Inclusion body myositis Picture Inclusion body myositis (IBM) is a disease of muscle, which causes muscles to become thin and weak.   The picture above shows the thinning of the muscle associated with Inclusion body myositis.

What is Inclusion Body Myositis?

Inclusion body myositis (IBM) is one of a group of muscle diseases known as the inflammatory myopathies, which are characterized by chronic, progressive muscle inflammation accompanied by muscle weakness.  The onset of muscle weakness in IBM is generally gradual (over months or years) and affects both proximal (close to the trunk of the body) and distal (further away from the trunk) muscles.  Muscle weakness may affect only one side of the body.  Falling and tripping are usually the first noticeable symptoms of IBM.  For some individuals, the disorder begins with weakness in the wrists and fingers that causes difficulty with pinching, buttoning, and gripping objects.  There may be weakness of the wrist and finger muscles and atrophy (thinning or loss of muscle bulk) of the forearm muscles and quadricep muscles in the legs.  Difficulty swallowing occurs in approximately half of IBM cases.  Symptoms of the disease usually begin after the age of 50, although the disease can occur earlier.  IBM occurs more frequently in men than in women.