The condition that claimed world-renowned individuals like the American baseball player Lou Gehrig and acclaimed physicist Stephen Hawking, ALS or Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis is a progressive neurodegenerative condition in which gradual nerve cell destruction in the brain and spinal cord leads to the eventual loss of all voluntary functions like speech, breathing, and motion. ALS can strike at any age, but commonly affects older individuals between 40-70 and is currently incurable.
How It Happens:
Motor neurons relay messages from the brain to bodily muscles via the spinal cord to help the muscles move. The message-relaying process slowly stops when these motor neurons start dying off. With no messages to instruct them, the muscles then slowly start weakening and deteriorating or ‘atrophying’, until they stop functioning altogether.
However, recent research has proven that ALS isn’t simply a motor neuron dysfunction but also an autoimmune anomaly in which the neurons are destroyed by toxic substances produced by the very cells that protect them.
Symptoms:
Early signs of the condition include:
Note: Not all individuals may experience the same symptoms.
Progression:
ALS can progress in two ways: reduced arm and leg function (Limb Onset ALS) or speech and swallowing issues (Bulbar Onset ALS). Degeneration may occur slowly over time in some individuals, while others may experience periods of no or minor changes followed by escalated degeneration. After a significant reduction in limb or throat and tongue function, muscles in other parts of the body start stiffening and spasming and breathing becomes difficult.
In later stages, all voluntary muscles become paralyzed; forcing the patient to turn towards external aid and adopt the full-time use of assistive devices like electronic wheelchairs for motion, portable ventilators for breathing, and automated devices for speaking. Bowel or bladder control, memory, thinking, decision-making, and sexual function are usually not affected.
Some patients only live for about three years, while most can live between 5-10 years post-diagnosis. A small number of patients are able to survive for over 10 years.
Types:
Causes:
While the exact cause is unknown, several possibilities include:
Risk Factors:
In addition to a family history and advancing age, the following factors may increase the risk of disease development:
ALS may be incurable, but early detection helps prolong life expectancy and improve life quality. So, if you or a loved one experience any of the above symptoms, consult with your doctor immediately. At oladoc, you can find a Neurologist in Karachi, Rawalpindi, Multan and get an appointment. Moreover, you can also get an appointment by calling our helpline: 042-3890-0939.
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