Neuromuscular Disorders Clinic

Sometimes the nerve and the muscle simply stop “talking” to each other the way they should.
That’s what happens in neuromuscular disorders. It can start small — a bit of weakness, tired arms at night, heavy eyelids — and then slowly it becomes harder to move, to speak, to do simple things.

At the clinic we focus on understanding why.
Is it the nerve? The muscle itself? Or the tiny space where the signal jumps from one to the other?
That answer changes everything — the diagnosis, the treatment, even the way the person feels about their condition.

Conditions We Work With

People come to us with many kinds of problems:
myasthenia gravis, inflammatory myopathies, hereditary muscle dystrophies, ALS, neuropathies, Guillain–Barré, and others.
Each behaves differently. Two people with the same name of a disease might look like two completely different stories.

Diagnosis

Getting to the truth takes time.
Doctors use ENMG — a test that checks how fast the nerve sends messages to the muscle. There are also blood tests for antibodies, MRIs, sometimes genetic tests, sometimes even a small biopsy.

It’s not always quick. But that’s how we find what’s really behind the weakness — immune, genetic, or something else entirely.

Treatment Approach in Israel

There’s no single way that works for everyone.
If it’s autoimmune, the goal is to calm the immune system — slowly, carefully. Sometimes with medication, sometimes with IVIG or plasma exchange. Always step by step.

If it’s hereditary, treatment is more about support. Breathing exercises, gentle movement, physiotherapy, a diet that keeps the muscles stable.
And sometimes, honestly, the routine matters more than the pills — keeping at it, not giving up.

The point isn’t to “cure” overnight. It’s to keep people moving, independent, and able to live their own pace — even if slower, still their life.

Why We Have a Separate Unit

These diseases are never simple.
I’ve seen two patients with the same diagnosis — one walks normally, another struggles to hold a cup.
That’s why we work as a group: neurologists, physiologists, genetic experts, dietitians, therapists. Everyone brings a piece of the puzzle.

It’s not about short-term fixes. It’s about following a person over time and finding what actually helps them, not “the textbook patient.”

Questions Patients Often Ask

(Prof. Karni Arnon speaking personally)

 1. How can I tell if it’s just tiredness or something more?
You know, that’s a question I hear almost every day. At first it really does feel like tiredness. But when it happens again and again — every night, same feeling — and rest doesn’t help, that’s usually the point where I start thinking of myasthenia.

 2. Why does it take so long to find the right diagnosis sometimes?
Because these conditions are good at hiding. People go from one doctor to another — eye specialists, therapists — everyone checks their part. But no one sees the full picture. Once you run ENMG and antibody tests, suddenly it all connects. I tell patients: don’t give up until you reach someone who actually works with this kind of problem.

 3. When someone just got diagnosed — what do you say first?
Usually I tell them to breathe. Literally. Take a moment. It’s frightening at first, but it’s not the end. Life doesn’t stop. With the right plan, people go back to work, travel, play with their kids. I have patients who do all of that. Just never stop the medicine because you feel fine — that’s when symptoms sneak back.

 4. What about hereditary muscle diseases? Any hope at all?
Of course there is. It’s not easy, no, but not hopeless. We can slow things down, keep movement, improve breathing. I’ve seen people do great once they learn how to pace themselves. It’s not about giving up — it’s learning to adjust.

 5. You often mention sleep and rest. Why?
Because their muscles get tired faster than they think. And when they rest properly, they move better the next day. I tell people — stop before you crash. Even ten minutes sitting quietly can help. Rest is treatment, not weakness.

 6. Is exercise safe?
Yes, but light. I always say — listen to your body. Swimming, walking, gentle stretching — good. Pushing through pain — bad. Movement helps, but you have to be kind to your muscles.

To schedule a consultation with Prof. Karni Arnon:

📞 Phone: +972-73-374-6844
📧 Email: [email protected]
💬 WhatsApp: +972-52-337-3108