International Journal of Neurorehabilitation

Respiratory Neuromuscular Dysfunction

Abstract

Nausherwan K Burki

Respiratory muscle dysfunction results in significant symptoms and morbidity. The diaphragm is the primary muscle of inspiration and understanding the function and innervation of the respiratory muscles is essential to identify respiratory muscle dysfunction. Dysfunction of the diaphragm may be due to interruption of nerve supply, muscular weakness due to myasthenia gravis or other muscular dystrophies, or secondary to sepsis, prolonged mechanical ventilation, or due to mechanical reconfiguration as with COPD. The primary symptom of respiratory muscle weakness is dyspnea. Currently available tests of diaphragmatic function include spirometry, maximum mouth pressure measurement, fluoroscopy, non-volitional transdermal phrenic nerve stimulation and more invasive tests measuring respiratory muscle EMGs or neural impulses.