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What is the most common first symptom of ALS?
Gradual onset of progressive muscle weakness – which is generally painless — is the most common initial symptom in ALS.
Do early ALS symptoms come and go?
Most people with ALS live 5 years or less after their diagnosis, but some live much longer. Research is underway to find treatments to extend and improve the quality of life. With MS, the course of the disease is harder to predict. Your symptoms may come and go, and may even disappear for months or years at a time.
Do symptoms of ALS come on suddenly?
As I have mentioned before, ALS does not start abruptly. Consider Lou Gehrig. At first he never dreamed he had a disease. That’s the same problem all of our patients face.
How can I rule out ALS?
Abnormalities in muscles seen in an EMG can help doctors diagnose or rule out ALS . An EMG can also help guide your exercise therapy. Nerve conduction study. This study measures your nerves’ ability to send impulses to muscles in different areas of your body.
What is usually the first sign of ALS?
Signs and symptoms might include: ALS often starts in the hands, feet or limbs, and then spreads to other parts of your body. As the disease advances and nerve cells are destroyed, your muscles get weaker. This eventually affects chewing, swallowing, speaking and breathing.
What are the early warning signs of ALS?
Weakness within the muscles involved in speech and swallowing can occur as an early symptom of ALS. Affected patients can exhibit unusually nasal or slurred speech, which can be difficult for friends and loved ones to understand, reports the National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke.
What are the initial symptoms of ALS?
Difficulty performing daily activities such as walking