ALS (disease): symptoms and methods of diagnosis

The human nervous system is very vulnerable. That is why there are many different diseases that can affect this part of the body. In this article I want to talk about what is ALS (disease). Symptoms, causes of the disease, as well as methods of diagnosis and possible treatment.

What is it?

At the very beginning you need to understand the basic concepts. It is also very important to understand what is ALS (disease), the symptoms of the disease will be considered a little later. Explanation of the abbreviation: lateral atrophic sclerosis. In this disease, the human nervous system is affected, namely, motor neurons suffer . They are located in the cerebral cortex and in the anterior horns of the spinal cord. Also worth mentioning is that this disease has a chronic form and, unfortunately, is currently incurable.

Types

There are also three types of a disease such as ALS:

1. Sporadic, classic. Not inherited. It accounts for approximately 95% of all cases of morbidity.
2. Hereditary (or family). As it became clear, is inherited. However, this type of disease is characterized by a later manifestation of the first symptoms.
3. Guam type or the Marian form. Its feature: manifests itself earlier than the two above. The development of the disease is slow.

The first symptoms

It is worth mentioning that the first symptomatology of this disease can relate to other diseases. This is precisely the cunning of the problem: it is almost impossible to diagnose it immediately. So, BAS the first symptoms is as follows:

1. Weak muscles. Mostly it concerns the area of the ankles and feet.
2. Atrophy of the hands, weakness of their muscles. There may also be a violation of motility.
3. In patients at an early stage of the disease, the foot may hang slightly.
4. Periodic muscle spasms are characteristic . Shoulders, hands, tongue can twitch.
5. Limbs weaken. A patient with difficulty can travel long distances.
6. Characteristic is also the emergence of dysarthria, i.e. Speech impairment.
7. Also, there are first difficulties with swallowing.

If a patient has ALS (disease), the symptoms with the development of the disease will develop, increase. Further the patient can periodically feel causeless fun or sadness. There may be atrophy of the tongue and imbalance. All this happens because a person has higher mental activity. In some cases, before the main symptomatology appears, cognitive functions may be impaired. Those. There is dementia (this occurs infrequently, approximately in 1-2% of cases).

Development of the disease

What else is important to know people who are interested in ALS (disease)? Symptoms that arise in the patient as the disease develops, can say about what kind of disease it is:

1. ALS of limbs. First of all, the foot is damaged. Further, the functional disability of the limbs is progressing.
2. Bulbar BAS. In this case, the main symptoms are a violation of the speech function, as well as problems with swallowing. It should be said that this type of disease is much less frequent than the first.

Increase in symptoms

What should a patient know who has a disease like ALS? Symptoms will gradually increase, the functionality of the limbs will decrease.

1. Gradually there will be a pathological reflex of Babinsky, when the upper motor neurons will be affected.
2. Muscle tone will be increased, reflexes will be strengthened.
3. Gradually, the lower motor neurons will be amazed. In this case, the patient will feel involuntary jerking of the limbs.
4. However, quite often in depressed people, a depressive state develops, a spleen arises. All because a person loses the opportunity to exist without someone's help, the ability to move is lost.
5. In ALS, the symptoms also affect the respiratory system: the patient begins to have trouble breathing.
6. Self-feeding is also impossible. A patient often inserts a special tube through which a person receives all the food necessary for his existence.

It is worth mentioning that it is early enough that ALS may arise. Symptoms at a young age will not differ from the symptoms of the patient, whose first signs appeared much later. It all depends on the body, as well as on the type of illness. When a person develops a disease, they gradually become disabled, lose their ability to live independently. Over time, limbs are completely denied.

The last stage

In the late stages of the disease, the patient is often disturbed by respiratory function, the respiratory muscle may fail. In such cases, patients need ventilation. Over time, the drainage function of this organ can develop, which often leads to the fact that a secondary infection joins, which further and kills the patient.

Diagnostics

Considering such a disease as ALS, symptoms, diagnosis - that's also what I want to tell. It should be said that this disease is found most often by the elimination of other problems with the body. In this case, the patient can be assigned the following diagnostic tools:

1. Blood test.
2. Muscular biopsy.
3. X-ray.
4. Tests for determining muscle activity.
5. CT, MRI.

Differentiation

It should be said that this disease has symptoms that are manifested in other diseases. That is why it is necessary to differentiate ALS with the following problems:

1. Cervical myelopathy.
2. Intoxication with mercury, lead, manganese.
3. Syndrome Hyenna-Bar.
4. Malabsorption syndrome.
5. Endocrinopathies, etc.

Treatment

A little consideration of such a disease as ALS, symptoms, treatment - that's what also needs to be paid special attention. As already mentioned above, it is impossible to completely cure. However, there are drugs that help slow the course of the disease. In this case, patients often take such medications as "Riluzol", "Rilutec" (twice a day, twice a day). This drug is able to slightly prevent the release of glutamine, a substance that affects motor neurons. However, it will also be useful to use various therapies, the main purpose of which is to combat the main symptomatology:

1. If a patient is depressed, antidepressants, tranquilizers may be prescribed.
2. With muscle spasms it is important to take muscle relaxants.
3. If necessary, anesthesia can be prescribed, at the late stage of the disease - with opiates.
4. If the patient is disturbed by sleep, benzodiazepine preparations will be needed.
5. If there are bacterial complications, antibiotics will be needed (bronchopulmonary diseases often occur in ALS).

Auxiliary means:

1. Logopedic therapy.
2. Saliva-ejector or the reception of such a drug as "Amitriptyline."
3. Probe feeding, diet.
4. Use of various devices that can provide movement of the patient: beds, armchairs, walking sticks, special collars.
5. You may need artificial ventilation.

Traditional medicine, acupuncture for this disease are useless. It is also worth mentioning that not only the patient, but also his relatives often need the help of a psychotherapist.