Download ALS (Lou Gehrig`s Disease)

ALS (Lou Gehrig’s Disease)
Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis, or Lou Gehrig’s Disease, is the degeneration of motor
neurons throughout the body. As the neurons degenerate, the muscles weaken and
the patient experiences atrophy, sometimes leading to the loss of all motor functions,
excluding the eyes.
Usually, cognitive activity remains functional. The initial symptoms for ALS are
usually muscle weakness leading to twitching, cramping, and stiffness. Later on the
patient experiences slurred speech and difficulty swallowing. Eventually the rib cage
weakens, which affects breathing.
Finally, most patients die of respiratory failure or pneumonia, not ALS itself. Today,
there is no definitive cure for ALS, although it is known to be caused by a number of
internal and external factors, including a virus, exposure to certain metals, DNA
defects, and enzyme and immune system dysfunction.
Although this disease can strike anyone, it is extremely rare in kids. According to the
ALS Association, most people who develop Lou Gehrig's disease are adults between
40 and 70. Only 2 out of every 100,000 people will get the disease each year.
Because it is not contagious, you can't catch ALS from someone who has the
disease.
Among ALS cases in the United States, 5% to 10% are hereditary, which means the
disease runs in certain families. This is called familial (say: fuh-mee-lee-ul) ALS. At
least 90% of cases are not inherited; this is called sporadic (say: spuh-rah-dik)
ALS.
How Is the Disease Diagnosed?
Lou Gehrig's disease doesn't always begin or become worse in the same way. The
disease is different for every person who has it. In general, muscle weakness,
especially in the arms and legs, is an early symptom for more than half of people
with ALS. Other early signs are tripping or falling a lot, dropping things, having
difficulty speaking, and cramping or twitching of the muscles. As the disease gets
worse over time, eating, swallowing, and even breathing may become difficult.
What's Life Like for Someone With Lou Gehrig's Disease?
According to the ALS Association, about half of all people with ALS live at least 3
years after they find out they have the disease, and 20% (or 1 in five) live 5 years or
more. As many as 10% will survive more than 10 years.