Summary. 1  Some knowledge of basic first aid could mean the difference between life and death. 2  Consider doing a first aid course, so that you will be able to manage if someone is injured or becomes ill. 3  CPR is a life-saving skill that everyone should learn. 4  Keep a range of first aid kits handy at home, in the car and at work.
The loss of motor neurons leads to weakness and wasting (atrophy) of muscles used for activities such as crawling, walking, sitting up, and controlling head movement. In severe cases of spinal muscular atrophy, the muscles used for breathing and swallowing are affected.
Many of the inherited myopathies are caused by mutations that interfere with ion channels, causing either too much or too little current from flowing through the muscle cells. These disorders (myotonia congenita, paramyotonia congenita, periodic paralysis and central core disease) are sometimes called channelopathies. Central core disease seems to damage, and thus weaken, muscles by causing an excess release of calcium from internal storage compartments. A fifth myopathy, nemaline myopathy, is caused by mutations that affect filament proteins.