Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, also known as ALS, is a degenerative disease that causes destruction of the neurons responsible for the movement of voluntary muscles, leading to a progressive paralysis that ends up preventing simple tasks such as walking, chewing or speaking, for example.
Over time, the disease causes a decrease in muscle strength, especially in the arms and legs, and in more advanced cases, the affected person becomes paralyzed and their muscles begin to atrophy, becoming smaller and thinner.
Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis still has no cure, but treatment with physical therapy and medicines, such as Riluzol, helps delay the progression of the disease and maintain maximum independence in daily activities. Learn more about this medicine used in treatment.
Main symptoms
The first symptoms of ALS are difficult to identify and vary from person to person. In some cases it is more common for a person to start by tripping over carpets, while in others it is difficult to write, lift an object or speak correctly, for example.
However, with the advancement of the disease, the symptoms are becoming more evident, coming to exist:
- Decreased strength in throat muscles;
- Frequent spasms or cramps in the muscles, especially in the hands and feet;
- Thicker voice and difficulty speaking louder;
- Difficulty maintaining a correct posture;
- Difficulty talking, swallowing or breathing.
Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis occurs only in motor neurons, and so the person, even developing paralysis, can maintain all their senses of smell, taste, touch, vision and hearing.
How is the diagnosis made?
The diagnosis is not easy, so your doctor can do a number of tests, such as CT or MRI scans, to rule out other diseases that may cause a lack of strength before you become suspicious of ALS, such as myasthenia gravis.
After the diagnosis of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, the life expectancy of each patient varies between 3 and 5 years, but there have also been cases of greater longevity, such as Stephen Hawking who lived with the disease for more than 50 years.
Possible causes of ALS
The causes of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis are not yet fully understood. Some cases of the disease are caused by an accumulation of toxic proteins in neurons that control the muscles, and this is more frequent in men between the ages of 40 and 50 years. But, in a few cases, ALS can also be caused by a hereditary genetic defect, eventually passing from parents to children.
How is the treatment done?
Treatment of ALS should be guided by a neurologist and is usually initiated with the use of the Riluzole medicine, which helps to reduce the lesions caused in neurons, slowing the progression of the disease.
In addition, when the disease is diagnosed in its initial phase, the doctor may also recommend the physiotherapeutic treatment. In the more advanced cases, analgesics, such as Tramadol, may be used to reduce the discomfort and pain caused by degeneration of the muscles.
As the disease progresses, paralysis spreads to other muscles and eventually ends up affecting the muscles of breathing, requiring hospital admission to breathe with the aid of appliances.
How is physiotherapy done?
Physiotherapy for amyotrophic lateral sclerosis consists in the use of exercises that improve blood circulation, delaying the destruction of muscles caused by the disease.
In addition, the physiotherapist can also recommend and teach the use of wheelchair, for example, to facilitate the daily activities of the patient with ALS.
