Life Expectancy. Myotonic dystrophy. shorten life expectancy, and for most people it progresses very slowly, giv-ing you time to prepare for and adjust to changes. It is characterized by prolonged muscle tensing as well as muscle weakness, pain, and stiffness.Signs and symptoms usually develop during a person's twenties or thirties. They rarely live past twenty to twenty-five years of age. Becker muscular dystrophy. People with limb-girdle muscular dystrophy lose their ability to walk between ages 10 and 12. Facioscapulohumeral muscular dystrophy generally manifests by the age of 20 years. What is the average life expectancy in duchenne muscular dystrophy? The main complications that may reduce the expectation of life are pneumonia and cardiac arrhythmias. Unlike some other forms of muscular dystrophy, this one typically isn’t threatening to heart and breathing function. Prognosis & Life Expectancy. Patients usually die in their 20s or early 30s. The life expectancy for those with this disease is late teens or 20s. Myotonic dystrophy type 2, one of the two types of myotonic dystrophy, is an inherited muscular dystrophy that affects the muscles and other body systems (e.g., heart, eyes, and pancreas). MDA’s research program is constantly making strides toward better treatments and a cure. Learn about prognosis and life expectancy of Duchenne muscular dystrophy, the most common childhood form of the disease, and what factors make living with muscular dystrophy easier. The life expectancy of someone with Muscular Dystrophy depends on the type that they have because it is different for each type. But, as mentioned above, some children are able to live into their 30s or 40s with excellent medical care. Most of them die in their 20s or early 30s. Oculopharyngeal muscular dystrophy (OPMD) is a rare genetic condition. People with this type usually live a long life but how long depends on how severe it is and how it progresses. Advances in medical management have greatly extended life expectancy for muscular dystrophy. It usually doesn’t affect a patient’s lifespan. The symptoms start later in life and progress slowly. Limb-girdle muscular dystrophy life expectancy. Once the heart and respiratory muscles are damaged, Duchenne MD becomes life-threatening. The incidence rate is more in Type 1 than the type 2, it has been estimated that 1 in 8000 people suffer from MMD. Distal muscular dystrophy is a slow progressing disease. Becker muscular dystrophy is similar to Duchenne muscular dystrophy… Duchenne MD. The life expectancy depends upon the severity of the disease syndrome. The life expectancy of a person suffering from myotonic dystrophy of Steinert is between 15 and 20 years lower than that of the general population. This type also is seen to be affecting only males. The condition may harm vision and cause problems swallowing and talking. As with other types of muscular dystrophy, myotonic dystrophy involves progressive muscle weakness and muscle wasting. Becker MD. The average life expectancy is 26 years. Limb-girdle muscular dystrophy is associated with losing the ability to walk between ages 10 and 12. Walking and sitting often becomes more difficult as the child grows. Usually by the age of 12, the child needs a wheelchair because the leg muscles are too weak to work. Gene therapy is treatment that may improve the life expectancy for people with DMD much more in future. The type 2 is more common in Finland and Germany. Becker muscular dystrophy has some similarities with Duchenne muscular dystrophy, but is comparatively milder than that. Life expectancy is normal but most of the patients will require a wheelchair. Life expectancy is usually beyond 30s in this type of muscular dystrophy. Usually people are having normal life expectancy in case of mild syndrome. With medical care, most people with Duchenne MD die from heart or respiratory failure before or during their 30s. Distal muscular dystrophy life expectancy. Muscular dystrophy is a progressive condition that needs life-long management to prevent deformity and complications. It causes weakness in the muscles around the upper eyelids and part of the throat called the pharynx.