Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) | Dr. David Greene Arizona

AMYOTROPHI C LATERAL SCLEROSIS (ALS) stem cell therapy

dr. David greene arizona

Symptoms • • • • • •

Difficulty walking or doing normal daily activities Tripping and falling Weakness in your legs, feet or ankles Hand weakness or clumsiness Slurred speech or trouble swallowing Muscle cramps and twitching in your arms, shoulders and tongue • Inappropriate crying, laughing or yawning • Cognitive and behavioral changes

Causes ALS affects the nerve cells that control voluntary muscle movements such as walking and talking (motor neurons). ALS causes the motor neurons to gradually deteriorate, and then die. Motor neurons extend from the brain to the spinal cord to muscles throughout the body. When motor neurons are damaged, they stop sending messages to the muscles, so the muscles can't function.

Risk factors Established risk factors for ALS include: • Heredity. Five to 10 percent of the people with ALS inherited it (familial ALS). In most people with familial ALS, their children have a 50-50 chance of developing the disease.

• Age. ALS risk increases with age, and is most common between the ages of 40 and the mid-60s.

• Sex. Before the age of 65, slightly more men than women develop ALS. This sex difference disappears after age 70.

Complications Breathing problems Over time, ALS paralyzes the muscles you use to breathe. You might need a device to help you breathe at night, similar to what someone with sleep apnea might wear.

Speaking problems Most people with ALS develop trouble speaking. This usually starts as occasional, mild slurring of words, but becomes more severe. Speech eventually becomes difficult for others to understand, and people with ALS often rely on other communication technologies to communicate.

Eating problems People with ALS can develop malnutrition and dehydration from damage to the muscles that control swallowing. They are also at higher risk of getting food, liquids or saliva into the lungs, which can cause pneumonia.

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