Charcot Marie Tooth disease (CMT) is a group of genetic conditions that affect the peripheral nervous system. These nerves connect the Central nervous system to the rest of the body. There are two main types (1 and 2) and many sub-types. In Type 1 CMT, the Myelin sheath of the nerves is damaged, in Type 2, it’s the nerve axon itself.
This disease is slowly progressive but not usually life limiting. More information can be found through this organisation: https://cmtrf.org
The peripheral nerves carry messages to and from the brain and spinal cord to our muscles. These messages tell muscles to contract for movement and return information to the brain about external stimuli such as touch and pain. CMT causes these nerves to become damaged, leading to weakness of the muscles, numbness and difficulty with moving the affected body parts. The lower legs and feet are most commonly affected but problems in the hands and forearms can also occur.
In the more common types of CMT, symptoms usually appear in the first ten years of life. Parents may notice difficulties with their child’s walking. Many people with CMT have high arched feet which may be obvious from an early age. Symptoms in the hands often develop later in life. The severity of symptoms varies wildly, even amongst affected family members, and 10-20% of people with this condition have no symptoms at all.
Cause:
CMT is caused by a mutation of one of more than 80 genes. It can be inherited from either or both parents. These gene mutations cause a particular protein in the body to be faulty or absent which affects the nerves and their protective sheath. Over time the nerves become damaged and die causing the symptoms of this condition.
Diagnosis:
Diagnosis is by careful examination, family history, electrical tests and genetic study of your blood. Your G.P. is likely to refer you to a neurologist, if you show symptoms of CMT, who will determine the type and suggest ways of managing the condition. There is currently no specific treatment for CMT although research is ongoing. Managing your symptoms will improve your quality of life and may slow down progression of the disease.
Treatment:
Studies have shown that regular exercise will keep the non-affected muscles strong and improve stamina. Balance practise and core stability exercises will reduce falls and give confidence when walking.
For those with high arches, orthotic insoles for your shoes will help and if you have severe weakness in the lower leg muscles, splints can support the ankles. These aids should reduce the tendency for the foot to drop and prevent tripping and falls.
Regular appointments with a Chiropodist will enable you to take extra care of your feet and avoid any unseen (or unfelt) damage from becoming a more serious problem. Always wash and dry your feet carefully and inspect for sore or damaged areas that you haven’t noticed before.
How can I help?
I have had experience of treating a client with CMT. Their symptoms resulted in having no feeling in their lower legs and feet. Regular Pilates and Golf maintained their fitness, balance and mental well-being. We found that regular massage of the legs helped them to maintain these activities, released some of the tension in the muscles that were over stimulated by the damaged nerves and enabled me to give them an overview of their skin health.
To discuss how massage can be used to improve the lives of those with chronic illness and find out if I may be able to help YOU, please get in touch