Lou Gehrig's disease is a term commonly given to amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, or ALS. ALS affects the neurons in the brain and spinal cord. The disease starts off so mildly that many people do not recognize the symptoms. Within three to five years, however, ALS causes most of its victims to become paralyzed. About 10 percent of people with ALS are able to live for 10 years after diagnosis, and about half of those will live 20 years with the disease.
Muscle Weakness
Muscle weakness is usually the first sign of Lou Gehrig's disease. It can start off very mildly. Patients may notice that they are dropping objects, or unable to do routine tasks such as opening jars or buttoning a shirt. They may trip over things or be unable to lift groceries into the car.
Muscle Twitching
ALS usually impacts a person's hands and feet first. A victim of this disease may notice uncontrollable twitching in their fingers or hands. Twitching nearly always occurs after muscle weakness has become pronounced. The twitching associated with ALS does not stop when the patient switches positions.
Speech Problems
ALS victims may find it difficult to speak properly due to weakness of the facial and tongue muscles. They may also speak through their nose. As the disease progresses, they may lose the ability to control their muscles to keep up with a conversation of any length.
Late-Stage Symptoms
As the disease progresses, patients experience the inability to chew, swallow, speak and, eventually, breathe. At that point, a patient with ALS needs to be on a ventilator in order to stay alive. The muscles in the patient's body will begin to waste away, and the person will gradually lose weight. An ALS victim's mind and senses are not affected by the disease, so he will continue to understand what is happening.
