ALS (Lou Gehrigs Disease)

Overview   
Symptoms   
Treatment   
Products   
Resources

ALS stands for amyotrophic lateral sclerosis and is often called Lou Gehrigs disease. This progressive degeneration of the motor neurons is characterized by muscle weakness and eventual paralysis and death. As the motor neurons die, the brain loses the ability to initiate and control muscle movement while the muscles atrophy from lack of use. Yet even with this loss of voluntary muscle action and physical degeneration, ALS patients remain mentally completely clear and unaffected.

ALS affects each person differently. Not all ALS patients even experience the same symptoms or the same progression. Early symptoms can be falling, the inability to lift hands or feet, or slurred speech. The progressive nature of this disease can occur within several months or take from three to five few years. The one apparent common thread is the progressive muscle weakness and paralysis.

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ALS Symptoms

Symptoms of ALS include tripping, stumbling, increasing loss of muscle control, muscle weakness, difficulty speaking and swallowing, chronic fatigue and breathing problems. Patients with upper motor neuron damage experience stiffness and muscle twitching and shaking. Patients with lower motor neuron damage report muscle weakness, cramps and atrophying muscles.

As mobility problems increase due to weakening legs, the muscles in the arms and hands also begin to weaken. Difficulties in speaking and swallowing follow. Respiratory problems finally occur as the muscles in the chest and diaphragm begin to weaken.

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ALS Treatment

A comprehensive treatment approach to ALS incorporates physical care, nutrition and emotional care as well as any medications. Daily therapy is often needed to manage mobility, speech, breathing and swallowing.

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ALS Products

Homecare Bedroom set-ups provide all of the products available that help to improve their daily quality of life. These include:

• Hospital Beds in semi-electric or full electric versions allow the patient to separately raise or lower the head and feet and are often outfitted with bedrails to prevent accidental falls.
• Bed Accessories include egg crate mattresses, low air loss and gel mattresses to help prevent and reduce bedsores for patients who spend a great amount of time in their beds.
• Over-Bed Tables are similar to those used in the hospital for eating and reading in bed. They are available in flat or tilting models which aid in reading.
• Bedside Commodes are stand-alone toilet seats with a removable pail for people who are unable to walk to the bathroom. They can also be easily converted to a raised toilet seat to be used directly over the toilet.
• Patient Lifts and Slings assist in transferring patients from their beds to a wheelchair, bedside commode or bedside chairs. They are available in manual and fully electric models and accommodate all weight capacities.
• Trapeze Bars hang over a patients bed and assist them in lifting themselves to a sitting position or to change positions in bed.
• Lift Chairs come in numerous styles, fabric grades and colors and assist patients with difficulty getting up from a chair but activating an electric chair that causes the chair to raise the patient to a standing position. All lift chairs also partially or fully recline with an elevated leg rest.
• Safety Polls and Rails offer stability when rising or sitting as well as from accidental falls in the bed or bathroom.

Mobility Products help the patient with ambulation and/or mobility either within or outside of the home and are now available in fashionable styles. They include:

• Canes are used by people who are independent enough to use a one-handed walking aid. They have fairly good balance and just need the added stability and support that a cane provides. Canes are used in the hand that is on the opposite side of the body that is weaker or injured. They are available in numerous sizes, handles and styles. Aside from the traditional umbrella handle, ergonomic and orthopedic grip handles are now available. Wood canes are sized by cutting with a saw. Aluminum canes are adjusted by using a spring button.
• Quad Canes have a base with four points of contact on the floor to provide extra stability and support for people when walking. They are available with a small or large base and their size is selected according to the amount of support needed by the person.
• Forearm Crutches are used by people who have long-term or permanent mobility problems. The cuffs on the top of the crutches wrap around the forearms while the orthopedic handles are gripped below. The height is adjustable at the base with a spring button, and they are available in adult and child sizes.
• Walkers help people remain mobile by providing stability and support while walking. They transfer most of the weight and work from the users legs and feet to their arms and hands. Walkers are available in rigid and folding models, plus a variety of accessories are available such as wheels, baskets, pouches, backpacks, glide brakes, seats, trays and glass holders.
• Rollators are walkers with wheels and brakes to eliminate having to lift the walker to walk. They feature small or large wheels for indoor and outdoor use, respectively. Brakes offer extra security when going down inclines. The walkers fold for transport and many have seats so users can sit and rest when they get tired.

