Myasthenia gravis

For a lay person:

Myasthenia gravis is an autoimmune condition that blocks signals between nerves and muscles. It causes muscle weakness that gets worse with use and better with rest, often starting with drooping eyelids and double vision.

For a trained medical person:

Antibody-mediated (AChR, MuSK) disease of the neuromuscular junction. Diagnosis by antibodies and electrophysiology; CT for thymoma. Treatment: pyridostigmine, immunosuppression, thymectomy, and IVIG or plasma exchange for crises.

In Chinese medicine:

Flaws and Sionneau's textbook differentiates this condition into these patterns: Q ideficiency falling downward; Qi and yin deficiency; Spleen and Kidney Yang Deficiency; Phlegm dampness obstructing the network vessels; Blood Stasis. Treatment follows the pattern a patient presents with, not the Western diagnosis alone.

When to get help: Get emergency care for difficulty breathing or swallowing (myasthenic crisis).