The Symptoms of Multifocal Motor Neuropathy

Charlotte, NC-based neurologist Dr. Hemanth Rao possesses more than 30 years of medical experience. As president and CEO of The Neurological Institute in Charlotte, NC, Dr. Hemanth Rao provides care to patients who suffer from a wide range of conditions, including multifocal motor neuropathy.

Multifocal motor neuropathy (MMN) is most often seen among individuals between the ages of 35 and 70. Men are roughly two times as likely to develop the condition as women, but the disorder is still fairly rare and only affects one in 100,000 people. 

There are several symptoms associated with MMN, but the most common is weakness in the arms and hands. Some patients experience involuntary twitching in the affected muscles, along with cramping, as the condition progresses, and in the later stages of the condition, they may experience atrophy.

When MMN starts developing, individuals often experience these symptoms in a specific part of the arm or hand, such as the wrist or finger. These symptoms often only affect the right or left side of the body at first. Although these symptoms may expand to both sides of the body over time, they are often more severe on the side on which they first appeared. The condition can affect the lower limbs, but it is typically only seen in the hands and lower arms.

As an individual ages, symptoms worsen, and this can lead to a great deal of dysfunction and disability. With a few exceptions, MMN is not life-threatening, does not cause major problems with swallowing or breathing, and is not painful.