Lou Gehrig's Disease (ALS) : Symptoms

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Symptoms usually do not develop until after age 50. Persons with ALS have a loss of muscle strength and coordination that eventually gets worse (is progressive. This eventually makes the person unable to do routine activities, such as going up ste...
Source:ADAM
Date:August 7, 2006
Lou Gehrig's disease, or amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), is a neurodegenerative disease of unknown cause that breaks down tissues in the nervous system and affects the nerves responsible for movement. Its common name comes from the profession...
Source:Gale Encyclopedia of Alternative Medicine
Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) is a fatal disease that affects nerve cells in the brain and spinal cord that are responsible for movement. The motor neurons (nerve cells which send an impulse to illicit muscular contraction or movement) in an...
Source:Gale Encyclopedia of Genetic Disorders Part I
Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) is a fatal disease that affects nerve cells in the brain and spinal cord that are responsible for movement. The motor neurons (nerve cells which send an impulse to illicit muscular contraction or movement) in an...
Source:Gale Encyclopedia of Genetic Disorders Part II
Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) is a disease that breaks down tissues in the nervous system (a neurodegenerative disease) of unknown cause that affects the nerves responsible for movement. It is also known as motor neuron disease and Lou Gehri...
Source:Gale Encyclopedia of Medicine
Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) is a disease that breaks down tissues in the nervous system (a neurodegenerative disease) of unknown cause that affects the nerves responsible for movement. It is also known as motor neuron disease and Lou Gehri...
Source:Gale Encyclopedia of Neurological Disorders
Choking sends thousands of infants and toddlers to emergency rooms each year, and food often plays a part.
Source:StayWell
One minute you and your child are laughing at the dinner table. The next minute the child is choking. Here's what you should do.
Source:StayWell
Ataxia, a medical term originated from the Greek language meaning " without order, " refers to disturbances in the control of body posture, motor coordination, speech control, and eye movements. Several brain areas, including the cerebellum and the spinocerebellar tracts, substantia nigra, pons, and cerebral cortex control these functions.
Source:Gale Encyclopedia of Neurological Disorders
Detailed information on ataxia, including sporadic ataxia and the hereditary ataxias
Source:StayWell
Lack of coordination in the muscles. Ataxia, an extreme lack of coordination of the muscles, is a symptom of damage to the central nervous system.
Source:Gale Encyclopedia of Childhood and Adolescence
Developmental coordination disorder is diagnosed when children do not develop normal motor coordination (coordination of movements involving the voluntary muscles). Developmental coordination disorder has been known by many other names, some of which are still used today.
Source:Gale Encyclopedia of Mental Disorders
Drooling is saliva flowing outside the mouth.
Source:ADAM
Date:February 6, 2008
Hoarseness is described as having difficulty producing sound when trying to speak, or a change in the pitch or quality of the voice. The voice may sound weak, excessively breathy, scratchy, or husky.
Source:ADAM
Date:July 25, 2007
A voice disorder is an abnormality of one or more of the three characteristics of voice: pitch, intensity (loudness), and quality (resonance). The National Institute on Deafness and Other Communication Disorders estimates that approximately7.
Source:Gale Encyclopedia of Nursing and Allied Health
Uncoordinated movement is an abnormality of muscle control or an inability to finely coordinate movements, resulting in a jerky, unsteady, to-and-fro motion of the trunk or the limbs.
Source:ADAM
Date:March 5, 2007
Muscle cramps are involuntary and often painful contractions (movements) of the muscles.
Source:ADAM
Date:July 21, 2006
Muscle cramps -- involuntary muscle contractions -- are common. But even though they can be quite painful, they don't cause damage.
Source:StayWell
Cramps do not mean there is a problem with the muscle itself; rather, experts believe they happen when the fluid and electrolyte imbalance catches up to you or when a nerve overstimulates a muscle.
