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Conditions
Nervous system diseases
Neuromuscular disorders
Motor neuron disease
Lou gehrig's disease (ALS)

Lou gehrig's disease (ALS)

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Also known as Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS) this condition is a disorder of the nerve cells in the brain and spinal cord that impacts people's ability to control voluntary muscle movement.

Dr. Geoffrey Rutledge reviewed this

39 year experience in Internal Medicine

Is a type of:

Metabolic diseases • Motor neuron disease

How long it usually lasts:

Chronic (lasts years to lifelong)

How common it is:

Rare
Preteen
6-13
Rare
Teenager
14-18
Rare
Young adult
19-40
Very common
Middle-aged adult
41-60
Very common

Body locations

Head

Symptoms

Muscle cramps or spasms
Dizziness
Balance problems
Poor balance
Difficulty swallowing
Load more

Medications

Ratings show how effective doctors think these medications are at treating Lou gehrig's disease (ALS)
Riluzole
2.5
15 reviews
Anticholinergic
Muscle relaxants
Rilutek

Procedures

Ratings show how effective doctors think these procedures are at treating Lou gehrig's disease (ALS)

Surgery

PEG tube insertion
3.2
14 reviews

Other treatments

Occupational therapy
Palliative care
Supportive care
Dietary changes
Physical therapy
Load more

Tests

HIV test
Creatine kinase
Sod1 mutation testing
Acetylcholine receptor binding antibody
Voltage gated calcium channel antibodies
Load more

Risk factors

Personal

Lead exposure
Cigarette smoking

Related questions

A 41-year old asked:

What is ALS ( lou gehrigs disease )?

2 doctor answers • 3 doctors weighed in

A 21-year old asked:

Why is ALS called lou gehrig's disease?

3 doctor answers • 6 doctors weighed in

A 37-year old asked:

What is the progression of ALS or lou gehrigs disease?

2 doctor answers • 2 doctors weighed in

A 38-year old asked:

Do you think there will ever be a cure for ALS (lou gehrigs) disease?

2 doctor answers • 3 doctors weighed in

A 38-year old asked:

Are ald and ALS the same disease?

1 doctor answer • 1 doctor weighed in

A male asked:

What is fields disease? Is it the same as als?

1 doctor answer • 2 doctors weighed in

A 43-year old female asked:

Just saw a TV show about a 29 yr old who has ALS. I am 43F. How much does average person have to worry about getting this disease? Normal to worry?

1 doctor answer • 1 doctor weighed in

A 47-year old asked:

Is Crohn's disease similar to als? Please advise!

2 doctor answers • 8 doctors weighed in

A 31-year old asked:

How long is the life expectancy for als, llou gehrig's disease?

2 doctor answers • 6 doctors weighed in

A 21-year old male asked:

Hello, i'm interested what are chances of me getting als? My grandfather died of ALS after fighting disease for 8 years.. No one in my family had als

2 doctor answers • 4 doctors weighed in

A 21-year old asked:

Is ALS a disease of the muscles or nerves?

4 doctor answers • 10 doctors weighed in

A 18-year old female asked:

My father, who is 65, is dying of ALS or: lou gherigs disease. How painful will his death be? And what are the signs hes getting close to dying?

1 doctor answer • 1 doctor weighed in

A 38-year old female asked:

Looking for a dr in illinois specializing in als, muscular, neurological disorders or diseases.

2 doctor answers • 5 doctors weighed in

A 30-year old asked:

What is the name of that spinal cord disease als?

1 doctor answer • 4 doctors weighed in

A 40-year old asked:

Doctors, what are the genetic links with MS and motor neurone disease (als)?

1 doctor answer • 2 doctors weighed in

A 44-year old female asked:

I am seeing a MS specialist to rule in or out MS (not diagnosed). My uncle just died of ALS. Can ALS Wax and Wane early in the disease?

4 doctor answers • 7 doctors weighed in

A 24-year old male asked:

24m worried bout ALS muscle twitching all over body nothing really feels any weaker than norm just really worried about this awful disease?

1 doctor answer • 5 doctors weighed in

A 50-year old asked:

Can you tell me could I have a deadly neurological disease like ALS (amyotrophic lateral sclerosis) what causes this?

2 doctor answers • 2 doctors weighed in

A 21-year old male asked:

Plz need a brief idea of when will there be a cure for ALS, MS,Alzihmiers,Parkinson's disease how far we are from cure plzzz any reply or predictions?

1 doctor answer • 4 doctors weighed in

A 32-year old female asked:

Does a low cd57 nk result of 36 mean I have lyme disease? What else could it mean? I have many neurological symptoms and am scared of als or ms.

1 doctor answer • 1 doctor weighed in

A 36-year old male asked:

Can metobolic disease cause fasciculations. have high CPK 744 high adolese and low t. Rheumatologist thinks metobolic. Clean emg/ns. Worried als. 36?

2 doctor answers • 2 doctors weighed in

A 20-year old male asked:

In ALS and other neurological diseases, how rapid is muscle weakness and/or atrophy? If I have gone almost a full year, if not longer and have not experienced obvious muscle weakness or atrophy does this rule it out?

1 doctor answer • 1 doctor weighed in

A 41-year old female asked:

I had a clean EMG but I still worry about ALS. My neurological exam was normal. The EMG was done in my arm. Sense a LS is a pathway disease wouldnt a clean EMG rule out ALS for me even if it was only done in one limb and not all four?

2 doctor answers • 2 doctors weighed in

A 23-year old female asked:

Can neurogenic atrophy in thenar muscle from nerve injury cause als? Or does it only apply to those with nerve disease?

2 doctor answers • 3 doctors weighed in

A 25-year old male asked:

Does benign muscle fasciculations mean im at an increased risk of developing ALS in the future? Or another neurological disease like epilepsy?

1 doctor answer • 2 doctors weighed in

A 28-year old female asked:

I got into a car accident 10 years ago where my car flipped over 2 times . Didnt get hurt I remember everything and only got a slight headache. Does this event put me at risk for cancer or als or any type of brain disease?

3 doctor answers • 9 doctors weighed in

A 23-year old male asked:

I have twitches is both calves for about 4 month and I m getting crazy about them. I have had a mri of head and back without any signs of disease had an emg without pathologic activities just the fasciculations. Is it possible to still have ALs?

1 doctor answer • 1 doctor weighed in

A 38-year old male asked:

I have fear of having disease like als. I have fatigue in arms and twitching in calves but I have neck pain and don't sleep enough. Should I worry?

2 doctor answers • 2 doctors weighed in

A 31-year old male asked:

After a dog bite in 2011 and fear of rabies after that, I received PEP and rabies vaccine boosters every year, adding up to 21 doses in the last 10 years. I am very worried about the risk of ALS, MS, lupus and autoimmune diseases. Is it likely?

2 doctor answers • 2 doctors weighed in

A 31-year old male asked:

After a dog bite in 2011 and fear of rabies after that, I received PEP and rabies vaccine boosters every year, adding up to 21 doses in the last 10 years. I am very worried about the risk of ALS, MS, lupus and autoimmune diseases. Is it likely?

2 doctor answers • 2 doctors weighed in

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