Table of Contents
What is it?
Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) is a neurogenerative disorder that affects nerve cells in the spinal cord and brain, according to the Mayo Clinic. It progressively worsens and causes a significant loss of muscle control in people who suffer from it.
Treatment
There is no cure for ALS and the disease is fatal, but it progresses at different rates in patients.
Symptoms
The first signs of ALS are muscle spasms, limb weakness, and problems swallowing and speaking. It progressively deteriorates muscle control and affects the individual’s ability to breathe, move, speak and eat.
The symptoms of ALS correspond to where nerve cells deteriorate in each person and could cause problems walking, stumbling, and weakness in the knees, ankles, and hands.
It can also cause problems with muscle cramps and spasms in areas such as the tongue, arms and shoulders. According to the clinic, people with ALS have experienced untimely bouts of laughter, tears and yawning, as well as changes in thought processes or behavior.
Risk factor’s
Among the risk factors that researchers have established for ALS include genetics, since about 10 percent of people diagnosed with it received a gene from a family member, which is called hereditary ALS, according to the clinic. Children of people with hereditary ALS have a 50 percent chance of having the gene.
Age is also a factor, since the risk of contracting the disease tends to increase around age 75, with the most common range of people suffering from it being between 60 and 85 years old. In terms of gender, men are diagnosed with ALS at a higher rate earlier. up to age 65, according to the clinic.
Other factors that have been linked to ALS include smoking and exposure to toxic substances. The clinic reported that military personnel have been diagnosed with ALS at a higher rate.
Causes
According to the Mayo Clinic, there is no known cause of ALS, and heredity plays a role in a small number of cases.
Lou Gehrig was one of baseball’s most prominent stars while playing for the Yankees from 1923 to 1939. Known as ‘The Iron Horse,’ he played 2,130 consecutive games before ALS forced him to retire. The record was broken by Cal Ripken Jr. in 1995.
Lou Gehrig’s disease
In addition to being known as ALS, it is frequently known as Lou Gehrig’s disease.
Lou Gehrig was a stalwart first baseman for the New York Yankees between 1923 and 1939. He was famous for his strength and durability, earning the nickname ‘The Iron Horse’ with a record streak of 2,130 consecutive games.
In a July 4, 1939, Lou Gehrig Appreciation Day speech at Yankee Stadium, the player said, “For the last two weeks you’ve been reading about a bad break.” However, today I consider myself the luckiest man on the face of the earth.
His popularity and fame transcended the sport of baseball. He died two years after his diagnosis on June 2, 1941.