Muscle atrophy is the wasting or thinning of muscle mass. It can be caused by the disuse of your muscles or neurogenic conditions. Symptoms include a decrease in muscle mass, one limb being smaller than the other, and numbness, weakness, and tingling in your limbs. Disuse atrophy can be reversed with exercise and a healthy diet.
What Is Muscle Atrophy?
Muscle atrophy is the loss or thinning of your muscle tissue. If you have atrophied muscles, you’ll see a decrease in your muscle mass and strength. With muscle atrophy, your muscles look smaller than normal. Muscle atrophy can occur due to malnutrition, age, genetics, a lack of physical activity, or certain medical conditions. Disuse (physiologic) atrophy occurs when you don’t use your muscles enough. Neurogenic atrophy occurs due to nerve problems or diseases.
What Are The Symptoms Of Muscle Atrophy?
The symptoms of muscle atrophy differ depending on the cause of your condition. The most obvious sign of muscle atrophy is reduced muscle mass. Other signs of muscle atrophy may include:
One arm or one leg is smaller than the other.
Weakness in one arm and or one leg.
Numbness or tingling in your arms and legs.
Trouble walking or balancing.
Difficulty swallowing or speaking.
Facial weakness.
Gradual memory loss.
What Does Muscle Atrophy Feel Like?
If you have muscle atrophy in your limbs, you may feel tingling, numbness, or weakness in your arms and legs. If you have atrophied muscles in your face or throat, your facial muscles may start feeling weak and you may find it difficult to speak or swallow.
What Causes Muscle Atrophy?
The cause of muscle atrophy depends on the type you have. Disuse (physiologic) atrophy is caused by not using your muscles enough. If you stop using your muscles, your body won’t waste the energy it needs to take care of them. Instead, your body will start to break your muscles down, which causes them to decrease in size and strength. Disuse atrophy may affect you if you:
Lead a sedentary lifestyle.
Are malnourished.
Don’t get enough exercise.
Sit at a desk job all day.
Are on best rest.
Have a genetic disorder such as muscular dystrophy or Charcot-Marie-Tooth disease.
Can’t move your limbs due to a stroke or other conditions such as dermatomyositis.
Have age-related atrophy (sarcopenia).
Neurogenic atrophy is caused by an injury or disease affecting nerves that connect to your muscles. When these nerves are damaged, they can’t trigger the muscle contractions that are needed to stimulate muscle activity. When your muscles don’t contract, your body thinks you don’t need them anymore. So your body starts breaking them down, which causes them to decrease in size and strength. Diseases and other conditions that can affect these nerves include:
Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS).
Guillain-Barre syndrome.
Carpal tunnel syndrome.
Polio.
Spinal cord injury.
Multiple sclerosis.
How Long Does It Take For Muscles To Atrophy?
The amount of time it takes for your muscles to atrophy depends on your age, fitness level, and cause of atrophy. If your muscle atrophy is due to disuse (physiologic), the process can start within two to three weeks of not using your muscles. Neurogenic muscle atrophy may develop sooner depending on your health condition.
How Is Muscle Atrophy Diagnosed?
To diagnose muscle atrophy, your doctor will give you a physical exam and ask you about your symptoms. They’ll look at your arms and legs and measure your muscle mass. In addition, your doctor may order tests, including:
Blood test.
Muscle or nerve biopsy.
Electromyography (EMG).
Nerve conduction studies.
X-rays.
Computed tomography (CT) scan.
Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) scan.
Can muscle atrophy be reversed?
Disuse (physiologic) atrophy can sometimes be reversed with exercise and a healthy diet. Your doctor may start you on a program that includes exercises in the pool. Working out in the water can reduce your muscle workload. Neurogenic atrophy typically can't be reversed because of the physical damage that’s been done to your nerves.
What treatments are used for muscle atrophy?
Treatment for muscle atrophy depends on the type. Disuse (physiologic) atrophy can be treated with regular exercise and better nutrition. Your doctor may recommend physical therapy or an exercise plan. Even if you can’t actively move certain joints in your body, you can do still exercises wearing a splint or brace. Your doctor may have you work with a dietitian on a healthy eating plan. They may suggest nutritional supplements as well.
Neurogenic atrophy can sometimes be treated with a special kind of physical therapy called electrical stimulation. Your physiotherapist will place electrodes on your skin over your muscles. The electrodes send small electrical impulses to your nerves and muscles. The electrical impulses try to artificially exercise or contract your muscles. This can help you maintain your muscle mass and strength.
Your physiotherapist may also recommend ultrasound therapy. Ultrasound therapy uses sound waves to promote muscle healing.
If you develop a contracture due to your muscle atrophy, your doctor may perform surgery to correct it. A contracture occurs when your muscle tissues become fibrous. This tissue makes it hard for you to stretch the muscle and prevents movement.
How long does it take to recover from muscle atrophy?
The amount of time it takes to regain muscle after atrophy depends on the type of atrophy and how severe your condition was. Disuse (physiologic) atrophy is usually reversible, but it won’t happen overnight. You can recover from muscle atrophy by exercising with your certified personal trainer regularly and eating a healthy diet. You may start seeing improvement after a few months, but it may take much longer for you to fully recover your strength.
What is the difference between muscle atrophy and muscle hypertrophy?
Muscle atrophy is a loss of muscle mass. Muscle hypertrophy is an increase in muscle mass. Your muscle fibers get bigger or thicken. Muscle hypertrophy occurs due to an increase in the volume of your muscle cells. You may experience muscle hypertrophy through workout routines such as strength training or high-intensity interval training (HIIT) with your certified personal trainer.
As a Certified Personal Trainer, I use strength & conditioning to get all my clients, stronger, leaner, and healthier. Strength training is a key component of overall health and fitness for everyone because lean muscle mass naturally diminishes with age, consequently, your body fat percentage will increase over time if you don't do anything to replace the lean muscle you lose over time. Strength training can help you preserve and enhance your muscle mass at any age.
Two or three 20- or 30-minute custom strength training sessions with your certified personal trainer every week can result in significant health benefits:
Increased muscle mass: Muscle mass naturally decreases with age, but strength training can help reverse the trend.
Stronger bones: Strength training increases bone density and reduces the risk of fractures.
Joint flexibility: Strength training helps joints stay flexible and can reduce the symptoms of arthritis.
Weight control: As you gain muscle, your body begins to burn calories more easily, making it easier to control your weight.
Balance: Strengthening exercises can increase flexibility and balance as people age, reducing falls and injuries.
Get Help From A Certified Personal Trainer
My name is Aubrey, I am a Certified Personal Trainer and founder of Tiger Athletic, a modern, private, appointment-only gym in Bryanston, Johannesburg. We use a rigorous, scientific, results-focused training methodology. We are passionate about helping you be the healthiest version of yourself, so you can lead a more fulfilling personal and professional life.
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