Earlyamyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS)symptoms include slurred speech and muscle weakness, which eventually progresses toparalysisand death.
This article discusses ALS in women, including symptoms, causes, and prognosis.
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How Common Is ALS in Women?
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How Does ALS Affect the Body?
Motor neurons controlvoluntarybody movement.
For reasons not fully understood, ALS damages and destroys motor neurons.
When muscles can’t receive messages from the destroyed nerve cells, they no longer function properly.
Therefore, muscles become weak, stiff, andatrophied(broken down).
Eventually, the muscles stop working completely, resulting in paralysis.
This process is the same in both men and women.
There is no contraindication for breastfeeding with ALS; help with positioning and holding the baby may be necessary.
Genetics
Genesare inherited from each parent and are responsible for specific characteristics, like eye color.
Mutations in genes can lead to diseases such as ALS.
This means symptoms first appear in the face and neck, affecting speech and swallowing.
Bulbar-onset tends to be more aggressive than limb-onset ALS.
Scientists continue to work at understanding the cause of ALS in hopes of developing better medications to treat it.
ALS in women can begin with subtle changes that are often overlooked.
Diagnosis and early treatment are imperative for living a longer life.
Although there is no cure for ALS, maintaining quality of life is important while managing the disease.
Difficulty talking, swallowing, or breathing is often an early sign.
People between 40 and 65 are more susceptible to ALS.
Multiple sclerosis,Kennedy disease, andLyme diseasecan be mistaken for ALS.
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National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke.Motor neuron diseases fact sheet.
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2018;8(5):a024125.
doi:10.1101/cshperspect.a024125
ALS Association.ALS risk factors.
2019;20(11):2818. doi:10.3390/ijms20112818
MedlinePlus.Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis.
