Essay On Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis

Over the past decades, medical history has had a group of diseases and types of illnesses. Some of these diseases are easily treatable, while others are killers, but the worst are those that still have no treatment or cure, thus being the dangerous amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS). Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, also known as Lou Gehrig’s, is a rapidly progressive disease attacking the nerve cells. ALS is a chronic disease affecting the nervous system. This disease kills and cripples because of the breakdown in the body’s motor neurons. Motor neurons are cells in the brain- stem and the spinal cord that control movements. The way this works is that the neurons degenerate until all movement stops, including breathing. Development first begins distant from the brain, like the hands, then it spreads continuously closer to the brain weakening the muscles. (Aebischer, & Kato 2007) Early symptoms of ALS can hardly be noticed. The symptoms are usually overlooked. This begins with simple things like tripping, or dropping things. Then follows twitching or cramping of the muscles, causing trouble to ones’ daily activity like walking. As the disease continuous to spread it begins to affect in shortness of breath, or trouble in swallowing. That worsens until the body is completely taken over. The …show more content…
There’s not a specific way to identify it either. Usually a physical examination is done looking at the medical history of the patient. Since there are three types of ALS knowing how to treat it can be quite difficult. The three types of ALS are classic also known as sporadic, familial, and the Mariana Island. The sporadic strikes its victims unexpectedly, around midlife. The familial is from either gene. If any of the parents carry it then there is a fifty-fifty chance that it will affect the fetus. Finally, The Mariana Island, this comes from Guam and Japan. There are a high percentage of cases. (Scientific American 86-93,