What is ALS disease? Symptoms and process

What is ALS disease? Symptoms and process
Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, or ALS, is a rare group of neurological diseases that result primarily from damage to nerve cells responsible for the control of voluntary muscle movement. Voluntary muscles are responsible for movements such as chewing, walking and speaking.

What is ALS disease?

Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, or ALS, is a rare group of neurological diseases that result primarily from damage to nerve cells responsible for the control of voluntary muscle movement. Voluntary muscles are responsible for movements such as chewing, walking and speaking. ALS disease is progressive and symptoms tend to worsen over time. Today, there are no treatment options to stop the progression of ALS or provide complete cure, but research on this subject continues.

What are the symptoms of ALS?

The initial symptoms of ALS manifest themselves differently in different patients. While one person may have difficulty holding a pen or coffee cup, another person may have problems with speech. ALS is a disease that typically progresses gradually.

The rate of progression of the disease varies greatly from patient to patient. Although the average survival time for ALS patients is 3 to 5 years, many patients can live 10 or more years.

The most common early symptoms in ALS are:

  • Stumbling while walking,
  • Difficulty carrying things,
  • Speech impairment,
  • Swallowing problems,
  • Cramps and stiffness in the muscles,
  • Difficulty in keeping the head upright may be listed as follows.

ALS may initially affect only one hand. Or you may have trouble with just one leg, making it difficult to walk in a straight line. Over time, nearly all of the muscles you control are affected by the disease. Some organs, such as the heart and bladder muscles, remain completely healthy.

As ALS worsens, more muscles begin to show signs of the disease. More advanced symptoms of the disease include:

  • Severe weakness in muscles,
  • Decrease in muscle mass,
  • There are symptoms such as increased chewing and swallowing problems.

What are the causes of ALS?

The disease is inherited from parents in 5 to 10% of cases, while in others no known cause can be found. Possible causes in this group of patients:

Gene mutation . Various genetic mutations can lead to hereditary ALS, which causes symptoms nearly identical to the non-hereditary form.

Chemical imbalance . Increased levels of glutamate, which is found in the brain and functions to carry chemical messages, have been detected in people with ALS. Research has shown that excess glutamate causes damage to nerve cells.

Dysregulated immune response . Sometimes a persons immune system can attack their bodys own normal cells, leading to the death of nerve cells.

Abnormal accumulation of proteins . Abnormal forms of some proteins in nerve cells gradually accumulate within the cell and damage the cells.


How is ALS diagnosed?

The disease is difficult to diagnose in the early stages; because the symptoms can mimic some other neurological diseases. Some tests used to rule out other conditions:

  • Electromyogram (EMG)
  • Nerve conduction study
  • Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI)
  • Blood and urine tests
  • Lumbar puncture (the process of removing fluid from the spinal cord by inserting a needle into the waist)
  • Muscle biopsy

What are the treatment methods for ALS?

Treatments cannot fix the damage done by the disease; but it can slow the progression of symptoms, prevent complications, and make the patient more comfortable and independent. Treatment requires an integrated team of doctors and medical personnel trained in many areas. This can prolong your survival and improve your quality of life. Methods such as various medications, physical therapy and rehabilitation, speech therapy, nutritional supplements, psychological and social support treatments are used in the treatment.

There are two different drugs, Riluzole and Edaravone, approved by the FDA for the treatment of ALS. Riluzole slows the progression of the disease in some people. It achieves this effect by reducing the levels of a chemical messenger called glutamate, which is often found at high levels in the brains of people with ALS. Riluzole is a medication taken orally in pill form. Edaravone is given to the patient intravenously and may cause serious side effects. In addition to these two medications, your doctor may recommend different medications to relieve symptoms such as muscle cramps, constipation, fatigue, excessive salivation, sleep problems, and depression.