Motor Neuron Disease comprises a group of severe disorders of the nervous system characterized by progressive degeneration of motor neurons (neurons are the basic nerve cells that combine to form nerves). Motor neurons control the behavior of muscles. Motor Neuron Diseases may affect the upper motor neurons, nerves that lead from the brain to the medulla (a part of the brain stem) or to the spinal cord, or the lower motor neurons, nerves that lead from the spinal cord to the muscles of the body, or both. Spasms and exaggerated reflexes indicate damage to the upper motor neurons. A progressive wasting (atrophy) and weakness of muscles that have lost their nerve supply indicate damage to the lower motor neurons.
Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS), also known as Lou Gehrig's disease in the United States, is a progressive degenerative disease of the upper and lower motor neurons. Motor neurons are nerve cells located in the brainstem, brain and spinal cord. They are what allow the brain to communicate to the voluntary muscles in the body. In ALS, the Motor Neurons Degenerate or die, and the muscles no longer receive messages from the brain. Unable to function, the muscles gradually weaken and atrophy, and complete paralysis results.
Although it can affect anyone, ALS is most often found in the 40 to 70 year age group. Once thought rare, it is actually quite common, with the same incidence as Multiple Sclerosis. The reason that there appear to be many more cases of Multiple Sclerosis than ALS in our society is that MS patients tend to live much longer - some MS patients have the disease for 30 years or more - whereas only 10% of ALS patients survive beyond 5 years of their diagnosis. So although the rate of diagnosis for MS and ALS is actually the same, there are far fewer ALS patients at any one time, due to the fact that most PALS die within 3 to 5 years after their diagnosis.
However...
There are PALS who live much longer than their counterparts, and there are more and more of them each day. Despite the dire predictions of the medical establishment, hope still remains; as the survival statistics are generally based upon typical medical patients who have not have tried any other alternative health supports.
Initial Symptoms of ALS
The onset of ALS is often very subtle - these are the initial symptoms to watch for:
· twitching and cramping of the muscles, especially those in the hands and feet
· muscle weakness in the arms or legs
· loss of motor control in the arms or legs
· general weakness and fatigue
· tripping and falling
· dropping things
· slurred or thick speech
· difficulty chewing or swallowing
· uncontrollable periods of laughing or crying
The parts of the body affected by early symptoms of ALS depend on which muscles in the body are damaged first. For instance, one person may experience trouble grasping or lifting, another person notices that he is stumbling or tripping more often, and a third person may notice episodes of slurred speech.
Muscle weakness is a hallmark initial sign in ALS, occurring in approximately 60% of patients. About 25% have bulbar (throat) onset, which means that voice and swallowing are first affected. About 50% have arm onset, and 25% leg onset.
Progressive Symptoms of ALS
Regardless of the part of the body where ALS first makes an appearance, muscle weakness and atrophy eventually spread as the disease progresses. Later symptoms may include:
· shortness of breath
· difficulty breathing
· difficulty swallowing
· difficulty chewing
· tight and stiff muscles
· complete paralysis
Although the rate at which the disease progresses varies from person to person, if the disease remains unchecked all ALS patients will eventually succumb to complete paralysis, including needing a ventilator to breathe and a feeding tube for nourishment.
