Samantha diagnosed with myositis: Is there a cure for the disease?

Samantha Ruth Prabhu, who is gearing up for the release of her upcoming science fiction action thriller film “Yashoda”, recently opened up about her battle against an autoimmune condition called Myositis. 

The actress revealed about her health condition through an Instagram post on Saturday. Sharing a picture of herself from hospital with an IV drip on her hand, she can be seen watching Yashoda trailer and made a heart emoji using her hands for her fans.

In her post, Samantha wrote, “A few months back I was diagnosed with an autoimmune condition called Myositis. I was hoping to share this after it had gone into remission. But it is taking a little longer than I hoped. I am slowly realising that we don’t always need to put up a strong front.” 

She added, “Accepting this vulnerability is something that I am still struggling with. The doctors are confident that I will make a complete recovery very soon. I have had good days and bad days…. physically and emotionally…. and even when it feels like I can’t handle one more day of this, somehow that moment passes. I guess it can only mean that I am one more day closer to recovery.”

 

 

 

 

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A post shared by Samantha (@samantharuthprabhuoffl)

What is myositis?

- Myositis is a rare autoimmune disease that involves inflammation of the muscles. 

- Myositis is usually caused by a problem with your immune system, where it mistakenly attacks healthy tissue. 

- The occurrence of this condition is around 4-22 cases per one lakh population (as per the Indian Journal of Rheumatology).

- There are different types of myositis which include Polymyositis, Dermatomyositis, and Inclusion body myositis (IBM). 

Symptoms of Myositis

The general symptoms may include muscle pain and soreness, fatigue, trouble swallowing, and difficulty breathing. 

Other symptoms include skin rashes weight loss, and low fever.

Diagnosis of Myositis

The process of diagnosing myositis can be long as there many causes of muscle weakness and pain more common than myositis, and testing for myositis is not a straightforward process. 

However, there are various tools that can be used to help diagnose myositis. The most common ones are physical exams, electromyography, magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), muscle biopsy, and blood tests.

Treatment of Myositis

According to The Myositis Association, an organisation that aims to improve the lives of those affected by the rare condition, medications, exercise, and physical therapy, as well as complementary and self-care therapies, can help the fight against Myositis.

Is Myositis curable?

As of now, myositis is not curable, but early diagnosis and treatment can help control symptoms to an extent.