Source:StayWell
Muscle spasms and cramps are spontaneous, often painful muscle contractions. The rapid, uncontrolled muscle contraction, or spasm, happens unexpectedly, with either no stimulation or some trivially small one.
Source:Gale Encyclopedia of Children's Health
Muscle spasms and cramps are spontaneous, often painful muscle contractions. Most people are familiar with the sudden pain of a muscle cramp.
Source:Gale Encyclopedia of Medicine
Muscle rigidity is an alteration of muscle tone in which the muscles are in an involuntary state of continual tension. Muscle rigidity can be a manifestation of neurological damage (basal ganglia diseases) or a side effect of certain medications.
Source:HealthLine
Date:October 31, 2007
Spasticity is stiff or rigid muscles with exaggerated, deep tendon reflexes (for example, a knee-jerk reflex. The condition can interfere with walking, movement, or speech. See also: Muscle spasticity
Source:ADAM
Date:March 5, 2007
Spasticity is a form of muscle overactivity. A spastic muscle is one in which a muscle resists being stretched out, and the resistance to stretch is greater the faster the muscle is moved.
Source:Gale Encyclopedia of Neurological Disorders
Spasticity is an abnormal increase in muscle tone. It may be associated with involuntary muscle spasms , sustained muscle contractions (dystonia), and exaggerated deep tendon reflexes that make movement difficult or uncontrollable.
Source:Gale Encyclopedia of Children's Health
Muscle atrophy refers to the wasting or loss of muscle tissue resulting from disease or lack of use.
Source:ADAM
Date:May 22, 2007
True muscle weakness means that full effort does not produce a normal muscle contraction or movement. A voluntary muscle contraction is generated when the brain sends a signal through the spinal cord and nerves to a muscle.
Source:HealthLine
Date:September 30, 2007
Paralysis is defined as complete loss of strength in an affected limb or muscle group. The chain of nerve cells that runs from the brain through the spinal cord out to the muscle is called the motor pathway.
Source:Gale Encyclopedia of Medicine
Paralysis is defined as complete loss of strength in an affected limb or muscle group. The chain of nerve cells that runs from the brain through the spinal cord out to the muscle is called the motor pathway.
Source:Gale Encyclopedia of Nursing and Allied Health
My father had a stroke that left him paralyzed on one side. He's aware of what's going on and can talk some, but he has severe spasticity in his left elbow, shoulder, and hand, along with muscle atrophy. Would Botox injections help his painful spasms?
Source:StayWell
Breathing difficulties involve a sensation of difficult or uncomfortable breathing or a feeling of not getting enough air. See also difficulty breathing - first aid.
Source:ADAM
Date:April 12, 2007
Shortness of breath, or dyspnea, is a feeling of difficult or labored breathing that is out of proportion to the patient ' s level of physical activity. It is a symptom of a variety of different diseases or disorders and may be either acute or chronic.
Source:Gale Encyclopedia of Medicine
Struggling to Breathe: A Nurse’s Tips for Managing DyspneaDyspnea is the technical word for difficulty breathing. It's a common symptom in people who have lung cancer or have cancer that has spread to the lungs.
Source:StayWell
Detailed information on the most common breathing problems in a newborn
Source:StayWell
Severe shortness of breath and shortness of breath accompanied by certain symptoms requires immediate medical attention.
Source:StayWell
If your child cannot seem to get enough breath in his lungs (shortness of breath) or is having a hard time breathing, he probably has a medical condition that needs treatment. If your child is old enough to talk, he can tell you that he is having difficulty breathing. If your child is younger, you may notice that he is breathing harder or faster than usual, isn't feeding well, or is cranky.
Source:StayWell
I had a quadruple bypass seven years ago. A few months back I found myself taking frequent short breaths when I climbed the stairs. Once I stopped exerting myself, my breathing soon returned to normal. Is this due to a problem with my heart or lungs?
Source:StayWell
Shortness of breath may be a warning sign of heart disease. Chest pain is a near-universal signal of heart disease. Shortness of breath may be an equally valuable tip-off.
