Amyotrophic Later Sclerosis Essay - 1987 Words

There are many known diseases in the world that we live in today affecting a wide range of individuals of different ages, ethnicities, and genders. With each type of disease comes a diagnosis, prognosis, and potential for a cure from one of life’s many ailments. Over the course of time, technology has began to lead the way in discovering as well as treating many disease in which doctors previously knew little about. Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), often referred to as Lou Gehrig’s disease, was first described in 1869 by French neurologist Jean-Martin Charcot. In 1939 ALS brought international attention when Lou Gehrig abruptly retired from baseball after being diagnosed with the disease(6). Today there are as many as 20,000†¦show more content†¦Once motor neurons die, the brain has an inability to initiate impulses and control muscle movement of the body. Over the course of time as connections between muscles and nerves are damage muscles will grad ually become weaker, twitch, and atrophy. There are many symptoms during the onset of ALS that are often overlooked that can include: Twitching, cramping, muscle stiffness or weakness, slurred and or nasal speech, or difficulty chewing or swallowing. Each patients symptoms vary depending on what muscles are damage first. Individuals can initially have the lower extremities affected or the upper extremities as well as noticeable speech problems. Damage to upper motor neurons can cause spastic muscles and contributes to an increase in reflexes, such as the gag reflex(7). Muscles may become weaker, however, patients are still able to perform voluntary muscle contractions with sensation still intact. Lower motor neuron damage is linked to muscles weakness, atrophy, cramps, twitching, and a decline of reflexes(BOOK). As the disease progresses throughout the patients body, they have increasing problems with muscle movement, maintaining weight, speaking, and swallowing. As muscles of the respiratory system weaken, patients also have difficulty breathing on their own and must depend on a ventilatorShow MoreRelatedEssay on What is Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis?1064 Words   |  5 PagesAmyotrophic lateral sclerosis is short for ALS, and is often referred to as â€Å"Lou Gehrig’s disease.† Lou Gehrig was born in New York in June 19, 1903. In April of 1923, Lou Gehrig signed his first contract with the New York Yankees. He played for the Yankees for 15 years and lead them to 6 World Series between 1927 and 1938. 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Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) is categorized as a progressive neurodegenerative and fatal affliction. It is most commonly regarded as Lou Gehrig’s disease in the United States because the famously known baseball player, Lou Gehrig, came down with the disease back