The human body is quite an intricate thing since the mechanisms involved in picking up a small pen is far more complicated than it seems. We receive a health scare and make amends by adopting a healthy lifestyle, but there are certain diseases which cannot be held at bay even by adopting a healthy way of life.
Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis or ALS as it is commonly known as is one such ailment that affects people in spite of trying to lead a healthy lifestyle. ALS is a progressive neurodegenerative disorder which is known to affects the nerve cells in the brain and spine. The disease manifests itself in the form of failing physical ability. Usually, the motor neurons move from the brain towards the spinal cord, and from the spinal cord to the rest of the body. These neurons carry signals from the brain to the body part which is instructed to perform a particular function. ALS disrupts the proper passage of signals from the brain to the muscles.
In order to diagnose ALS, it is imperative to read into ALS’s signs and symptoms which every affected individual will project at some point in time. The ALS signs and symptoms are as followed-
- The early ALS signs and symptoms manifest themselves in the form of slurred speeches, muscle cramps, the stiffness of the muscles, difficulty in holding things in one’s hands, etc. Also, the individual who’s suffering from ALS cannot control his movements and ends up stumbling frequently, and has a problem swallowing food.
- Since ALS is a neurodegenerative disorder, its impact on the body’s muscles is quite serious. The individual will lose control over his movements, and even holding a glass of water can become quite a challenging task. The muscles in the body start weakening, and performing the daily tasks can become quite tedious.
- ALS affects a single part of the body, but it is known to spread to other parts of the body as well. The different bodily functions like heartbeats, bowel, and bladder functions, gastrointestinal tract, remain unaffected by ALS for some time, however, if the muscles in the body weaken as a sign and symptoms of ALS, then eventually these functions are affected as well.
- As an ALS sign and symptoms, the individual affected by the same can display certain behavioral changes. The person might become irritable, apathetic, inconsiderate, and can even have uncontrollable bouts of laughter and tears. The person might lose control of his emotions, but this is a temporary phase.
When a person is diagnosed with ALS, timely treatment can improve the condition.