ALS (disease): symptoms and diagnostic methods

The human nervous system is very vulnerable. That is why there are many different diseases that can affect this particular part of the body. In this article I want to talk about what is ALS (disease). Symptoms, causes of the disease, as well as diagnostic methods and possible treatment.

What is it?

At the very beginning, you need to understand the basic concepts. It is also very important to understand what is ALS (disease), the symptoms of the disease will be considered a little later. Explanation of abbreviation: lateral atrophic sclerosis. With this disease, the human nervous system is affected, namely, motor neurons suffer. They are located in the cerebral cortex and in the front horns of the spinal cord. It is also worth mentioning that this disease has a chronic form and, unfortunately, is currently incurable.

Types

There are also three types of a disease such as ALS:

1. Sporadic, classic. Not inherited. It accounts for approximately 95% of all cases of morbidity.
2. Hereditary (or family). As it became clear, it is inherited. However, this type of disease is characterized by a later manifestation of the first symptoms.
3. Guam type or Marian form. Its feature: manifests itself earlier than the two above. The development of the disease is slow.

First symptoms

It is worth saying that the first symptomatology of this disease can apply to other other diseases. That is the insidious problem: diagnosing it right away is almost impossible. So, ALS first symptoms have the following:

1. Muscle weakness. It mainly concerns the ankles and feet.
2. Atrophy of the hands, weakness of their muscles. Motility impairment may also occur.
3. In patients at an early stage of the disease, the foot may sag slightly.
4. Periodic muscle cramps are characteristic. Shoulders, arms, tongue can twitch.
5. The limbs weaken. The patient can travel long distances with difficulty.
6. The occurrence of dysarthria is also characteristic, i.e. speech impairment.
7. The first difficulty with swallowing also occurs.

If the patient has ALS (disease), symptoms with the development of the disease will develop, increase. Further, the patient may periodically feel causeless fun or sadness. Atrophy of the tongue and imbalance can occur. All this happens because a person suffers from higher mental activity. In some cases, before the main symptoms appear, cognitive functions may be impaired. Those. dementia appears (this happens infrequently, in about 1-2% of cases).

Disease development

What else is important to know for people who are interested in ALS (disease)? Symptoms that arise in a patient as the disease develops can tell what kind of disease he has:

1. ALS limbs. First of all, foot damage occurs. Further, the violation of the functionality of the limbs progresses.
2. Bulbar ALS. In this case, the main symptoms are impaired speech function, as well as problems with swallowing. It is worth saying that this type of disease is much less common than the first.

Symptomatic buildup

What should a patient with a disease such as ALS know? Symptoms will gradually increase, the functionality of the limbs will decrease.

1. The Babinsky pathological reflex will gradually arise , when the upper motor neurons will be affected.
2. Muscle tone will be increased, reflexes will be enhanced.
3. Gradually, the lower motor neurons will be affected . In this case, the patient will feel involuntary twitching of the limbs.
4. In this case, quite often, sick people develop a depressive state, there is a spleen. This is because a person loses the ability to exist without any help, the ability to move is lost.
5. In ALS, the symptoms also relate to the respiratory system: the patient begins to experience respiratory failure.
6. It also becomes impossible to self-feed. The patient is often inserted a special tube through which the person receives all the food necessary for existence.

It is worth saying that quite early on, ALS can occur. Symptoms at a young age will not differ from the symptoms of a patient in whom the first signs appeared much later. It all depends on the body, as well as on the type of disease. With the development of the disease, a person gradually becomes disabled, loses the ability to exist independently. Over time, the limbs completely fail.

Last stage

At the last stages of the disease, the patient often has respiratory function impairment, respiratory muscle failure is possible. In such cases, patients need ventilation. Over time, the drainage function of this organ may develop, which often leads to the fact that a secondary infection joins, which further kills the patient.

Diagnostics

Having examined a disease such as ALS, symptoms, diagnosis - that's what I also want to talk about. It is worth saying that this disease is detected most often by eliminating other problems with the body. In this case, the following diagnostic tools can be prescribed to the patient:

1. Blood analysis.
2. Muscle biopsy.
3. X-ray
4. Tests to determine muscle activity.
5. CT, MRI.

Differentiation

It is worth saying that this disease has symptoms that manifest themselves in other diseases. That is why you need to differentiate ALS with the following problems:

1. Cervical myelopathy.
2. Intoxication with mercury, lead, manganese.
3. Hyenna Bare Syndrome.
4. Malabsorption syndrome.
5. Endocrinopathies, etc.

Treatment

Having examined a little disease such as ALS, symptoms, treatment - this is also what you need to pay special attention to. As mentioned above, it is impossible to completely recover. However, there are drugs that help slow down the course of the disease. In this case, patients most often take such medications as "Riluzol", "Rilutek" (daily twice a day). This drug is able to slightly prevent the release of glutamine, a substance that affects motor neurons. However, various therapies will also be useful, the main purpose of which is to combat the main symptoms:

1. If the patient is depressed, he may be prescribed antidepressants, tranquilizers.
2. With muscle cramps, it is important to take muscle relaxants.
3. If necessary, anesthesia can be prescribed, in the late stage of the disease - opiates.
4. If the patient has sleep disturbance, benzodiazepine preparations will be needed.
5. If there are bacterial complications, you will need to take antibiotics (with ALS, bronchopulmonary diseases often occur).

Auxiliary means:

1. Speech therapy.
2. Salivation or taking a drug like Amitriptyline.
3. Probe feeding, diet.
4. The use of various devices that can ensure the movement of the patient: beds, chairs, canes, special collars.
5. Artificial ventilation may be necessary.

Traditional medicine, acupuncture with this disease are useless. It is also worth mentioning that not only the patient, but also his relatives often need the help of a psychotherapist.