Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis:
The disease that killed the Iron Horse
Diseases do not discriminate between socioeconomic status, race or activity level and has little mercy. Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS), otherwise known as Lou Gehrig’s disease, is such a disease. Nicknamed the “Iron Horse”, famed first baseman for the New York Yankees Lou Gehrig, was one of the first individuals to bring ALS into the forefront of the general populations mind’s, after dying from the disease after being diagnosed only two years prior. (Commare, 2007) In more recent times, projects such as the ALS Ice Bucket Challenge have brought about a resurface of ALS research and knowledge through social media perpetuated funding.
Disease Definition
Named according …show more content…
Having stated this, most ALS patients do go through unexplained falling and slurred speech as a part of their initial manifestation. (Orsini, 2015) having slurred speech patterns are indicant of bulbar-onset ALS, whereas twitching and spasms being the first symptom is indicant of limb-onset ALS. Additional initial signs and symptoms of ALS are general weakness, swallowing difficulties, fatigue, headaches, uncontrollable muscle movements and loss of muscular ability. (ALS Therapy Development Institute, 2015) As the disease progresses patients tend to present with malnutrition, involuntary loss of 1/10th of the individual’s body weight, due to an inability to ingest sufficient nutrition and hydration due to decreased breathing and swallowing capabilities. Dehydration is also a major concern for ALS patients due to drooling issues with moderate to later stages of the disease due to atrophied oral musculature. (Commare, 2007) With disease progression comes decreased motor functionality, leaving individuals unable to operate normally without 24-hour care, especially during the nighttime hours in which alveolar hypoventilation is at its worst. (Orsini, 2015; ALS Facts Sheet, 2015) Cognitive function is also effected in ALS. Resulting in depression, remorse, irritable behaviors and personality changes, ALS can not only be seen on a physical level but also on a psychological level. However, one way in which ALS does not affect those that develop the disease is through mental capacity and sensory perceptual ability. AS the individuals body deteriates, their senses and mental cognition and environmental understanding remain the same. (ALS Therapy Development Institute, 2015) This portion of the disease is said to be the
The disease that killed the Iron Horse
Diseases do not discriminate between socioeconomic status, race or activity level and has little mercy. Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS), otherwise known as Lou Gehrig’s disease, is such a disease. Nicknamed the “Iron Horse”, famed first baseman for the New York Yankees Lou Gehrig, was one of the first individuals to bring ALS into the forefront of the general populations mind’s, after dying from the disease after being diagnosed only two years prior. (Commare, 2007) In more recent times, projects such as the ALS Ice Bucket Challenge have brought about a resurface of ALS research and knowledge through social media perpetuated funding.
Disease Definition
Named according …show more content…
Having stated this, most ALS patients do go through unexplained falling and slurred speech as a part of their initial manifestation. (Orsini, 2015) having slurred speech patterns are indicant of bulbar-onset ALS, whereas twitching and spasms being the first symptom is indicant of limb-onset ALS. Additional initial signs and symptoms of ALS are general weakness, swallowing difficulties, fatigue, headaches, uncontrollable muscle movements and loss of muscular ability. (ALS Therapy Development Institute, 2015) As the disease progresses patients tend to present with malnutrition, involuntary loss of 1/10th of the individual’s body weight, due to an inability to ingest sufficient nutrition and hydration due to decreased breathing and swallowing capabilities. Dehydration is also a major concern for ALS patients due to drooling issues with moderate to later stages of the disease due to atrophied oral musculature. (Commare, 2007) With disease progression comes decreased motor functionality, leaving individuals unable to operate normally without 24-hour care, especially during the nighttime hours in which alveolar hypoventilation is at its worst. (Orsini, 2015; ALS Facts Sheet, 2015) Cognitive function is also effected in ALS. Resulting in depression, remorse, irritable behaviors and personality changes, ALS can not only be seen on a physical level but also on a psychological level. However, one way in which ALS does not affect those that develop the disease is through mental capacity and sensory perceptual ability. AS the individuals body deteriates, their senses and mental cognition and environmental understanding remain the same. (ALS Therapy Development Institute, 2015) This portion of the disease is said to be the