Share and Follow
What is it?
Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) is a debilitating condition characterized by the degeneration of nerve cells in the brain and spinal cord, as explained by the Mayo Clinic. This progressive illness results in substantial muscle control loss for those affected.
Treatment
Although ALS is incurable and ultimately fatal, the rate at which it advances can vary among individuals.
Symptoms
Initial symptoms often include muscle twitching, limb weakness, and difficulties with swallowing and speaking. Over time, these issues escalate, severely affecting a person’s ability to breathe, move, communicate, and consume food.
ALS symptoms are influenced by the specific regions where nerve cells deteriorate, potentially causing challenges such as walking difficulties, tripping, and reduced strength in the knees, ankles, and hands.
The condition may also lead to muscle cramps and twitching in areas like the tongue, arms, and shoulders. Patients might experience unpredictable episodes of laughter, crying, or yawning, along with possible changes in cognitive functions or behavior, as reported by the clinic.
Risk factors
Among the risk factors researchers have established for ALS include genetics, as about 10 percent of people diagnosed with it were passed down a gene from a relative, which is called hereditary ALS, according to the clinic. Kids of people who have hereditary ALS have a 50 percent chance of having the gene.
Age is also a factor as the risk of getting the disease trends up toward the age of 75, with the most common range of people who have it between 60 and 85. In terms of gender, men are diagnosed with a higher rate of ALS prior to the age of 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
There is no known cause of ALS, according to the Mayo Clinic, and heredity plays a factor in a small number of cases.
Lou Gehrig was one of baseball’s preeminent stars while playing for the Yankees between 1923 and 1939. Known as ‘The Iron Horse,’ he played in 2,130 consecutive games before ALS forced him to retire. The record was broken by Cal Ripken Jr. in 1995
Lou Gehrig’s Disease
As well as being known as ALS, it is frequently referred to 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-setting streak of 2,130 consecutive games.
In a July 4, 1939 speech on Lou Gehrig Appreciation Day at Yankee Stadium, the ballplayer famously said, ‘For the past two weeks you have been reading about a bad break. Yet 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.