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Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis: Lou Gehrig

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Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), also referred to as Lou Gehrig's disease, is a continuously unwavering lethal neurological disease. It is revealed to bring harm to neurons, or nerve cells, that function to monitor voluntary muscle movement. ALS is one of many diseases that belong to a group called motor neuron diseases. The disorders within this group are known to cause steady deterioration of the body’s nerve cells.
When understanding the extent of ALS, one must consider the function of motor neurons. These nerve cells hold residence within the brain, brainstem, and spinal cord. This specific portion is meant to monitor components of the body, while serving as the communication center between the nervous system and voluntary muscles within …show more content…
The diagnosis of ALS can be concluded through a patient’s symptoms from the physician’s performance of running various tests, in order to rule out other disorders. Doctors are given complete access to a patient’s medical history. From this, the doctor can do a neurological scan of the patient’s head regularly. With the scan, the doctor is able to examine the severity of the patient’s symptoms. The physician is able to detect if muscle weakness or atrophy is continuously worsening within a …show more content…
When this occurs, a physician must complete corresponding tests on the patient in order to eliminate the likelihood of other disorders. An example of a test required for a patient is electromyography (EMG). This test is designed to examine electrical activity within muscles. It does this by using a specific recording maneuver. There are various EMG examinations that are able to detect certain symptoms of ALS. Other tests conducted by doctors are the nerve conduction velocity (NCV) test. The test detects abnormal behavior, showing the patient has damage to peripheral nerves or another muscle disease. When using this test, a physician is able to rule out the possibility of forming ALS. A doctor is able to administer a magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). This is done so the doctor can view comprehensive images of the brain and spinal cord. The images are shown by using a magnetic field and radio waves. When MRI scans are conducted on candidates of ALS, the results are usually normal. Instead, the scan may be used to detect other disorders within a patient, such as a spinal cord

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