The U-Step Walking Stabilizer is specifically designed to assist ALS patients with their mobility.  View and learn more about it under the "New Products" section. 

• Manual Wheelchairs are no longer one size fits all and are available in a variety of styles and sizes. The standard basic wheelchair folds easily for transport, has locking wheels, detachable foot rests that swing-away for transferring, footplates, elevating leg rests and arm rests that are either permanent full length or removable desk length. Optional features include reclining backs, adjustable seat length, hemi or low seat frames, articulating footrests, solid tires and anti-tipping devices.
• Transport or Companion Wheelchairs are popular with caregivers because they have four small wheels for convenience when transporting the chair in a car or other form of transportation. They are available in very lightweight models and are designed to be pushed by the caregiver.
• Lightweight Wheelchairs are also popular with end-users as they weigh so much less than standard chairs and are easier to self-propel. They are preferred for outdoor usage and wheelchair sports.
• Power Wheelchairs are motorized wheelchairs that are controlled by either a joy stick or a puff mechanism. These are primarily used by quadriplegics or people with medical conditions who are extremely weak and cannot push themselves in a manual wheelchair.
• Scooters or Personal Mobility Vehicles (PMVs) provide motorized transportation for individuals who either need or prefer power mobility. Scooters can be used indoors and outdoors and are available in both front-wheel and rear-wheel drive models. They also come in lightweight models that break down into smaller parts for easier transport.

Respiratory Products

• Oxygen benefits respiratory patients with severe lung impairment. This therapy relieves low blood oxygen levels (hypoxia) and improves mental functioning. Oxygen can be supplied as liquid, gas or with a concentrator.
• Concentrators take room air and remove most of the other gases present to supply the respiratory patient with 90 to 95 percent pure oxygen. The concentrators can be set to deliver a specific oxygen flow ranging from 1 to 6 LPM (liters per minute).
• CPAP (Continuous Positive Airway Pressure) units are designed for patients with sleep apnea. Patients sleep with a mask and the pressure provided prevents their larynx from collapsing.
• BiPAP differs from CPAP in that it is bi-level and enables the patient to enjoy a more natural breathing pattern. Patients use the same mask but have the option of decreased pressure during exhalation.
• Ventilators maintain normal respiratory functions for patients who are unable to continue breathing on their own.

Bath Safety Products help to maintain stability and compensate for loss of strength when toileting and bathing.  These include:

• Bedpans and Urinals are available for patients who are unable to get up from bed to use a bedside commode or the bathroom.
• Elevated Toilet Seats enable patients who have difficultly in standing to remain independent in the bathroom.
• Bedside Commodes are stand-alone toilet seats with a removable pail for people who are unable to walk to the bathroom. They can also be easily converted to a raised toilet seat to be used directly over the toilet.
• Bath Chairs, Transfer Benches and Handheld Showers make getting into and out of the bathtub easier, safer and more convenient.
• Grab Bars provide stability when standing after sitting on the toilet or when entering and exiting the bath or shower.
• Personal Care items include sitz baths, lubricant jelly and gloves.
• Accessories include washcloths, shampoo sets, air fresheners, powders and ointments.

Aids for Daily Living (ADLs) help patients remain independent by facilitating their daily tasks in eating, dressing, bathing and toileting. These include:

• Reachers, Dressing Aids, Velcro Buttons, and Zipper Pullers
• Door Openers, Lamp Switches and Key Turners
• Pill Dispensers, Pill Cutters and Crushers, and Eye Droppers
• Long Handled Combs, Brushes and Cleaning Tools
• Silverware, Plates, and Kitchen Aids to help open jar, containers and boxes.

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ALS Resources

The ALS Association
800 782-4747
www.alsa.org

The ALS Survival Guide
www.lougehrigsdisease.net
 

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