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**__What Lou Gehrig's Disease Means and Does.__

Lou Gehrig's Disease is also known as ALS or** **amyotrophic lateral sclerosis. The official name comes from these Greek words: ** **Amyotrophic means that the muscles have lost their nourishment. When this happens, they become weaker and smaller. Lateral means the disease will affect the sides of the persons spinal cord, this is where the nerves nourish the muscles; and sclerosis means that the spinal cord will develope hardened and scared tissue will take the place of the nerves that are healthy.
 * **"a" for without**
 * **"myo" for muscle**
 * **"trophic" for nourishment**
 * **"lateral" for side (of the spinal cord)**
 * **"sclerosis" for scaring or hardening **

__What is Lou Gehrigs Disease?__ ** 5% to 10% are hereditary in the United States, which means the disease only runs in certain families; this is called familial. This is a disease that is inherited, 90% of the USA is inherited. This is called sporadic. It is mainly passed down from offspring to offsping. Only surtian families will have trouble with this disease. 50% of each offspring will get this disease from these families. Lou Gehrig's Disease is not a disease anyone would want to have because it will wipe out your musles. They will shrink untill you don't have any left. Nobody would ever want to not have any of there musles or lose control over certain parts of your body. __Symptoms of Lou Gehrigs Disease__** __ Clinical Discripton of Lou Gehrigs Disease __
 * ALS damages motor neurons around the spinal cord and in the brain. Motor neurons are nerve cells that control muscle movement. Messages are sent from the brain to the spinal cord by the upper motor neurons, and lower motor neurons send messages from the spinal cord to the muscles. Over time, ALS causes these motor neurons in the spinal cord and the brain to shrink and disappear, so that the muscles no longer receive signals to move.
 *  The symptoms vary for each person, the symptoms usually include tripping, dropping things, abnormal fatigue of the arms and legs muscle cramps, slurred speech, and twitches, and involuntary periods of crying and laughing. Starts in the hands and feet and it will not allow the person to dress or do hands on activities. Also it is harder to walk. As it travels down the bodies musles it will eventually effect chewing, swallowing and breathing.

When one is diagnosed with Lou Gehrig's Disease they will have to begin Phisical theropy right away. They will have to change there diet to more healthier meals. When there in their in there phisical theropy they need to stay in shape and keep there musles fit and as strong as they can get them because thats what the disease will do; it will take away your musles till you have none. ALS is life threating and can kill you. It all depends on how you take care of yourself when diagnosed. When you are diagnosed, your life will determine its length on how you act and how much you keep your body in shape. Lou Gehrig's Disease is not very common but it is well know after the famous baseball player was diagnosed with it and it is now named after him. Lou Gehrig's Disease runs in certian families and will be pasted down from generation to generation in that family. It doesn't just randomly get diagnosed on people, it runs through certain families. It used to be most commonly found in guys but is now been seen throughout wemon and men. Electromyography (electrical studies of musle) is performed to confirm that the individual has the disease. A biopsy (removal of a small piece of tissue) of musle tissue can also be done if the diagnosis is in doubt. There really isn't anyway to find out if one has the disease or not. I believe you'll have just have to go get tested if your noticing signs of the disease. ** Treatment for Lou Gehrig's Disease __
 * __

There is no cure for Lou Gehrig's disease. Like I said earlier, you can begin phisical theropy to help keep your bodie phisically fit. You may also need a walker or leg braces to help stabability. This may allow you to live much longer than you would without doing any of these things. **


 * Pictures of Lou Gehrig's Disease (ALS) **

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__**References**__ www.healthscout.com/ency/68/53/main.html www.neurologychannel.com/als/index.shtml kidshealth.org/kid/grownup/conditions/als.html www.**lougehrig**.com/about/als.htm