Lou Gehrigs Disease

ALS - Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis

Patient #5 Andrew
Background
Andrew, a 45 year-old single father of two, comes to you in confidence.
Hes noticed that the muscles in his hands and feet have gotten
progressively weaker lately, and from time to time, he sees these
muscles twitch. He used to lift weights at the gym quite a bit, but he
now has trouble lifting the bar. His daughter noticed that he seems to
be tripping and stumbling quite often and commented that it took him
quite a long time to get the key in the door the other day. Andrew
claims that mentally he feels fine, but its almost like his muscles are
slowly giving out on him. You dont see any twitches going on right now,
but you are having a hard time hearing him. He seems to be having
trouble projecting his voice and his speech is slightly slurred at times.
Symptoms
Muscle weakness, problems with coordination, stiff
muscles, loss of muscle, muscle spasms, overactive
reflexes, fatigue, feeling faint, vocal cord spasm,
impaired voice, difficulty swallowing, drooling, mild
cognitive impairment, severe constipation, severe
weight loss, shortness of breath, or difficulty raising
limbs.
Diagnosis
Andrew has the following symptoms: weak muscles in
hands and feet, muscle twitching, muscle loss,
constant tripping and stumbling, hard to project
voice, and slightly slurred speech. All of these
symptoms correspond with Lou Gehrig's disease. He
experiences the symptoms of muscle weakness,
problems with coordination, muscle spasms, vocal
cord spasm, and impaired voice.
Prognosis
He will start to lose the ability to move and will not be
able to take care of himself. He will most likely die
within three to five years based on the average
lifespan of people with this disease. Only one in four
patients live for more than five years.
Recommendations
A speech therapist - They could help with his impaired
speech and slurs
A physical therapist - They can help to adjust with his
loss of muscle and muscle weakness. They can help
to try and strengthen his muscles as much as
possible. They can also help with coordination and
fatigue.
Communication Error
No clear identifying cause of ALS
Motor neurons located in spinal cord
Project axons outside spinal cord which effect muscle
movement
Progressive neuromuscular disease which causes
damage and death of motor neurons
Images