Novemeber's Topic: ALS

 

Author Note: I am in no a professional of any kind. I am strongly against self-diagnosis, and encourage my audience to please seek the professional advice of their own trusted medical professional and any other trusted professional depending on the topic at hand. The Abler Blog 

THE ABLER ONLY  PROVIDES LIMITED/GENERAL INFORMATION,  ALWAYS CITES WHERE THEY FIND THEIR RESOURCES AND OR INFORMATION

Jessica Niziolek, 

Founder Of The Abler Blog, and online community.

Resources used for this topic:

als.org

Topic For The Month Of November: ALS: amyotrophic lateral sclerosis 

WHAT IS ALS?

It is a progressive neurodegenerative disease that effects the nerve cells in the brain and in the spinal cord. There is no cure for this disease yet.

Proper Terminology:

The Term A-Mayo-Trophic comes from the greek language. The “A” Means no, “Myo” means muscle, and trophic means nourishment.=No muscle nourishment. When the muscles in your body haven’t gotten enough nourishment they can do atrophy (waste away). 

The term lateral means that it helps find the areas in the person’s spine that show portions of the spine’s cells that directly signal and control the muscles located. As this area degenerates, it becomes scarred or hardened (sclerosis). 

The History Of ALS

ALS become more widely when it ended the career of Yankee great Lou Gehrig on June 2nd, 1941. Following that the disease became known as Lou Gehrig Disease. Mr. Gehrig was diagnosed with ALS on his 36th birthday when he and his wife were visiting the Mayo Clinic in Rochester Minnesota, on June 19th, 1939.  Mr. Gehrig started noticing symptoms of the disease like, loss of strength, and loss of coordination. After getting this diagnosis Mr. Gehrig decides to retire from the game of baseball. Where the Yankees dub July 4th,  1939 Lou Gehrig Appreciation Day. It is also on this day that, 62000 fans here is now famous speech where he is famously quoted say that he was, “ The luckiest man of the face of the earth.”

Motor Neurons: Their role in the condition of ALS

They reach from the person’s brain to the spinal cord, from there they go to all the muscles throughout the entire body.  When the progression of motor neurons continues, and they eventually die off. The brain’s ability to move and control the person’s muscles. This is also when voluntary muscle action becomes progressive.  People with ALS may lose the ability to speak, eat, move, breathe. 

Examples Of Voluntary Movements Are

:Making the effort to reach for your cell phone, or to step off a curb. These actions are controlled by the muscles in the person’s arms and legs. 

The Different Types Of ALS

• Sporadic This is the most common one. 90/95% of cases in the United States. It may effect anyone, anywhere.
• Familial Sporadic(FALS)  effects 5/10% of all cases in the United Sates. This type of ALS is inherited. Within in these families there is a 50% chance of each offspring may develop the mutation for the disease.

Who And When Was The Disease Discovered:

The disease was first discovered by a French neurologist by the name of jean-Martin Charcot in 1869. 

Now  With ALS  In recent years with advancements in science while studying the psychology of the disease, there are currently four new FDA approved medications that are used in treating ALS. Those medications are as follows: (Riluzole, Nuedexta, Radicava, and Tiglutik). For further info on the progress on the treatment and working toward a cure for this disease please visit the following link:https://www.als.org/understanding-als/what-is-als

Who Gets ALS

Every 90 minutes some gets the disease and passes away from the disease.  Most people who get diagnosis with this disease are between the ages of 40-70 years of age with 55 years of age being the year the said person does get diagnosed. There are also cases where people have gotten an ALS diagnosis while the person is in their 20’s and 30’s. 

The Stages Of ALS

ALS almost always progresses, taking away a person’s ability to walk, write, speak, and so on.  In what order and how fasts this happens varies from person to person. On average a person with ALS lives for 3 years, and about 20% of people live 5 years. 10% of people with ALS will live 10 years, and about 5% will live 20 years or longer. The progression of the disease is not always so straightforward, there are people with ALS have experienced  very little or no function loss whatsoever. The person may also experience a rare occurrence of recovering function and or improvement in their overall ability function.  This is known as: “arrests and reversals”. However, less than 1% will show significant function that lasts 12 months or longer.

The Symptoms Of ALS

With ALS there is typically a gradual onset of symptoms. The symptoms can also vary for each person with this condition. Not every person with this disease will experience the same symptoms and they will not experience them in the same order either. However, progressive muscle weakness that leads to paralysis. Some early signs of the disease are typically  tripping, dropping things, and slurred speech. Since ALS attacks the Motor Neurons, ALS the person’s senses are not effected. And for Many with ALS, the muscles in the eyes and bladder are also not effected by the disease. 

Diagnosing ALS

There is not a particular test that helps determine whether a person has ALS. Instead a full battery of tests must be run to help rule out other diseases that may mimic ALS. Some of these tests are a MRI, blood and urine tests, and a neurological exam. These tests are typically done by the person’s trusted physician, it is strongly recommended By The ALS Association to get a second opinion by an ALS Expert-Some one diagnosis and treats people with ALS.  For a list of certified centers and  clinics please follow the link here for further information. https://www.als.org/local-support/certified-centers-clinics