessed that she is suffering from a deadly disease called Myositis.

Ever since Samantha’s fans learned about her condition, they are filled with a lot of questions such as what is Myositis, what are its symptoms, causes, cure, etc.

So, you don’t have to go anywhere, because we have provided all the information you need to know about the disease. Let’s get started.

What is Myositis?

Myositis is an autoimmune disease that causes inflammation and weakness in the muscles in the patient. It’s a very rare disease that mostly happens to adult women and children.

The disease is also very difficult to diagnose and even sometimes, doctors are not able to find out the cause behind it. Its symptoms gradually appear over time.

The primary symptoms of Myositis may include difficulty in swallowing, trouble breathing, muscle pain, swelling, soreness, fatigue, etc. However, its symptoms differ according to its type.

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5 Different Types of Myositis with Symptoms

Check out the 5 different types of Myositis with their specific symptoms and causes:

1. Dermatomyositis

Dermatomyositis is the most common type of Myositis appeared in the last few years. As per its name, the disease is related to skin infection and develops rashes on the face, chest, neck, eyelids, back, etc.

Apart from making us look ugly, it weakens our muscles and even joints. Here are some other symptoms of Dermatomyositis:

1. Dry, rough and scaly skin
2. Trouble getting up
3. Fatigue
4. Weakness in body muscles
5. Swallowing difficulty
6. Muscle pain
7. Uneven heartbeat
8. Weight loss
9. Gastrointestinal ulcers
10. Gruffness in voice

Talking of its causes, medical science has not given any specific explanation for this condition. They even say it is incurable and we can only manage its symptoms.

2. Inclusion-Body Myositis (IBM)

As we’ve discussed before, Myositis is the most common condition in adult women and children. But Inclusion-Body Myositis (IBM) is the only one which is more common in men over 50.

It starts with a weakness in smaller muscles such as fingers, wrists, thighs, etc. And then covers your whole body. Symptoms of Inclusion-body Myositis:

1. Feeling difficulty in walking
2. Losing balance of the body
3. Trouble getting up
4. Losing conscience
5. Swallowing difficulty
6. Unimaginable pain in muscles
7. Losing hand grip

According to the doctors, IBM affects one side of the body in comparison to others and this is the cause of its main symptoms such as body imbalance or walking difficulty. All the cases of IBM have reportedly been genetic.

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3. Juvenile Myositis (JM)

Juvenile Myositis (JM) is another type of Myositis that occurs in children below 18, especially girls. Just like other types, JM also starts with muscle weakness and skin rashes.

But with time, it brings some other symptoms to the list that makes it different from others:

1. Reddish or purple rash on the joints or eyelids
2. Fatigue
3. Feeling irritated all the time or moodiness
4. Stomach pain
5. Trouble standing, climbing stairs or getting dressed
6. Swallowing difficulty
7. Swelling around the fingernails
8. Pain in lifting the head
9. Gruffness in voice
10. Fever

Unfortunately, the cause of this problem is unknown. However, some researchers believe that it may be a result of an abnormal immune system.

4. Polymyositis

Polymyositis is a unique type of Myositis, which often appeared as a result of any auto-immune disease. Mostly, it begins with the trunks of the body and starts expanding.

Check out the symptoms of Polymyositis:

1. Skin thickening
2. Fever
3. Getting chronic dry cough
4. Irregular breathing
5. Trouble getting up
6. Swallowing difficulty
7. Muscle pain and weakness
8. Fatigue
9. Weight loss
10. Gruffness in voice

5. Toxic Myositis

Toxic Myositis is the last and rarest type of this disease. It is caused by taking cholesterol-lowering medication and illicit drugs.

Some of the most common medications and drugs include statins, immunosuppressants, omeprazole, adalimumab, cocaine, and toluene.

Symptoms of Toxic Myositis are very much similar to all previous types.

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What Type of Myositis Do Samantha has?

It is the most asked question since Samantha was diagnosed with Myositis. So, let me tell you the actress did not disclose any of this information. But based on the information we have, we can assume its type.

First of all! Samantha cannot possess Dermatomyositis or Juvenile Myositis (JM) because even after months of the diagnosis, she looks fair and there are no rashes on her face.

Secondly, she may not be diagnosed with Inclusion-Body Myositis (IBM), because it mostly happens to men.

Now, Polymyositis and Toxic Myositis are the only left types. Samantha can be affected by anyone of them.

How Do Doctors Diagnose Myositis?

As Myositis is a very rare disease and has symptoms like other common diseases, it is very difficult to diagnose it.

But when you go talk to the physician, he/she will perform some of these activities to diagnose the disease:

1. Physical examination
2. Electromyography
3. Nerve conduction study
4. Muscle biopsy
5. Antinuclear antibody blood test
6. Magnetic resonance imaging
7. Blood tests to determine CPK levels
8. Genetic testing
9. Antibody panel blood test for Myositis

As I said before, Myositis is very difficult to diagnose, it may provide the wrong results. So, if you have a feeling you are affected, then you must recheck.

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What is the Treatment of Myositis?

However, there is no specific medication or treatment for Myositis. Different doctors rely upon various therapy plans to treat patients, which include exercise, stretching, yoga, etc.

The way of treatment changes according to the type of disease. Besides it, the doctor may prescribe prednisone (Rayos) with immunosuppressant drugs such as methotrexate (Trexall) or azathioprine (Azasan).

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Can Samantha Die During Myositis?

This is the question that raises our heartbeat, but don’t worry. According to Samantha’s post on social media, she was diagnosed with Myositis at the very initial stage and getting best treatment.

She also mentioned that her doctor is very confident to pull her back. Watch her latest interview after revealing about Myositis: