Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, also known as Lou Gehrig’s disease, is characterized through a progressive reduction of the number of nervous cells in the brain and spine, called motor neurons. The motor neurons regulate the contraction and relaxation of the voluntary muscles, which make the motion of the body possible.



ALS is a progressive disease, which is invalidating and fatal. Walking, speaking, eating, swallowing and other fundamental functions of the body become more difficult in time. These afflictions can cause various injuries and other complications.



One, maybe two, people in 100000 develop ALS every year. The men are affected slightly more often than women. Even though the condition can start at any age, it is more frequent in middle aged people and the elderly. The causes for ALS are unknown. Some 5-10% of people with ALS present an inherited form of the disease. ALS is not infectious.

Symptoms

Lou Gehrig’s disease early symptoms and later symptoms include: - weakness of lack of precision and dexterity in the hands and feet; - gradual loss of strength in the arms and legs; - inability of voluntary control of the arms and legs; - muscle spasms ; - rigid and unsteady walking; - difficulty with swallowing, swallowing and speaking; - fatigue; - muscle cramps, more frequent during the night, which can start later in the evolution of the disease; - pain in the final stages of the disease.

It is important to remember that Lou Gehrig’s disease early symptoms are not sure indicators of ALS, since these effects could be noted in many other circumstances as well.

The first sign of ALS is usually represented by a slight feeling of weakness in one leg, arm, the face or the tongue. Other problems are represented by greater imprecision and difficulty in the performance of actions that require precise movements of the fingers and hands. There can also be muscle spasms. The weakness extends to the arms and legs for months, or even years. While the neurons continue to decrease in numbers, the muscle cells that would have normally be stimulated by these nerves begin to decrease in number and the muscles atrophy.

Respiratory afflictions are perhaps some of the most frequent severe complications of ALS. While the muscles of the throat and chest atrophy, swallowing and coughing become more difficult, which sometimes triggers the aspiration of food or saliva into the trachea. This determines the occurrence of pneumonia (inflammation of the pulmonary tissue). Respiratory afflictions worsen as the disease progresses, increasing the risk of infections and respiratory insufficiency.



Pneumonia, pulmonary embolism, respiratory insufficiency and cardiac insufficiency (probably due to the inexistence of adequate respiration following the atrophy of the muscles) are the most common causes of death among ALS patients. In most cases, death occurs at the latest after three to six years from the initial symptoms, otherwise there are individual who survive with the disease even for decades. Even if there is no remedy for ALS, treatment may help maintain stability and independence, control of the symptoms and can avoid complications for as long as possible. The treatment is aimed at promoting emotional support as the invalidity increases.