Diseases & Conditions
What is ALS?
Ask the doctor
A friend says that the worst disease of all is ALS. What is it?Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, also known as Lou Gehrig's disease or ALS, can cause all of that. Fortunately, it is quite rare. It is a disease of the motor neurons, the nerve cells through which the brain sends signals to the muscles, causing them to move parts of the body. The most common initial symptom of ALS is slowly progressive weakness, usually of one arm or leg — a weakness that subsequently spreads to other parts of the body. Muscles lose their bulk, become stiff, develop painful spasms and start twitching. Movements become very slow and poorly coordinated.
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