Treatment for Motor Neuron Diseases in LA
Motor neuron diseases refer to several conditions that cause specialist nerves in the spinal cord and brain to lose function. With about 5600-6000 cases diagnosed each year, the disease is rare but is classified as a severe neurodegenerative condition.
Symptoms of motor neuron disease or MND usually appear after the age of 40 and affect men more than women, according to the National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke.
Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis or ALS is the most common type of motor neuron disease. According to the ALS Association, around 30,000 people in the country suffer from the condition at any given time. The late English physicist and author Stephen Hawkins was perhaps the most famous person in the world living with ALS.
MND is of several types and is classified based on the neurons they affect and whether they are hereditary or not. The list includes ALS also known as Lou Gehrig’s disease, Spinal muscular atrophy, Primary lateral sclerosis, Progressive bulbar palsy, and Progressive muscular atrophy. All of these disease share similarities but the symptoms vary in severity and rate of progression.
The symptoms also vary according to the area of the body affected by MND and the patient’s age. Signs during the early stages include slurred speech, weight and muscle loss, clumsiness, difficulty breathing and swallowing food, fatigue, a weak grip, and muscle pain.
When MND reaches its middle stage, patients start to experience joint pain, muscle shrinkage, difficulty moving and breathing, drooling, excessive yawning, and changes in the emotional state and personality. During the advanced stage, the patient needs help with eating, breathing, and movement. This stage is considered life-threatening
Unfortunately, there is no cure for motor neuron diseases but there are treatments that slow down its progression and increase independence and comfort for the patient. These include physical therapy, medication, and Botox injections.
Dr. Farzin Pedouim is a board certified neurologist based in Huntington Beach and Los Angeles. He has years of experience dealing with MND patients and can help you find relief from pain and gain improved mobility.