On February 19, Eric Dane, an American actor and producer most known for his role on “Grey’s Anatomy,” passed away at age 53, only 10 months after revealing his amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) diagnosis.
Here’s what you need to know about this disease.
What is ALS disease?
ALS, also known as Lou Gehrig’s disease, is a progressive neurodegenerative disease that affects the motor neurons in the brain and spinal cord, or the brain’s connection to the muscles. Once the brain can no longer send signals to these muscles, paralysis and muscle wasting occur. The disease slowly takes away a person’s ability to walk, talk, eat, and eventually breathe.
What are the symptoms of ALS?
ALS symptoms may be different for everyone. Symptoms can begin in the hands, arms, feet, legs, or muscles that control speech or swallowing. Common early signs of disease include gradual muscle weakness, tripping or difficulty walking, dropping objects, slurred or slowed speech, muscle cramps or twitching, and fatigue in the arms or legs.
As ALS progresses, the muscles that control breathing may be affected. ALS only affects motor neurons, which control voluntary movement, meaning many people with ALS are mentally alert and aware throughout the disease.
The progression of ALS can differ from person to person. It depends on how fast symptoms progress and what appears first. Sadly, ALS gets worse over time, and people will often lose the ability to walk, dress, write, speak, swallow, and breathe on their own.
How can ALS be diagnosed?
ALS can be difficult to diagnose, and symptoms may mimic other neurological diseases, requiring evaluation by specialized neurologists.
A neurologist diagnoses ALS through medical history, a neurological examination, and confirmatory blood and neurophysiological tests, like an electromyogram (EMG), which evaluates nerve and muscle health by recording electrical activity. In addition, other tests may be performed, such as imaging of the brain and spine to rule out other conditions.
What causes ALS?
There are two types of ALS. The most common form is sporadic ALS, which is the first person in a family to have the disease. For those with sporadic ALS, environmental influences, lifestyle, or other risk factors could have contributed to the disease. This can include certain poorly defined environmental toxins, occupational hazards, and possibly smoking.
According to the ALS Association, 10% of people diagnosed with the disease have a genetic factor, like a gene mutation, that contributes to the development of ALS, known as familial ALS. This is when more than one family member is affected by the disease.
What are the treatment options for ALS?
There is no known cure for ALS, but there are certain medications that are approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration to help slow down the progression of ALS.
There are also medications and supportive therapies that help manage symptoms and improve quality of life. These can include respiratory therapy, physical and occupational therapy, and palliative care and hospice services.
How can Valley help with ALS?
Valley’s Neurophysiology Center offers state-of-the-art diagnostic tools and innovative treatments for neurological disorders like ALS. The center's physicians and staff are dedicated to improving the quality of life for all patients.
Valley offers both palliative care and hospice services that can be utilized following an ALS disease diagnosis.
Palliative care enhances medical treatment to help patients with serious, chronic, or incurable illnesses experience the highest quality of life possible.
When the time comes to shift the focus of treatment to comfort care, Valley Hospice can help. Hospice addresses the medical, emotional, financial, and spiritual issues that patients and their families face during this challenging time in their lives.
Patients who receive hospice services have a life-threatening or incurable illness, injury, or disease, and have received a prognosis of six months or less, as determined by a physician. It is recommended for patients to begin receiving hospice care as soon as possible. The more time the hospice team has, the more they can do to keep patients comfortable, help maintain their dignity, give them a sense of meaning, and help the family cope with the impending loss they will bear.
Watch to learn more about how hospice care helped a patient after his ALS diagnosis here.
