What is the Difference Between Neuromuscular and Musculoskeletal Disorders?
🆚 Go to Comparative Table 🆚The main difference between neuromuscular and musculoskeletal disorders lies in the systems they affect. Neuromuscular disorders are diseases that affect the nerves controlling voluntary muscles and the communication between nerves and muscles. In contrast, musculoskeletal disorders affect muscles, bones, and joints.
Neuromuscular disorders often result in muscle weakness, movement issues, balance problems, droopy eyelids, troubled swallowing, double vision, and troubled breathing. Examples of neuromuscular disorders include amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, muscular dystrophy, diabetic neuropathy, toxic neuropathy, myasthenia gravis, small fiber neuropathy, and spinal muscular atrophy.
On the other hand, musculoskeletal disorders typically cause symptoms such as pain, redness, swelling, and muscle weakness. These disorders can be caused by sudden exertion, over-exertion, repetitive motions, or long periods of maintaining awkward positions. Musculoskeletal disorders are often work- or sports-related and generally affect just one or a few muscles. Examples of musculoskeletal disorders include arthritis, rheumatoid arthritis, osteoarthritis, ankylosing spondylitis, and spinal disorders.
In summary, neuromuscular disorders affect the nerves controlling voluntary muscles and the communication between nerves and muscles, while musculoskeletal disorders affect muscles, bones, and joints.
Comparative Table: Neuromuscular vs Musculoskeletal Disorders
Neuromuscular and musculoskeletal disorders are two types of diseases that mainly affect muscles. They differ in the specific structures they affect and their underlying causes. Here is a summary of the differences between neuromuscular and musculoskeletal disorders:
| Neuromuscular Disorders | Musculoskeletal Disorders |
|---|---|
| Affect nerves that control voluntary muscles | Affect muscles, joints, and bones |
| Diseases include muscular dystrophy, myasthenia gravis, and Parkinson's disease | Diseases include tendinitis, carpal tunnel syndrome, osteoarthritis, rheumatoid arthritis, fibromyalgia, and bone fractures |
| Often due to faulty genes or system-wide problems, such as abnormal immune system responses | Often due to biomechanical stresses, such as sudden exertion, over-exertion, repetitive motions, or long periods of maintaining awkward positions |
| Generally not work or sports-related | Often work or sports-related |
| Affect the communication between the brain and muscles | Generally affect one or a few muscles |
| Can be slowed with treatment, but not always cured | Treatment is often available to slow disease progression or lessen symptoms |
| Examples of neuromuscular disorders include muscular dystrophy, myasthenia gravis, and Parkinson’s disease | Examples of musculoskeletal disorders include tendinitis, carpal tunnel syndrome, osteoarthritis, rheumatoid arthritis, fibromyalgia, and bone fractures |
- Motor Neuron Disease vs Muscular Dystrophy
- Muscular Dystrophy vs Myasthenia Gravis
- Muscular Dystrophy vs Myotonic Dystrophy
- Myopathy vs Neuropathy
- Multiple Sclerosis vs Motor Neuron Disease
- Mental Illness vs Neurological Disorder
- Spinal Muscular Atrophy vs Muscular Dystrophy
- Synapse vs Neuromuscular Junction
- Neurodevelopmental vs Neurocognitive Disorders
- Nerve Pain vs Muscle Pain
- Malignant Hyperthermia vs Neuroleptic Malignant Syndrome
- Myalgia vs Fibromyalgia
- Muscular Tissue vs Nervous Tissue
- Polymyositis vs Polymyalgia Rheumatica
- Guillain Barre Syndrome vs Myasthenia Gravis
- Dermatomyositis vs Polymyositis
- Fibromyalgia vs MS
- Parkinson’s vs Myasthenia Gravis
- Neuroscience vs Neurology