what is als

Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS), also known as Lou Gehrigs Disease, is a progressive neurodegenerative disease that affects nerve cells in the brain and spinal cord. ALS causes the motor neurons to degenerate and die, which stops them from sending messages to the muscles. This results in muscle weakness, twitching, and wasting away. The disease gets worse over time and eventually affects control of the muscles needed to move, speak, eat, and breathe. Early symptoms include muscle twitches, muscle cramps, tight and stiff muscles, muscle weakness, trouble swallowing, and slurred speech. There is no known cure for ALS, and the average life expectancy after diagnosis is two to five years, but some patients may live for years or even decades. Diagnosing ALS is difficult because there is no single medical test for it, and many neurologic diseases cause similar symptoms. A comprehensive diagnostic workup includes clinical examinations and medical tests.