There is no known cure for MG, but there are effective treatments that allow many-but not all-people with MG to lead full lives. Common treatments include medications, thymectomy and plasmapheresis. Spontaneous improvement and even remission may occur without specific therapy.

    对于重症肌无力这个病症，目前还没有熟知的能治愈的好方法，但是确实也有能使得很多患者（但不是全部患者）治愈，从而更好的生活的有效方法。一般治疗包括药物制剂、胸腺治疗和血浆置换疗法。也有不用专门治疗而自然改善甚至减缓病状的。

Medications are most frequently used in treatment. Anticholinesterase agents (e.g., Mestinon®) allow acetylcholine to remain at the neuromuscular junction longer than usual so that more receptor sites can be activated. Corticosteroids (e.g., prednisone) and immunosuppressant agents (e.g., Imuran®) may be used to suppress the abnormal action of the immune system that occurs in MG. Intravenous immunoglobulins (IVIg) are sometimes used to affect the function or production of the abnormal antibodies also.

    大部分最常用的治疗方法是药物治疗。抗胆碱制剂（比如小明）能比平时更长时间促使乙选胆碱作用于影响神经肌肉的连接点，这样可以激活更多的神经末梢。肾上腺皮质药物（比如prednisone）和免疫抑制剂（比如imuran）,可以用来抑制重症肌无力患者免疫系统的异常活动。有时也可用免疫球蛋白，来改善异常抗体的功能。

Thymectomy  (surgical removal of the thymus gland) is another treatment used in some patients. The thymus gland lies behind the breastbone and is an important part of the immune system. When there is a tumor of the thymus gland (in 10-15% of patients with MG), it is always removed because of the risk of malignancy. Thymectomy frequently lessens the severity of the MG weakness after some months. In some people, the weakness may completely disappear. This is called a remission. The degree to which the thymectomy helps varies with each patient.

    有些患者也用过另外一种治疗方法：胸腺切除术（外科切除胸腺）。胸腺在胸骨下方，是免疫系统一个重要的组成部分。人若得了胸腺瘤（肌无力患者中有10%-15%的人会并发此病，）因为怕是恶性的，所以通常会考虑切除。胸腺切除几个月后，肌无力的症状会得到缓解。还有一些患者肌无力症状可以完全消失，这称为缓解。每位患者胸腺切除后症状改善程度各有不同。

Plasmapheresis, or plasma exchange, may be useful in the treatment of MG also. This procedure removes the abnormal antibodies from the plasma of the blood. The improvement in muscle strength may be striking, but is usually short-lived, since production of the abnormal antibodies continues. When plasmapheresis is used, it may require repeated exchanges. Plasma exchange may be especially useful during severe MG weakness or prior to surgery.

    血浆去除法，或者血浆置换法也是治疗肌无力一种很有用的方法。这种方法是从血液中将变异的血浆置换掉。这样能加强肌体力量，但因为异常抗体会继续（在体内生存），通常很危险。 血浆置换术可以多次置换。对于严重的肌无力患者或者手术前的患者来说，血浆置换术还是尤其管用的。

Treatment decisions are based on knowledge of the natural history of MG in each patient and the predicted response to a specific form of therapy. Treatment goals are individualized according to the severity of the MG weakness, the patient's age and sex, and the degree of impairment.

    对于每个患者来说，采用哪种治疗方法取决于你的肌无力病史和对肌无力的了解程度，以及你对于每个治疗方案的预先反应。根据病情的不同，病人的年龄、性别以及损伤程度各异，治疗结果也不同。

What is the prognosis for those with MG?肌无力患者的未来

The current treatments for MG are sufficiently effective that the outlook for most patients is bright. Although the treatments will not cure MG, most patients will have significant improvement in their muscle weakness. In some cases, MG may go into remission for a time, during which no treatment is necessary. There is much that can be done, but still much to understand. New drugs to improve treatments are needed. Research plays an important role in finding new answers and treatments for MG.

      现行的肌无力治疗方法十分有效，大部分患者前景很光明。尽管这些方法不能治愈肌无力，但是大部分患者能大大改善肌肉的力量。在一些病例中，肌无力能很长时间得到缓解，在此期间不需要任何进一步治疗。我们能做的很多，但是仍然更需要理解。还需要更多改进治疗的新药，在发现新的肌无力治疗方法的过程中，研究工作起着很重要的作用。

英文摘自：美国肌无力协会网站。译文：深谷幽兰