ALS Disease and Treatment

Based on the ALS Association, Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis, also known as ALS disease or ALS treatment, is a progressive neurodegenerative disease. ALS often affects nerve cells in the brain and the spinal cord. A motor neuron disease, ALS can cause muscle weakness, atrophy of muscles, twitching, stiffness and difficulty in walking or speaking. Death usually occurs within 3 to 5 years after the onset of symptoms. Although there are various medications that may slow down the progression of ALS disease, no cure has been found yet. Here’s an article with more information about ALS treatment options and related research.

ALS Disease

There are two types of ALS, also known as Lou Gehrig’s disease, which affects roughly 30,000 Americans. The first type is juvenile onset; it’s rare, estimated to occur in about 6 out of every 100,000 children. Onset of JND-ALS usually occurs between age 10 and 20 years old; patients typically live an average of 3–5 years after diagnosis.

ALS Symptoms

ALS is a rare disease, with only 30,000 diagnoses in America each year. The ALS Association estimates that 5 people per 100,000 are diagnosed with ALS; for comparison’s sake, consider breast cancer (1 in 8) or melanoma (1 in 54). The most common symptom of ALS is progressive muscle weakness; as patients lose control over their muscles, they become progressively more immobile.

ALS Causes

Patients with ALS have a life expectancy that varies depending on how advanced their disease is. According to research by The Muscular Dystrophy Association, an ALS patient can expect to live between 2.5 years after diagnosis up to 10 years, though 10% of patients live more than 20 years after their diagnosis. Patients in general fare much better when they’re diagnosed earlier in their lives—the longer they go without treatment, the lower their chances of living a long life.

ALS Life Expectancy

Life expectancy for ALS patients varies depending on whether or not they have familial ALS. Life expectancy without familial ALS is around three to five years from when symptoms begin. Those with familial ALS typically live an average of four to five years from when symptoms start, but can sometimes live up to 10 years.

Treatments for ALS

The most important ALS treatment is non-invasive ventilation (NIV), which is used to support patients with respiratory failure. The other main treatment for ALS are medications, which are used to treat symptoms or to slow progression of symptoms. Although there are no FDA-approved drugs that treat all aspects of ALS, there are a number of medications that help with specific symptoms. For example, riluzole can be taken daily as it slows disease progression in about 1/3 of ALS patients.

Conclusion

So what’s ALS disease all about? It’s a devastating condition that ultimately leads to respiratory failure. There is no cure, but there are treatment options available to those suffering from it. These treatments can make life more comfortable for those with ALS, as well as those supporting them.

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