{"id":9332,"date":"2019-08-08T07:38:11","date_gmt":"2019-08-08T07:38:11","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/simplyhealth.today\/?p=9332"},"modified":"2021-04-22T16:21:13","modified_gmt":"2021-04-22T16:21:13","slug":"15-signs-of-lou-gehrigs-disease","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/simplyhealth.today\/15-signs-of-lou-gehrigs-disease\/","title":{"rendered":"15 Signs of Lou Gehrig’s Disease"},"content":{"rendered":"\n
\"\"<\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n

Lou\u2019s Gehrig\u2019s disease is a nervous system disease that impacts physical function and weakens the muscles. It is a disease that is rare in the US, but when it occurs, there are less than 20,000 cases. It can be treated, but there is no cure. When it begins, the hands and feet become weak. For instance, you will notice that it will become difficult to grip the steering wheel when driving. You may have to stop driving when you have this disease. It will become difficult to breathe because the lungs become affected. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Once you notice that your hands and feet are becoming weak, seek medical attention right away. The sooner you get medical attention, the doctor may be able to prescribe some medications that will help you to keep your muscle movement longer. The signs of Lou Gehrig\u2019s disease occur slowly. You may have slurred speech as well. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Here are eight signs of Lou Gehrig\u2019s disease.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

1. Stumbling is a sign of having Lou Gehrig\u2019s disease. <\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Your muscles <\/a>are becoming weak and it\u2019s difficult for you to maintain your balance. Your feet have become weak as well. In order to be able to walk without stumbling, you\u2019ll need to use a cane or walker. Your doctor will take a series of tests, such as imaging and blood tests to see what is causing the stumbling. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

If you have a two-story home, it is a good idea to not use the upstairs anymore because you could hurt yourself by falling. It may be best to seek housing that just has a one-story or sleep downstairs in your two-story home. When you sit down and get up, you\u2019ll need to take your time because you can easily fall. Always use your cane or walker to help you to get up and down. Also, use railings when you have to go up and downstairs.
<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n

\"\"<\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n

2. Difficulty holding objects in hand is a sign of Lou Gehrig\u2019s disease. <\/h3>\n\n\n\n

The muscles in the hands have become weak, which is the reason for your inability to hold objects. When you need something, you\u2019ll need to get assistance from someone else. It can become embarrassing at first, but over time, you\u2019ll get used to having the disease. When eating, you\u2019ll have to be fed by someone else. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

As stated before, if you get treatment <\/a>for Lou Gehrig\u2019s disease early on, the muscles in your hand can be controlled longer. That may allow you to use the muscles in your hand. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

You may have to take your time when grasping objects, such a spoon because if you do it too fast, it can drop out of your hand. Even though you may take prescription medications for Lou Gehrig\u2019s disease, over time, you will eventually lose mobility in your hands.
<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n

\"\"<\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n

3. The speech will become slurred when you have Lou Gehrig\u2019s disease. <\/h3>\n\n\n\n

If you had perfect speech <\/a>before, you will notice that it takes you longer to get your words out. In the early stages, a speech therapist may be able to help you. Even though, your speech has become slurred, people around you may be able to understand what you\u2019re saying, especially someone who is around you all of the time. If you still have mobility in your hands, you can write down what you want to say. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

In the beginning, the person may become frustrated because they know what they want to say, but it takes them longer to communicate. With compassionate people surrounding them, they will feel comfortable speaking even it\u2019s slurred. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

You shouldn\u2019t try to rush the person with Lou Gehrig\u2019s disease to speak because it\u2019ll just make him or her more frustrated and not want to talk at all.
<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n

\"\"<\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n

4. Stiff muscles are another sign that you have Lou Gehrig\u2019s disease. <\/h3>\n\n\n\n

The reason this has happened because the muscles have weakened. Every time you make a move, it\u2019ll be difficult to move as quickly as you used to. You can rub topical analgesics on your body, but it won\u2019t go away because the disease can\u2019t be cured. Some people say that certain weather makes muscles more painful, such as when it snows, their muscles ache. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

When you have stiff muscles, your walking may be limited. If you do happen to walk, you may have to be hunched over because sitting up straight will cause pain<\/a>. With everything that you do, you have to take your time. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

When you rush, it\u2019ll cause pain. In order to get relief, you may see yourself lying down a lot of sitting all the way to the back of the couch. Sitting in cushioned chairs will help a lot.
<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n

