Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS)

1.     What is amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) ?

- ALS is a disease that damages the nerves that control muscles. This causes the muscles to become weak, then they slowly stop working.

This leaves the patient unable to move, and over time, the disease tends to get worse.

2.     What causes ALS?

- in the majority of cases, we don’t know yet what is the cause, however, 5 to 10% of cases are due to genetics.

This means that there is a gene causing the disease that is inherited from your ancestors or sometimes, the patient can have a gene causing ALS with no history of family members with ALS.

3.     Is there treatment for ALS?

- There is no cure for ALS, but doctors can treat symptoms and prescribe medicines that might slow down the disease a little bit.

- there are a lot of research worldwide being conducted to try to find the cure for ALS.

4.     What are the symptoms of ALS?

- ALS can have different symptoms in different patients, however, the main symptoms are:

·      Weak arm or leg muscles, usually starting in 1 arm or leg then later can spread to other parts.

·      Trouble speaking or swallowing

·      Slow, stiff movements

·      Muscle twitches and spasms

·      Eventually, the patient can have difficulty breathing if the muscles of the chest get affected.

These symptoms can affect the daily life of the patient, and it might get in the way of them getting dressed, writing, or even eating

5.     Can ALS affect your mood or memory?

- Yes, some people with ALS can have mood changes. They might laugh or cry at times when it’s not appropriate. In other patients, they can have problems with thinking and finding words.

6.     How is ALS diagnosed?

- ALS is usually diagnosed through taking information about your symptoms and doing a physical examination. Your doctor can follow you up with multiple examinations to establish the diagnosis.

- We can also order a test called EMG to check how well your nerves and muscles are working.

7.     What are the available drugs for ALS?

- We currently have no cure for the disease however, there are some medicines that can slow down the progression of your symptoms such as:

·      “Riluzole”

·      Edaravone that is also known as “Radicava”

·      And the newest drug is called “Tofersen” which is only used to treat an ALS type caused by a specific mutation.

8.     What other treatments can be offered to me?

·       Other medicines to treat muscles spasms, drooling, sleep problems and any mood changes such as depression can be offered to the patient.

·       Patients with ALS tend to eventually need:

o   breathing support such as breathing masks to help you breath

o   Feeding tube: to prevent the patient from chocking when eating due to weak muscles.

o   Other devices to assist you while walking such as a cane, crutches, or a wheelchair.

Support group for ALS in Kuwait

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