Understanding Lou Gehrig’s disease
Lou Gehrig’s disease is a serious condition that afflicts a great number of people all over the world with treatment options that are limited to managing the symptoms rather than providing a real cure. Named after the American ballplayer whose career was markedly affected by the disease, this motor neuron disease, amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), attacks the nerve cells in the brain and causes muscular degeneration in various parts of the body particularly the arms, legs, and tongue. As there is no real cure for this disease, the expected life span of people who are diagnosed with this disease is shortened to about two to five years but there are actually patients who survive up to as long as ten years after diagnosis. It is important that not only the patient understands the disease, but that their family members understand it as well. This allows them to get the help that they need in managing the symptoms which can help slow down the degenerative effects of the disease and help prevent them from suffering physically, mentally, and emotionally more than they have to. A constant eye out for new treatment methodologies as well as joining support groups for people with this disease is a good way to the help the patient live life with ALS.
Going through the procedures necessary to diagnose Lou Gehrig’s disease is in itself a stressful and oftentimes emotional process that can take quite a while — the symptoms that you might see in this disease are similar to those found in other neurological diseases. Because of this, ALS requires more doctors’ visits, diagnostic tests, and observation to diagnose. Just like Lou Gehrig’s predicament, patients with ALS can expect to eventually lose mobility and independence once the disease has progressed and has caused paralysis. In the meantime, however, it is important that an ALS patient and his family members retain a positive outlook and continue to strive to live a full and rewarding life despite the presence of the disease. The first treatment that is usually given to patients with ALS is Riluzole, an FDA-approved drug that has, in some cases, lengthened survival by several months as well as extending the time before the patient needs to be on ventilation support. Other treatments that are recommended for ALS patients include physical and occupational therapies to delay further muscular degeneration, especially of muscle groups that might not necessarily be affected by the ALS yet.
The causes for Lou Gehrig’s disease have not entirely been established. Only a small portion of people who have ALS were identified to have the disease due to genetic factors and the rest are attributed to a variety of possible causes like environmental factors. There are no particular distinguishing statistics as to the incidences of the Lou Gehrig’s disease in males and in females but studies show that the onset of the disease usually happens between the ages of 40 and 60. If you or a family member is showing symptoms of this disease, do seek medical care – devastating as the disease might seem, there are others out there who are willing to extend whatever help they could give in order to see you through your ordeal. For more information visit us www.army.oftenawesome.org
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