Lou Gehrig’s Disease (ALS): Early Symptoms to Know
Lou Gehrig’s disease is the common name for amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), a progressive neurological disease that affects nerve cells responsible for controlling voluntary muscles. Symptoms can vary from person to person and may develop gradually.
Possible early symptoms include:
- Muscle weakness
- Weakness in a hand, arm, leg, or the muscles used for speech and swallowing is often one of the first signs.
- Muscle twitching (fasciculations)
- Small, involuntary muscle twitches may appear, commonly in the arms, legs, shoulders, or tongue.
- Muscle cramps and stiffness
- Some people experience frequent cramps, tightness, or stiffness in muscles.
- Difficulty with everyday tasks
- Problems such as dropping objects, buttoning clothes, walking, or climbing stairs may occur.
- Changes in speech
- Slurred speech, a softer voice, or difficulty pronouncing words can be early signs in some people.
- Trouble swallowing
- Difficulty swallowing food or liquids may develop as muscles involved in swallowing are affected.
- Changes in movement and coordination
- Increased clumsiness, tripping, or difficulty controlling movements may occur.
- Fatigue or muscle exhaustion
- Some people notice muscles tiring more quickly than before.
Important:
Many of these symptoms can also be caused by other, more common conditions, such as nerve compression, vitamin deficiencies, thyroid problems, or other neurological disorders. Having one of these symptoms does not mean someone has ALS.
A medical evaluation is important if there is progressive muscle weakness, persistent twitching with weakness, speech or swallowing difficulties, or unexplained loss of function. A neurologist can perform appropriate tests to determine the cause.
