ALS Treatment

Alternative ALS Treatment is offered at Sunridge Medical in Scottsdale, AZ.  ALS  is a rare neurological disease that primarily affects the neurons controlling voluntary muscle movement.  ALS is also known as Lou Gehrig’s disease named after a famous American baseball player from the 1940’s who was diagnosed with, and died from ALS.

Loss of voluntary muscles that we choose to move, like chewing or walking for example- produce movements as they are programmed from higher up by nerve impulses sent along their length until reaching our consciousness so we can act upon them consciously; however, these types of muscular functionality will begin deteriorating over time leading many individuals who suffer with ALS into gradually losing all capacity for conscious control over any bodily functions including speech.

ALS is an autoimmune disease where the immune system cells start attacking the motor neurons throughout the body. Motor neurons run throughout the body and control movements such as walking, talking, chewing, and gripping. In fact, one of the largest known cells in the human body is a motor neuron and can reach lengths of up to three feet.

All neurons in the peripheral nervous system are myelinated, or covered in a protective sheath which insulates the neuron making the electrical signals move to the target muscles much more efficiently. It’s this protective layers that is attacked and degraded by the immune system causing that signal to gradually weaken. When the signals through the neuron are slowed or weakened, that causes the muscles to weaken, or to twitch and spasm and will eventually atrophy.

During the progressive degeneration of the motor neurons in ALS, neurons eventually die. When the motor neurons die, the brain is no longer capable of initiating and controlling muscle movement, therefore it is lost. Voluntary movements and muscle control are provided by motor neurons which are affected when you have ALS. Voluntary movements consist of swallowing a drink to kicking your legs.  Some of the initial symptoms of ALS are things that would not be cause for concern including increased clumsiness, weakened grip strength, muscle spasms, and weakness (1). All of these symptoms can be attributed to a variety of other more common ailments.

ALS is considered a rare disease in the United States with only about 5,000 patients diagnosed each year (3). There are two recognized forms of ALS, familial and sporadic ALS, with the sporadic (not genetically linked) ALS being the overwhelming majority of cases. People are often diagnosed between the ages of 40 and 70 and the typical life expectancy is between two and five years (1). There have been cases where individuals can live far longer with the disease with the right kind of support and treatment, although it is not guaranteed or common; Stephen Hawking for example lived for 50 years after he was initially diagnosed with ALS.

90-95% of all cases of ALS are known as sporadic. Meaning it may affect anyone, anywhere. While the other 5-10% of all cases is known as Familial ALS, as the disease has been inherited. Families who have a history of ALS have a 50% chance their offspring will inherit the gene mutation and be diagnosed later in life with the disease.

Early Signs of ALS

• Difficulty walking or tripping
• Difficulty preforming daily activities
• Slurring of speech
• Trouble swallowing
• Weakness in your legs, feet or ankles
• Hand weakness or clumsiness
• Muscle cramps of twitching in your shoulders, arms and tongue
• Difficulty with posture or holding your head up
  
  

The development and symptoms of ALS can vary in each person. It is most common for symptoms to develop in your hands, feet or limbs first. As the disease progresses, your muscles become weaker. Muscle weakness eventually affects chewing, swallowing, speaking and breathing. ALS does not typically affect your bowel and bladder control, your senses or your thinking ability.

Motor Neuron Diseases

ALS belongs to a group of disorders known as motor neuron diseases, which are caused by the degeneration and eventual death of motor neurons. Motor neurons are nerve cells that lead from the brain through the spinal cord and to the muscles of the body. When motor neurons stop sending messages to the muscles, the muscles may twitch, weaken and atrophy. The end of motor neuron disease is marked by the brain losing its ability to control voluntary movement.

Although there is no absolute treatment for ALS there is treatment for the symptoms and the ability to prolong life and provide quality of life for more than ten to fifteen years from the initial diagnosis.