Do people with early ALS have leg pain?

Written by Liu Hong Mei
Neurology
Updated on September 22, 2024
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Early-stage ALS (Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis) patients often experience leg pain symptoms. ALS is generally caused by factors such as inflammatory reactions, genetic factors, neuronal apoptosis, infection, autoimmunity, and metal poisoning. These factors may lead to the degenerative death of nerve cells, causing muscle atrophy, muscle weakness, fasciculations, increased muscle tone, hyperactive tendon reflexes, and symptoms of muscle fatigue, muscle tension, and muscle pain. In the early stages of ALS, muscle fatigue can occur after activity due to lactic acid not being properly expelled, leading to muscle pain. Treatments such as acupuncture, physiotherapy, and massage can be administered to alleviate these symptoms.

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Written by Liu Hong Mei
Neurology
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How to exercise for swallowing difficulties in people with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis

Swallowing difficulties in amyotrophic lateral sclerosis primarily involve exercises for oral muscles. Improvement in the movement of oral muscles can alleviate symptoms of swallowing difficulties. Rehabilitation training for oral muscle disorders mainly includes enhancing the movements of the lips, tongue, and lower jaw. Individuals with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis who have brainstem damage and medullary damage may experience swallowing difficulties, water drinking issues, and cough choking, primarily due to sensory disturbances in the throat. By utilizing temperature and sensory stimulation, the sensation in the patient's throat can be restored, allowing them to perceive the temperature and taste of food, thus reducing aspiration. After brainstem damage, the cricopharyngeal muscle does not open, which can be improved through balloon dilation and medication to enhance swallowing function.

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Written by Liu Hong Mei
Neurology
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How do people with ALS eat if they can't swallow?

Patients with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) who no longer have swallowing function can be given nasogastric feeding and intravenous hyperalimentation to maintain nutrition and electrolyte balance. For patients with respiratory difficulties or respiratory failure, oxygen supplementation can be administered. This can be combined with treatments such as acupuncture, physical therapy, massage, and heat application. It is important to prevent complications such as pulmonary infections, aspiration pneumonia, hypostatic pneumonia, lower extremity venous thrombosis, acute gastritis, gastric mucosal erosion, and gastrointestinal bleeding, which are common in later stages of ALS. With the loss of swallowing function and decreased immunity, these complications can occur more frequently and require proactive treatment to improve nutritional status.

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Written by Zhang Hui
Neurology
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Can amyotrophic lateral sclerosis be relieved?

Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) refers to a motor neuron disease, and generally speaking, there are no effective alleviation measures for this disease. Currently, the specific causes and pathogenesis of this disease are not very clear. Various factors lead to the simultaneous damage of both upper and lower motor neurons in patients. Clinical manifestations include muscle weakness, muscle atrophy, and fasciculations. Additionally, patients may experience difficulties with swallowing, choking while drinking water, and speech disorders. In its most severe form, it can affect breathing, leading to respiratory failure. This disease progressively worsens, and the prognosis is generally poor with no effective relief methods available.

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Written by Li Qiang
Intensive Care Unit
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Is it necessary to perform a tracheotomy in the late stages of ALS?

Patients in the late stages of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) must undergo a tracheotomy because, by this stage, they have completely lost their motor abilities, including the muscle strength needed for breathing. Consequently, they lack the strength to breathe on their own, leaving them unable to survive without a ventilator. They must rely continuously on a ventilator to breathe as they cannot do it themselves. Therefore, if a ventilator is needed over the long term, a tracheotomy is necessary. This is because other methods, such as inserting tubes through the mouth or nose into the trachea to connect to the ventilator, are quite uncomfortable. Comparatively, tracheotomy offers a bit more comfort, making it a necessary procedure for connecting to a ventilator for long-term use and achieving greater comfort.

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Written by Li Qiang
Intensive Care Unit
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What to do with respiratory failure in the late stage of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis?

Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS) is an irreversible disease, also known as motor neuron disease. Its motor function deteriorates progressively and irreversibly. Therefore, in the advanced stages, respiratory failure can only be managed with the help of a ventilator, which assists the patient's breathing mechanically. Consequently, patients typically require a tracheotomy in the late stages of the disease. Once connected to a ventilator via a tracheotomy, the ventilator becomes a permanent necessity. If at any point the ventilator is stopped, the patient would die due to lack of oxygen and the accumulation of carbon dioxide in the body. Therefore, they must wear the ventilator for life. Inevitably, this leads to respiratory-related complications, such as lung infections.