Lou Gehrig’s disease, also known as amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), is a progressive neurological disease that affects nerve cells responsible for controlling voluntary muscles. Early symptoms can be subtle and may vary from person to person.
Early signs of ALS may include:
- Muscle weakness
- Often begins in one hand, arm, leg, or the muscles used for speech and swallowing.
- Twitching of muscles (fasciculations)
- Small, involuntary muscle movements, commonly noticed in the arms, legs, shoulders, or tongue.
- Muscle cramps or stiffness
- Painful cramps or increased muscle tightness may occur.
- Clumsiness or dropping objects
- Difficulty with tasks like buttoning clothes, writing, gripping, or handling tools.
- Changes in speech
- Slurred speech, a softer voice, or difficulty pronouncing words clearly.
- Trouble swallowing
- Coughing while eating, choking episodes, or difficulty moving food and liquids.
- Changes in walking and balance
- Frequent tripping, weakness in the legs, or difficulty climbing stairs.
- Muscle weakness affecting posture or movement
- Trouble lifting the foot (foot drop) or maintaining certain movements.
Important to know:
Many of these symptoms can also be caused by other, more common and treatable conditions (such as nerve compression, vitamin deficiencies, thyroid problems, or other neurological issues). Having one of these signs does not mean someone has ALS.
A medical evaluation is important if symptoms are persistent, progressive, or affecting daily activities, especially if there is unexplained muscle weakness, speech changes, or swallowing difficulty.
ALS diagnosis usually requires a specialist evaluation, including a neurological examination and tests such as electromyography (EMG) and nerve studies.
