Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis
Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis: It is also known as Gehrig’s disease. This progressive nervous system disease affects the spinal cord and the brain’s nerve cells. The disease got its name after the name of the baseball player who was diagnosed with it. Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis causes loss of muscle control. The actual cause of this disease is unknown, but some of the cases are inherited.
What are the initial signs and symptoms of Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis?
The disease begins with weakness in the arms (hands) legs and feet and muscle twitching or slurred speech. ALS progressively causes muscle weakness and affects the performance of muscles that control movement, speech, chewing, and breathing. It spreads to other parts of the body. With the advancement of the disease, nerve cells become weaker and get destroyed. The effects of weak muscles can be seen in speaking, swallowing, chewing, and breathing patterns. There is no pain in the initial as well as later stages of the disease. The condition doesn’t affect the bladder and senses control as well.
What causes ALS?
Motor neurons control movements such as walking, swallowing chewing, and talking. The motor neurons of the muscles that control voluntary muscle movement slowly deteriorate and then die. When this happens, they don’t send messages to the muscles – and therefore, muscles cannot function properly. ALS is hereditary in 5 to 10% of people. In a majority of the cases, the cause is idiopathic.
What are the typical symptoms of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis?
The signs and symptoms of ALS vary greatly from person to person. The symptoms depend on the type of neuron affected. In the beginning, symptoms manifest as muscle weakness that gradually spreads and progressively become uncontrollable. The following are some of the typical signs and symptoms of ALS:
- Weakness in the arms, hands, legs, feet, and ankles
- Falling and tripping
- Difficulty performing normal activities and routine tasks
- Walking difficulty
- Clumsiness or weakness in hands
- Speaking difficulty or trouble swallowing
- Twitching in the arms, shoulders, hands, and legs
- Muscles cramps in the limbs, shoulders, arms, and tongue
- Behavioral and cognitive changes
- Inappropriate yawning, laughing or crying
What are the risk factors for ALS?
A strong family history, age (common in people between 40 to 60 years of age), and the risk increase with advancing age. Up to age 65 years, more men develop this condition than women, but after age 70 both sexes are equally at risk. Another risk factor is genetic variations.
What are the complications of ALS?
People with this disease develop breathing problems, speaking problems, and eating problems. They may need a device (BiPAP – bilevel positive airway pressure) to help them breath at night. Some people with advanced ALS may need a tracheostomy. For many people, respiratory failure is the most common cause of death.
How is ALS diagnosed?
The signs and symptoms of ALS mimic the symptoms of other neurological disorders. Therefore, to rule out other disorders and diagnose this condition, a neurologist orders the following tests: Nerve conduction study, electromyogram (EMG), Muscle biopsy, spinal tap (lumbar puncture), blood and urine tests, and MRI.
Bottom Line
There is no cure for this fatal disease, but treatment can help slow the progression of the disease and symptoms and other complications and makes the patient comfortable and independent. If you have any questions or concerns regarding this condition, you can consult Dr. Vikram Sharma.