\"\"<\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n

5. Trouble breathing is another sign that Lou Gehrig\u2019s disease is present. <\/h3>\n\n\n\n

The lungs <\/a>can become infected with the disease. When you have trouble breathing, you\u2019ll need to go to the emergency room to get oxygen and figure out what is causing the breathing problem. If the breathing problem persists, you will have to carry around a mini oxygen tank to help you with your breathing. You\u2019ll have to wear it at all times. If you smoke, you\u2019ll need to quit. Smoking and oxygen don\u2019t agree with each other. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Since you have trouble breathing, you won\u2019t be able to do strenuous activities, such as running. You may be able to get away with walking but at a slow pace. On the other hand, Lou Gehrig\u2019s affects the muscles, you may not be able to do any walking. In order to get around, you may need a cane, walker, or wheelchair.
<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n

\"\"<\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n

6. Weaker muscles are a sign you have Lou Gehrig\u2019s disease. <\/h3>\n\n\n\n

In the beginning, the muscles may get weak in one hand or leg, but over time, both hands and legs will weaken. You may have to be bound to a wheelchair when this happens. It will be easier for you to fall and injure yourself. For instance, if you live in a two-story home, you may fall down the stairs because the muscles in your legs are weak. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

The same thing will happen if you are holding something heavy. It could cause you to injure <\/a>yourself because it\u2019ll drop from your hands. The best thing for you to do is to do everything downstairs or move into a home with just one floor. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Even if you\u2019re bound to a wheelchair, you won\u2019t have to worry about falling down the stairs. If you happen to fall out of your wheelchair, someone can immediately get to you because you are on one floor.<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n

\"\"<\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n

7. Difficulty being understood with Lou Gehrig\u2019s disease. <\/h3>\n\n\n\n

When you speak, people will have a difficult time understanding what you\u2019re saying. You will need to take your time when speaking so that you are understood a little bit better. The person you are speaking with may use pictures to help understand what you are saying. You can shake your head or try pointing to the picture. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

A lot of times, a person that is around someone with Lou Gehrig\u2019s disease may eventually understand what the person is saying even when someone else doesn\u2019t. If the hands can be used a little bit, the person can try grasping it and writing <\/a>what he or she wants to say. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

They can write just one word to allow the person to know what they need. It is important to listen to the person as well as possible because they might want medical attention.<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n

\"\"<\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n

8. Difficulty in swallowing and chewing is a sign to look out for. <\/h3>\n\n\n\n

In order for the person to get any food down, they\u2019ll need to eat softer foods like applesauce <\/a>and oatmeal. When they eat anything, they should take their time and take small bites. With oatmeal, you really don\u2019t have to chew it, you can just swallow it. When a small bite goes down, sip a little bit of water. Make sure the food stays down. If it does, eat some more. In fact, a person doesn\u2019t have to eat a full meal. They can spread their meals out. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

For instance, for breakfast, they can eat a half a cup of oatmeal and about two hours later, eat the other half. For lunch and dinner, they can do the same thing. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

That way they are not skipping meals. Also, they will have to stop eating foods that have to be chewed, such as hamburgers and French fries.<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n

\"\"<\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n

9. Muscle Cramps<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Patients who are dealing with the onset of Lou Gehrig\u2019s disease find that they start to experience the beginning of changes in the muscular system. The nervous system<\/a> controls muscle response through an intricate network of nerve ending that sends signals to and from the brain. However, people with the condition notice impairment of these signals, resulting in a host of complications.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

One of the first symptoms to show up in patients is muscle cramps. Cramping starts as mild and progresses as the patient\u2019s condition advances into the critical stage. Pains in the initial phase of the condition are mild and increase with intensity as the disease progresses. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Eventually, the affected individual may start to experience severe cramping symptoms that last for an extended period. There is nothing doctors can do to stop the cramping, other than issue medications that help to reduce the intensity and duration of the cramps.<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n

\"\"<\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n

10. Muscle Twitching<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Patients who are dealing with the onset of Lou Gehrig\u2019s disease start to notice the symptoms of cramping and twitching <\/a>occur in the initial stages of the condition. These symptoms intensify as the disease spreads through the nervous system. The twitching symptoms associated with Low Gehrig\u2019s disease often affect the eyes. The patient may notice a persistent eye twitch that occurs throughout the day.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The patient may also notice twitching symptoms in their limbs, as well as the fingers. It may become challenging for affected individuals to hold items, as the combination of muscle weakness and twitching may cause them to drop anything that they hold. Twitching is a sign that the central nervous system is starting to succumb to the effects of the disease, and patients should seek immediate medical assistance for managing these symptoms.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