Source:StayWell
For the past two months I have experienced increased shortness of breath. I have chronic asthma, but there's concern the shortness of breath could be caused by a blockage in heart. I have experienced difficulties in the past when anesthetized. Is there an effective alternative to heart catheterization? I've read about a new CT scan ? is it recommended?
Source:StayWell
A charley horse is the common name for a muscle spasm, especially in the leg. Muscle spasms can occur in any muscle in the body. When a muscle is in spasm, it contracts without your control and does not relax.
Source:ADAM
Date:August 6, 2007
Muscle spasms and cramps are spontaneous, often painful muscle contractions. Most people are familiar with the sudden pain of a muscle cramp.
Source:Gale Encyclopedia of Alternative Medicine
Speech and language impairment may be any of several problems that make it difficult to communicate. See also: Stuttering; Expressive language disorder - developmental.
Source:ADAM
Date:April 23, 2008
Treatment for the improvement or cure of communication disorders, including both speech problems and language disorders. Formerly referred to as speech therapy, the techniques, strategies, and interventions designed to improve or correct communication disorders are known as speech-language pathology.
Source:Gale Encyclopedia of Childhood and Adolescence
Detailed information on speech and voice disorders, including spasmodic dysphonia and stuttering
Source:StayWell
A speech disorder is a communication disorder characterized by an impaired ability to produce speech sounds or normal voice, or to speak fluently. Speech disorders belong to a broad category of disorders called communication disorders that also include language and hearing disorders.
Source:Gale Encyclopedia of Nursing and Allied Health
Speech-language pathology is the treatment for the improvement or cure of communication disorders, including speech, language, and swallowing disorders. The term used to describe professionals in this discipline is speech and language pathologist (SLP).
Source:Gale Encyclopedia of Mental Disorders
The field of speech pathology, formerly known as speech therapy, is concerned with disorders of speech and language. A speech-language pathologist is a professional trained to diagnose and treat language and speech disorders .
Source:Gale Encyclopedia of Nursing and Allied Health
Speech disorders are characterized by a difficulty in producing normal speech patterns. Children go through many stages of speech production while they are learning to communicate.
Source:Gale Encyclopedia of Children's Health
According to the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association (ASHA), a language disorder is an impairment in comprehension use of the spoken, written, or other symbol system. Speech disorders affect the language and mechanics, the content of speech, or the function of language in communication.
Source:Gale Encyclopedia of Medicine
Breathing that slows down or stops from any cause is called apnea. Apnea can come once in a while and be temporary. This can occur with obstructive sleep apnea, for example. Prolonged apnea means a person has stopped breathing. This is also called respiratory arrest when the heart is still active. Prolonged apnea accompanied by lack of any cardiac activity and a patient who is not responsive is called cardiac arrest.
Source:ADAM
Date:February 19, 2008
Dysphagia is a disorder of swallowing. Dysphagia is a disruption in the ability to move food or liquid from the mouth through the pharynx and esophagus into the stomach safely and efficiently.
Source:Gale Encyclopedia of Nursing and Allied Health
Detailed information on dysphagia, including causes, symptoms, diagnosis, and treatment
Source:StayWell
Abnormal buildup of fluid in the ankles, feet, and legs is called peripheral edema.
Source:ADAM
Date:May 17, 2007
Edema is a condition of abnormally large fluid volume in the circulatory system or in tissues between the body ' s cells (interstitial spaces). Normally the body maintains a balance of fluid in tissues by ensuring that the same of amount of water entering the body also leaves it.
Source:Gale Encyclopedia of Medicine
Edema is a condition of abnormally large fluid volume in the circulatory system or in tissues between the body ' s cells (interstitial spaces). Normally the body maintains a balance of fluid in tissues by ensuring that the same amount of water entering the body also leaves it.
