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Awareness: ALS or Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis
Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, sometimes called Lou Gehrig's disease, is a disease of the nerve cells in the brain and spinal cord that control a persons voluntary muscle movement. Nerve cells called neurons waste away and die, no longer able to send messages to muscles. Eventually this leads to muscle weakness, twitching, and an inability to move the arms, legs, and body. The disease slowly worsens over time. When the muscles in the chest area no longer work, it becomes hard or impossible to breathe. 1 out of 10 cases of ALS are due to genetic defects, otherwise the cause is unknown. ALS affects approximately 5 out of every 100,000 people worldwide. Currently there is no treatment and no cure for ALS. A medicine called Riluzole helps to slow down symptoms and lets people live longer. Death often occurs within 3-5 years of diagnosis. About 1 in 4 patients survive for more than 5 years after their diagnosis. (the information above is provided on the PubMed Health site at pubmed.gov/health). Please join our family on our Journey in the fight against ALS and help to spread awareness with the goal to find a treatment and ultimately a cure.
Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, sometimes called Lou Gehrig's disease, is a disease of the nerve cells in the brain and spinal cord that control a persons voluntary muscle movement. Nerve cells called neurons waste away and die, no longer able to send messages to muscles. Eventually this leads to muscle weakness, twitching, and an inability to move the arms, legs, and body. The disease slowly worsens over time. When the muscles in the chest area no longer work, it becomes hard or impossible to breathe. 1 out of 10 cases of ALS are due to genetic defects, otherwise the cause is unknown. ALS affects approximately 5 out of every 100,000 people worldwide. Currently there is no treatment and no cure for ALS. A medicine called Riluzole helps to slow down symptoms and lets people live longer. Death often occurs within 3-5 years of diagnosis. About 1 in 4 patients survive for more than 5 years after their diagnosis. (the information above is provided on the PubMed Health site at pubmed.gov/health). Please join our family on our Journey in the fight against ALS and help to spread awareness with the goal to find a treatment and ultimately a cure.
