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Tennis great Monica Seles recently revealed her three-year battle with myasthenia gravis (MG), a neuromuscular autoimmune disease. The nine-time Grand Slam champion and International Tennis Hall of Famer shared her diagnosis ahead of the U.S. Open to raise awareness about this often misunderstood condition.
MG affects approximately 20 out of every 100,000 people globally, though experts believe the actual number may be higher due to undiagnosed mild cases. In the United States, an estimated 60,000 individuals live with MG.
For Seles, the diagnosis took time to process. “It took me quite some time to really absorb it, speak openly about it, because it’s a difficult one,” she stated in an interview. “It affects my day-to-day life quite a lot.”
Seles first noticed symptoms like double vision and muscle weakness in her arms and legs. Simple activities like playing tennis with family became challenging.
“I would miss a ball. I was like, ‘Yeah, I see two balls,'” she recalled.
Even everyday tasks like blow-drying her hair became difficult.
MG can impact muscles throughout the body, particularly in the eyes, face, neck, arms, and legs. Common symptoms include muscle weakness and fatigue, drooping eyelids, blurry or double vision, limited facial expressions, difficulty speaking, swallowing or chewing, and trouble walking. Characteristically, muscles weaken with activity and strengthen with rest.
The cause of autoimmune MG remains unclear. Researchers believe it occurs when the immune system mistakenly attacks healthy tissue, potentially due to dysfunction within the thymus gland. While MG can affect people of any age, it’s more prevalent in women under 40 and men over 60.
Currently, there is no cure for MG, but various treatments can help manage symptoms. These include medications, thymus gland removal surgery, and lifestyle adjustments. In some cases, MG may go into remission, offering periods of relief from muscle weakness.