Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis
Introduction
At onset, the signs and symptoms of ALS are often very subtle. They can be vague and nonspecific. This means that they could be caused by many different conditions, not necessarily a motor neuron disease.
- Any progressive difficulty in carrying out a normal activity such as walking, writing, or swallowing, warrants an evaluation by your doctor.
- Occasional clumsiness or muscle cramping is not unusual and does not mean that you have ALS.
Self-Care at Home
ALS is a slowly progressive disease causing gradual disability. Once you begin to lose muscle functionand also lose your ability to take care for yourself.
- Gradually you become dependent on others for your needs. Even for the smaller things you became fully depended on others.
- The primary care provider, specialized physicians, physical therapist, speech and communication therapist, respiratory therapist, social worker, dietitian, and nurses may all be part of the medical care team. This team will assist you to cope up with the situation.
- Day-to-day care is primarily the job of spouses and other family.
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- Home health aides can assist alleviate the stress of providing 24-hour care. They assist you by bathing, dressing, moving, and feeding you, among other activities that reduce problems and give comfort.
Follow-up
Once you have been diagnosed with ALS, you will need to see your medical team on a frequent basis.
. These visits will monitor the course of the disease and the effects of treatment. They will also alert the medical team to needs for changes or additions to the treatment regimen.
Prevention
There is no known way to prevent ALS. This is one of the goals of ongoing research on ALS.