Bringing families closer using the latest technology for those with ALS. Learn more today.
Everything you need to know about ALS and resources to help make informed decisions.
Learn how ALS affects control of the muscles needed to move, speak, eat and breathe.
Accelerating ALS Progress and Supporting Breakthroughs in ALS Research Since 2013.
Lou Gehrig's disease
Also called: ALS and amyotrophic lateral sclerosis
A nervous system disease that weakens muscles and impacts physical function.
- Treatment can help, but this condition can't be cured
- Requires a medical diagnosis
- Lab tests or imaging always required
- Chronic: can last for years or be lifelong
In this disease, nerve cells break down, which reduces functionality in the muscles they supply. The cause is unknown.
Very rare: Fewer than 20,000 US cases per year
Consult a doctor for medical advice
Sources: Mayo Clinic and others. Learn more
People also ask
What are the first warning signs of ALS?
How long can someone live with ALS?
How long can you have ALS without knowing it?
Is ALS a death sentence?
ALS often begins with muscle twitching and weakness in an arm or leg, trouble swallowing or slurred speech. Eventually ALS affects control of the muscles needed ...
Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), formerly known as Lou Gehrig's disease, is a neurological disorder that affects motor neurons, the nerve cells in the brain ...
Eighty-five percent of people with an MND have ALS. Most persons who are first diagnosed with progressive muscular atrophy, progressive bulbar palsy, or primary ...
A gradual onset of progressive muscle weakness – which is generally painless – is the most common initial symptom of ALS. Other early symptoms vary but can ...
ALS is more common in men than women. ALS is age related; most people find out they have it when they are between 55 and 75 years of age, and live from 2 to 5 ...