Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis(ALS) affects the motor neurons (nerve cells) that control voluntary movement.
The early symptoms of ALS tend to affect your extremities or sometimes your breathing andeating.
Over time, movement, speech, chewing and swallowing, and breathing are affected.
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This article discusses nine early signs of ALS and what happens after a person is diagnosed with the condition.
Initially, the signs can be so slight they are not noticeable.
They may affect one or several parts of the body.
In many people, the first signs appear in the arms and legs, which is called limb onset.
In about one-third of people with ALS, symptoms begin with speech or swallowing difficulties, called bulbar onset.
Early signs typically include:
How to Confirm Suspected ALS
ALS is a difficult disease to diagnose.
There is no specific test to confirm it.
Should I Get Genetic Testing for ALS?
If you want a second opinion, look for a clinic or center that specializes in ALS.
Stay abreast of research and clinical trials that are actively looking for effective treatments.
Fewer people have difficulty with speech or breathing as early signs of ALS.
Recently, new medications have been approved that can have some effect in slowing disease progression.
There are other potential treatments on the horizon, including stem cell therapies.
Frequently Asked Questions
ALS almost always occurs in adults.
Symptoms tend to begin in people between 55 and 75 years old.
There are also tests and imaging studies that can help rule ALS out or in.
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Massachusetts General Hospital.Diagnosing ALS.
ALS Association.FYI: reasons for living with ALS.
Yale Medicine.Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS).
2022;10:851613. doi:10.3389/fcell.2022.851613
ALS Curtis Vance Foundation.Do ALS symptoms come and go?
ALS Foundation.Obtaining an ALS diagnosis.