If left undiagnosed, untreated, and unmanaged, patients with Lou Gehrig\u2019s disease will experience the rapid onset of the condition. As a result, they may not have the same life expectancy as those patients that receive prompt medical treatment. <\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n

\"\"<\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n

11. Confusion<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Most patients with Low Gehrig\u2019s disease die within 5-years of diagnosis of the condition. During the period between diagnosis and death, the patient experiences the onset of the degradation of the nervous system. Patients with ALS typically notice that they start to lose control of the muscular system. However, Lou Gehrig\u2019s disease not only affects the neurons responsible for managing movement. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Neurons <\/a>in the brain may also experience damage in regions that are responsible for controlling mental function as well. As a result, the patient may find that they start to notice the onset of dementia. Dementia causes numerous cognitive complications in affected individuals. The combination of dementia and Lou Gehrig\u2019s disease removes the functionality of the body and the mind.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Patients who experience the onset of dementia require daycare at a managed health facility specializing in the treatment of dementia patients. The staff helps the patient deal with the progression of the disease and make their life more comfortable in the final stages of the condition.<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n

\"\"<\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n

12. Depression and Anxiety<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

People with Lou Gehrig\u2019s disease may find that they start to notice the symptoms of cognitive deterioration of the brain. This situation may lead to the onset of dementia in the affected individual. As a result, the patient may start to experience issues handling their emotional response to their condition. The patient may develop depression, realizing that the disease is not curable, and they are on the path to their demise.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Depression <\/a>can significantly exacerbate the symptoms of Lou Gehrig\u2019s disease while making the patient mentally unstable. The patient may start to develop suicidal thoughts, and they require counseling to express their emotional state.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Anxiety is another mental health disorder frequently encountered by patients who are dealing with the onset of Lou Gehrig\u2019s disease. Anxiety is a feeling of dread or uncertainty about the future. Patients who know they are going to die may develop the high-anxiety disorder as a response to their situation.<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n

\"\"<\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n

13. Mood Swings<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Patients who are dealing with the onset of Lou Gehrig\u2019s disease may start to notice symptoms of dementia <\/a>in the later stages of the disease. Dementia causes a drop in the cognitive function of the brain, resulting in the onset of issues with memory recall, thinking, and other behaviors. People with Lou Gehrig\u2019s disease may find that they develop mood swings from manic behavior to depression.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Swings in mood can be hard for caregivers and family members to handle. The patient may be fine in the morning and then show signs of frustration, confusion, and anxiety in the afternoon. This behavior describes a condition known as \u201csundowning syndrome,\u201d when the fading light of the day starts to interfere with regular brain activity. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

As a result, the patient starts to find they develop symptoms of anxiety or uncertainty. The patient may also begin to cry or week uncontrollably. These individuals require managed care around the clock to help them manage the effects of the condition on their life.<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n

\"\"<\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n

14. Bedsores<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Patients who are dealing with the onset of Lou Gehrig\u2019s disease begin to notice changes in their body and nervous system. One of the first signs of the condition is the development of muscular weakness in the hands and upper arms. The patient may struggle to grasp objects, such as a coffee cup. As the disease progresses, the patient starts to lose control of their limbs entirely. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

As a result, many patients must remain confined to a wheelchair, with assistance to get around. In the later stages of the disease, the patient may have to confine themselves to bed. When the disease reaches its peak, the patient is no longer able to get around by themselves, and they lose total control over motor movements in the body.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Patients that spend a large percentage of their time immobilized in bed may develop bedsores<\/a>. Bedsores occur due to the skin not receiving enough oxygen. Dirty bedsheets may also play a role in the development of bedsores as well.<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n

\"\"<\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n

15. Pneumonia<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

The slow deterioration of the central nervous system over the years in patients with Lou Gehrig’s disease affects many other systems in the body. The immune system resides mostly in the digestive system. Neurological changes may impact the digestive system, resulting in a lowering of immune function in the patient. As a result, they may experience bacterial or viral infections frequently.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Pneumonia <\/a>is one of the more common causes of other infections that present and life-threatening situation for the patient. Pneumonia bacteria may enter the lungs, causing a breakdown of the respiratory system.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Since the patient’s immune function is low, the bacteria may spread to both of the lungs. Being that the nervous system is already dealing with low levels of function, it may find it too hard to manage to breathe, as well as fight off the infection. As a result of the disease, the patient may stop breathing and go into cardiac arrest.<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\r\n

<\/div>