ALS Awareness Month 2019
May 9, 2019ALS Awareness Month 2019
Everyone active on social media in 2013 remembers the viral ice bucket challenge of dumping ice-cold water on your head or donating to ALS. If you completed the challenge you could tag five other people to participate in the challenge. Historically, that has been the most awareness of ALS that has been raised in the last few years. Continue reading more about ALS.
What is ALS?
ALS stands for amyotrophic lateral sclerosis and is most often called Lou Gehrig’s disease. This is a neurodegenerative disease that slowly destroys the nerve cells in the spinal cord and the brain. With the eventual breakdown of muscle tissue, people can no longer move or function as though they used to. Their limited mobility makes it difficult for them to live unassisted. People who have progressive ALS typically need an aid to help them use the bathroom, feed themselves, get dressed, bathe, and move from room to room.
What Are the Symptoms of ALS?
The most common symptom of ALS is when people start to feel weakness in their muscles. They can’t move as though they once did, and can’t perform daily tasks. This will progress into complete non-function of the muscles. People will start to slur their speech and have muscle spasms.
Is There a Cure?
Sadly there is not a cure, and ALS will eventually claim most of the people who have it. This is why we raise awareness for ALS so that eventually there can be better treatments, more research, and eventually a cure. Please consider donating to some organizations for the research of ALS.
Famous People Who Have Had ALS
- Lou Gehrig
- Pete Frates – Behind the ALS Ice Bucket Challenge
- Stephen Hawking
- Mao Zedong
Final Thoughts
Do you know anyone who has had ALS? Did you participate in the ice bucket challenge? Do you feel as though this article helped to educate you about ALS? Comment below!
With my amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), the first thing that happened almost 2 years ago now, was speaking as if I were drunk. I wasn’t. I initially did improve speech (articulating clearly but slow) but now I can no longer speak in an acceptable way. Then, a year later eating became problematic, I was biting my tongue and lips, and chewing became weak and less controlled. Soon after that some fingers started to fail me and things would drop out of my hands. Somewhere at that time bulbar ALS was diagnosed. The medication did very little to help me. The medical team did even less. My decline was rapid and devastating. We tried every shot available but nothing was working. There has been little if any progress in finding a reliable treatment, Our care provider introduced us to an herbal treatment. The treatment is a miracle. I recovered significantly
Hello Marcia!
Thank you so much for sharing your wonderful story!
Soma Tech Intl
Hope this is allowed on here if not I understand. Around age 60 I noticed that my handwriting was getting smaller and I was writing faster. I also noticed twitches on my right hand. The doctor went over my different symptoms and he suspected I’d either had a small stroke or the beginnings of Parkinson’s. After finding a neurologist and some testing I was diagnosed with the beginning stages of Lou Gehrig’s disease. That was 2 years ago. I took a medication four times a day to control my symptoms, which include drooling, muscle weakness, gait problems, swallowing difficulties, and my while body feeling faint, A year ago, I began to do a lot of research and came across a health clinic and their herbal treatment. After seeing positive reviews from other patients, I quickly decided to get started on the treatment, ( NOTE: Our family doctor was informing my family to prepare for my funeral as I had a year to live at that point ), After 2 months I experienced significant reduction/decline in major symptoms, including muscle weakness, speech problems, difficulty swallowing, fatigue and others, The truth is you can get off the drugs and help yourself by trying natural methods, I live symptoms free. I’m forever thankful.
Thank you for sharing your story with us Laurah. We are glad that you are feeling much better.
Thank you for taking the time to read our blog!
Soma Tech Intl
My husband who had been diagnosed with Bulbar ALS disease for 2 years at the age of 63. God Bless all Lou Gehrig’s disease Caregivers. Stay Strong, take small moments throughout the day to thank yourself, to love your self, and pray to whatever faith, star, spiritual force you believe in and ask for strength.