10 Lou Gehrig's Disease Symptoms
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Lou Gehrig’s Disease, also known as amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, or ALS, is a progressive nervous system disease. As the disease progresses, it destroys nerve cells and can contribute to various forms of disability and other symptoms. The condition is named after the famous baseball player who was first diagnosed with the issue. The issue primarily affects motor neurons – those that are responsible for regulating our motion – and thus the story of Lou Gehrig getting the disease was particularly tragic, impeding his ability to play his favorite sport.
The early stages of the disease are usually characterized by mild muscle twitching or slurred speech as the muscles in the mouth begin to fail. As the disease gets worse it can impair a person’s ability to move their muscles at all and can hinder their ability to eat, talk, or perform other daily functions. Unfortunately, there is currently no known cure for the disease. If it is left to progress without managing it at all, it can eventually be fatal.
If you are wondering whether or not you are beginning to experience Lou Gehrig’s disease, then you might want to check out this list of symptoms. If you are experiencing several of these then it might be a good idea to get yourself checked in to a medical establishment so you can work on setting up a plan to manage the problem.
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Symptom #1: Muscle Twitching
A muscle twitch is an uncomfortable sensation in which a muscle begins to move on its own. Most people have experienced mild muscle twitches as a result of under sleeping or drinking too much caffeine, but they can become quite irritating when they are chronic.
Muscle twitches can occur in people who are not struggling with ALS, but when combined with other symptoms in this list could indicate that you are developing the problem and should seek help. The muscle twitches that occur in people with ALS often start out small and become more intense as the condition progresses.
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