About the disease
Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, also known as ALS, is a dysfunction of nervous system, when muscles become weak and physical function gets impaired. Lou Gehrig was a famous basketball player and he was the first public person who was diagnosed with this disease. During amyotrophic lateral sclerosis nerve cells gradually weaken or die. Usually disease manifests itself after a person is 22-25 years old. Unfortunately the cure was still not invented for this disease and patients eventually die from bulbar disorders. According to ALS Association there are two types of ALS - sporadic and familial. The first one can affect anyone and the second one is inherited. The first one is more common.
Causes of this condition are:
- Genetic predisposition of the patient
- Gene mutations
- Chemical disbalance
- Smoking
- Excessive alcohol consumption
Some studies show that men working in the military service are more susceptible to this disease than others. The reasons for that are not known. It may be due to constant exposure to cold weapons of may happen because of the injuries that were accumulated during fightings.
Symptoms
- Weakness
- Atrophy
- Fasciculations
- Cramps
- Muscular atrophy
- Sleep disorder
- Problems with eating
- Fatigue
- Constipation
- Dementia
Diagnosis
The diagnosis for ALS is based on different tests of nervous system. They are:
- Blood tests
- Chest X-Ray
- Electromyogram, which is also known as EMG. Electromyogram can evaluate the electrical activity of person muscles through the special needle electrode. It shows the contraction of the muscles and also the time when they rest
Treatment
As it was mentioned before, there is no effective and final cure for this disease, which would alleviate all symptoms and stop the process of muscle weakening. The only possible therapy is conservative therapy.
- Riluzole, which is the first and the only well-known drug, is approved for the treatment of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis in the USA and Europe. This drug is not an actual cure for this disease, but it has an impact on the life expectancy of people with lateral sclerosis of amyotrophic system. Riluzole also helps reduce the amount of glutamate, which is a chemical mediator in the central nervous system, that is released during neurotransmission. Excessive amount of glutamate can be damaging to the neurons of the brain and spinal cord.
- Conservative therapy may help to make daily life more convenient for people with lateral sclerosis. It is mostly believed that relaxation helps reduce stress and anxiety. The treatment also aims to reduce the problems with breathing, which can arise after the disease progressed to some point. If breathing becomes too difficult, a doctor can insert a tube in the neck. This kind of respiratory therapy is called mechanical ventilation. If breathing problems are moderate, a doctor can also use oxygen masks to give the patient a sufficient and needed amount of oxygen.
- Physical and motor therapy is also a vital part of alleviating the symptoms. It was proved that when a person exercises on a regular basis, his muscles become more strengthened and the process of weakening does not develop as rapidly as for people who lead sedentary lifestyle.
- Occupational therapy helps patients with problems that involve dressing, grooming, eating and other daily chores.
Authors: Dr. Nadezhda Ivanisova, Dr. Sergey Pashchenko
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