Lou Gehrig's Disease (ALS)

ALS Medical history has been filled with an array of diseases and illnesses, ranging from the common cold to deadly killers. Some are easily treatable and others can be terminal, but some of the worst are those that still remain without a cure; one such disease is amyotrophic lateral sclerosis. Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, also known as Lou Gehrig’s disease or ALS for short, is a progressive degeneration of the motor neurons of the central nervous system, leading to wasting of the muscles and paralysis. It is called Lou Gehrig’s disease because it wasn 't really heard of until the famous baseball player of the New York Yankees made his speech about how he had been diagnosed with ALS. ALS can be deceiving when it comes to it’s symptoms.
“Lou Gehrig 's disease can be difficult to diagnose in it 's early stages because the symptoms are similar to many other disorders, including spinal cord diseases, muscle diseases and neurological diseases such as multiple sclerosis, multifocal motor neuropathy, myasthenia gravis, spinal muscular atrophy and stroke.” (Mayo Clinic Staff, paragraph 2) Many doctors may use diagnostic tests such as: Blood Tests, Electromyogram, Genetic Testing, Muscle Biopsy, and Respiratory testing. These tests help narrow the diagnosis of ALS and usually get the job done if the symptoms are not deceiving. “In more than nine out of every 10 cases diagnosed, no clear identifying cause of the disease is apparent, that is, patients lack an obvious genetic history, complete with affected family members.” (NP, Paragraph 1) Only five to ten percent of cases are hereditary. Although there is no proven cause, many researchers believe some causes of ALS could be gene mutation, chemical imbalance, and disorganized immune responses. These causes are still being studied today and have not yet been proven if they are a possible cause of