What is the Difference Between Myositis and Rhabdomyolysis

The key difference between myositis and rhabdomyolysis is that myositis is a condition that causes inflammation of the muscle, while rhabdomyolysis is a condition that causes muscle breakdown and muscle death.

Muscle disorders are diseases that affect the human muscle system. The main manifestation of muscle diseases is skeletal muscle weakness. Muscle disorders may also cause weakness or paralysis in the presence of an intact nervous system. Some examples of muscle diseases include myositis, cramp, fibrositis, myasthenia gravis, rhabdomyolysis, cardiac myopathy, amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, and sarcopenia.

CONTENTS

1. Overview and Key Difference
2. What is Myositis  
3. What is Rhabdomyolysis
4. Similarities – Myositis and Rhabdomyolysis
5. Myositis vs Rhabdomyolysis in Tabular Form
6. Summary – Myositis vs Rhabdomyolysis

What is Myositis?

Myositis simply means the inflammation of the muscle. It can affect people of any age, including children. It mainly affects muscles around the shoulders, hips, and thighs. Myositis can also impact other parts of the body, including the skin, lungs, and heart. There are two types of myositis: polymyositis and dermatomyositis. Polymyositis and dermatomyositis are autoimmune conditions. In this condition, the body’s immune system gets confused and mistakenly attacks the body’s own healthy tissues. The symptoms of myositis include weak and tired muscles, pain in muscles, muscles feeling tender to touch, muscles that swell, generally feeling unwell, weight loss, night sweats, a red or pink rash, swelling of the affected skin, and puffiness and colouring around the eyes. The complications that result from myositis include breathing and swallowing difficulties, weakening of the heart, and lung scarring.

Myositis can be diagnosed through physical examination, blood tests, electromyography, muscle biopsy, and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). Furthermore, treatment options for myositis may include drugs (steroids, methotrexate, azathioprine, ciclosporin, tacrolimus, mycophenolate, cyclophosphamide, rituximab, and immunoglobulin), biological therapies, exercises, physiotherapy, occupational therapy, and speech therapy.

What is Rhabdomyolysis?

Rhabdomyolysis is a condition that causes muscle breakdown and muscle death. Endurance athletes, firefighters, service members, and older people are more likely to suffer from this condition. This dangerous muscle damage can be a result of overexertion, trauma, severe dehydration, overheating, medications (antipsychotic, antidepressant, and antiviral drugs), illegal drugs and alcohol (heroin, LSD, cocaine, excessive alcohols), or inherited diseases (muscular dystrophy, mitochondrial disorders). The symptoms of rhabdomyolysis are muscle soreness, muscle swelling, weak and tender muscles, dark urine that is brown, red or tea-coloured, dehydration, decreased urination, nausea, and loss of consciousness. The complications involved in rhabdomyolysis are kidney damage.

Rhabdomyolysis can be diagnosed through physical examination, urine test, blood test, muscle biopsy, and genetic testing. Furthermore, treatment options for rhabdomyolysis are giving intravenous fluid and electrolytes, physical therapy, and dialysis. In addition, rhabdomyolysis can be prevented through starting an exercise program slowly, staying hydrated and avoiding getting overheated, prohibiting alcohol abuse and drug use, and stopping medications that increase the risk of rhabdomyolysis.

What are the Similarities Between Myositis and Rhabdomyolysis?

• Myositis and rhabdomyolysis are two different types of muscle disorders.
• Both conditions can cause similar symptoms, like muscle pain and weakness.
• They both can lead to life-threatening complications.
• Both conditions can be diagnosed through physical examinations and blood tests.
• They are treated through specific medications and physical therapy.

What is the Difference Between Myositis and Rhabdomyolysis?

Myositis is a condition that causes inflammation of the muscle, while rhabdomyolysis is a condition that causes muscle breakdown and muscle death. Thus, this is the key difference between myositis and rhabdomyolysis. Furthermore, myositis affects people of any age, including children, while rhabdomyolysis affects endurance athletes, firefighters, service members, and older people.

The below infographic presents the differences between myositis and rhabdomyolysis in tabular form for side-by-side comparison.

Summary – Myositis vs Rhabdomyolysis

Muscle disorders are conditions that specifically affect the human muscle system. Myositis and rhabdomyolysis are two different types of muscle disorders. Both these conditions can lead to life-threatening complications if they are not treated timely. Myositis is a condition that causes inflammation of the muscle, while rhabdomyolysis is a condition that causes muscle breakdown and muscle death. So, this summarizes the difference between myositis and rhabdomyolysis.

Reference:

1. “What is myositis?” Versus Arthritis.
2. “Rhabdomyolysis: Symptoms, Treatments.” Cleveland Clinic.

Image Courtesy:

1. “Feet of a patient affected with myositis ossificans Wellcome L0062623” By Welcome Images (CC BY 4.0) via Commons Wikimedia
2. “Actin and Myosin filament breakdown with Rhabdomyolysis” By Mellowchillgpt (CC BY-SA 3.0) via Commons Wikimedia