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Is there any treatment for ALS patients?

by — Last updated: 2019-01-22 in Nervous System Disorders and Diseases

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It is good to know that society is far more aware of people with disabilities today. It is a comforting fact that the laws entitle the disabled to equal employment opportunities and access to public places.

There is no cure for ALS at this moment. However, the FDA has approved the first drug treatment for the disease, and that is Riluzole. Riluzole reduces damage to motor neurons and can prolong survival by several months, mainly in those with difficulty swallowing. Other treatments focus on relieving symptoms and improving the quality of life for people with ALS. Drugs are also available to help individuals with pain, depression, sleep disturbances, and constipation as the main ALS symptoms. Individuals with ALS may eventually consider forms of mechanical ventilation or respirators.

What is the prognosis for those newly diagnosed with ALS?

Regardless of the part of the body first affected by the disease, muscle weakness and atrophy eventually spread to other parts of the body as the disease progresses. Individuals with ALS face increasing problems with moving, swallowing, and speaking or forming words. Eventually, people with ALS will not be able to stand or walk, get in or out of bed on their own, or use their hands and arms, and in the later stages of the disease, they will experience breathing difficulties as the muscles of the respiratory system weaken. Although ventilation support can ease problems with breathing and prolong survival, it does not affect the progression of this disease. Unfortunately, most people with ALS die from respiratory failure, usually within 3 to 5 years from the onset of symptoms. However, about 10 percent of those afflicted with ALS survive for 10 or more years, so death is not the only option.

New research

The National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke conducts research in its laboratories at the National Institutes of Health. They also support additional research through grants to major medical institutions across the country.  The goals of this research are to find the cause or causes of ALS. The goal is also to understand the mechanisms involved in the progression of the disease, and develop effective treatments. A key factor may be the Muscular Dystrophy Association, which offers the best doctors and health care professionals.