Source:Gale Encyclopedia of Alternative Medicine
Unintentional weight loss is a decrease in body weight that is not voluntary. In other words, you did not try to loss the weight by dieting or exercising. See: Intentional weight loss
Source:ADAM
Date:January 22, 2007
Weight loss is a reduction in body mass characterized by a loss of adipose tissue (body fat) and skeletal muscle. Unintentional weight loss is the most common symptom of cancer and often a side effect of cancer treatments.
Source:Gale Encyclopedia of Cancer
What is the most effective method for weight loss/management while taking prednisone?
Source:StayWell
Doctors become most concerned about unintentional weight loss if it reaches more than five percent of the usual body weight (about ten pounds), especially if your weight has not stabilized and continues to go down.
Source:StayWell
Walking abnormalities are unusual and uncontrollable walk patterns, usually caused by diseases or injuries to the legs, feet, brain, spine, or inner ear.
Source:ADAM
Date:March 5, 2007
Weakness is a reduction in the strength of one or more muscles.
Source:ADAM
Date:July 17, 2007
Boosting Your Energy provides information on the causes and treatments of persistent fatigue. Includes information on aging and energy, eating for energy, and boosting your energy.
Source:StayWell
Age and weight loss Question:Why does it get harder to lose weight with age?Answer:One must burn more calories than one takes in to lose weight at any age. This can be done either with caloric restriction or with exercise. Although metabolism slow...
Source:ADAM
Date:November 13, 2007
Weigh Less, Live Longer helps you determine the cause of your excess weight and tailor a plan to your particular needs. Even a modest reduction of 7%-10% of your starting weight can lead to significant improvements in health.
Source:StayWell
The not-so-secret secret to weight loss is to burn more calories than you eat. This can be done safely and effectively by eating a healthy diet and exercising regularly.
Source:StayWell
The latest studies conclude that a successful weight-loss plan is a mind/body undertaking that not only involves monitoring calorie intake and expenditure, but dealing with the psychological side of weight loss and habit change.
Source:StayWell
Out of the millions Americans who are overweight and go on a diet each year, many regain all or a part of the weight they lose within five years.
Source:StayWell
The balance of diet studies shows it's not carbohydrates specifically that count, but the total calories and fat consumed.
Source:StayWell
Moderately intense activities, such as walking briskly from your parked car to the mall entrance and taking your dog for a quick jog after dinner, won't help you train for a sport. But they can help you achieve and maintain a healthful weight and improve your overall fitness level.
Source:StayWell
If you’re starving most of the time or can’t imagine staying on a particular diet past a perceived deadline, you’re on the wrong track.
Source:StayWell
Most people want to lose weight in a hurry, so they go on a fad diet, lose some weight, go off the diet and go back to eating as they always have.
Source:StayWell
Some diet advice is just plain wrong—and some can be dangerous to your health.You don't have to look far to find diet advice. It's as close as your Web browser, your local bookstore, or that pop culture magazine you leafed through. But how accurate is the information? Some diet advice is just plain wrong—and some can be dangerous to your health.
Source:StayWell
Walking is a great form of exercise that can be done just about anywhere. If you're trying to lose weight, though, you'll need to do more than a leisurely stroll.
Source:StayWell
Here are strategies that can help you troubleshoot and personalize your weight-loss plan to manage common workplace weight-loss roadblocks.
Source:StayWell
Experts say the long-term success at weight loss requires a balance between diet and physical activity.
Source:StayWell
Experts say the long-term success at weight loss requires a balance between diet and physical activity.
Source:StayWell
New types of weight-loss medications may help those who struggle with obesity, but there are some potentially serious side effects. Also, use of such a drug requires a significant adjustment in one's diet and level of physical activity.
Source:StayWell
The majority of dieters regain the weight they lose within five years. But they could avoid doing so by gradually changing their eating and exercise habits. Your approach to weight loss should be to make changes you can keep up for the rest of your life.
Source:StayWell
Out of the 90 million Americans who are overweight, 50 million go on a diet each year, according to the National Women's Health Resource Center.
Source:StayWell
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