ALS or amyotrophic lateral sclerosis is a neurodegenerative disease described as such by French neurologist Jean-Martin Charcot (1825-1893) more than 140 years ago, in 1869. One of the diseases is also covered in the rare disease group and has a prevalence of 3-4 cases per 100,000 inhabitants and an incidence of 1 to 2 new cases per 100,000 inhabitants per year.
With more than 3,000 patients registered in Spain, as well as the degree of incidence, ALS occupies the third place in the group of neurodegenerative diseases. Discovering its causes, symptoms, and how to prevent ALS is becoming increasingly necessary in order to achieve greater visibility of the disease.
What is ALS?
As we have already pointed out, amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), also known as Lou Gehrig’s disease, is a degenerative and progressive disease that quickly affects motor neurons in the brain and spinal cord. Popularized because it is the disease suffered by scientist Stephen Hawking, ALS is still a disease, but much progress has been made to achieve a noticeable improvement in the quality of life of patients.
The name of this disease refers to two progressive processes. On the one hand, the lateral sclerosis or the gradual loss of nerve fibers accompanied by hardening or healing in the lateral area of the spinal cord, an area where the nerve fibers responsible for the control of voluntary movements are located; and on the other, muscle atrophy caused by muscle inactivity.
Causes of ALS
The causes of ALS are still unknown, related to hereditary genetic causes, frontotemporal dementia, or some cognitive alteration. In addition to being a man over 60 years of age, being a smoker and having suffered from any viral infection are some of the risk factors that studies have associated with the disease.
Cognitive alterations appear in between 35 and 50% of ALS cases, also considered to be caused by the usual exposure to pesticides and/or heavy metals, in addition to having performed intense physical exercise.
ELA affects people over 50 years of age, being more frequent in men than in women.
Symptoms of ALS
Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis has as its earliest symptom a loss of muscle strength in the joints, arms, and legs, as well as in the muscles of the mouth, making complicated actions as natural as breathing or the ability to swallow and swallow. A progressive weakness that invalidates the sick and prevents them from performing even the simplest and most everyday tasks.
This paralysis gradually spreads through the spinal cord and cerebral cortex until there is a loss of total mobility and fatal respiratory failure. ALS does not usually affect sensitivity or cognitive capacity, nor does it alter the senses of sight, ear, touch, taste, or smell.
Among the most common symptoms of ALS are:
– Tiredness and muscle heaviness.
– Difficulties in eating and speaking, starting with a slow speech, a certain obstacle to articulating words and even loss of voice.
– Muscle contractions and nervous tics.
– Paralysis.
– Depression, associated with the progressive deterioration and fatigue caused by the disease.
– A weight loss and muscle mass.
– Excessive emotional responses, moving from laughter to crying quickly or laughing unexpectedly. Some alterations related to the disease.
– Urinary and fecal incontinence occurs when the muscles of the sphincters are affected.
Prevention of ALS
Although the latest causes behind the appearance of ALS are unknown, it is also not clear how to prevent it. A situation that leads experts to emphasize the need to detect the disease as soon as possible. Only early detection can help give the patient a better quality of life.
Delay in the diagnosis of the disease and diagnostic errors are a burden, and the reduction of diagnostic delays and being able to receive effective treatment as soon as possible are essential to prevent the onset of serious or lethal complications.
Treatment for ALS
ALS treatments are aimed at optimizing the patient’s quality of life and trying to prolong their life expectancy. Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis does not affect all patients in the same way, and can spring at any point in the nervous system and require different treatments.
A treatment that must strive to be multidisciplinary and comprehensive, and not limited only to pharmacological treatment. The coordinated work of specialists in nutrition, pneumonology, rehabilitation, physiotherapy, social services, psychiatry, genetics, specialists in the digestive system, and, of course, neurologists. A clinical unit is composed of a team capable of responding to the specific needs of each patient.
Thus, the treatment will encompass both a pharmacological treatment, previously prescribed by a specialist, aimed at alleviating the main symptoms, such as rehabilitation and physiotherapy to help patients recover some mobility and cope with muscle weakness. Finally, within the series of basic treatments to deal with ALS cannot be missing all the necessary psychological support to overcome the frustration and/or depression caused by the patient’s progressive physical deterioration.