Medical Questions » Nerves Questions » Question No. 733
| Question: | There was a famous American baseballer who died with a very rare nerve disease many years ago. I cannot think of the name of the baseballer or the disease, but I am hoping you might be able to help me win a bet about this disease. Do you know of the disease and baseballer? |
| Answer: | Now this is a question right out of left field, but I actually do know what you are talking about. The disease is amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, which is often known in the United States as Lou Gehrig Disease after the 1930s baseballer who developed the condition.
It is a rare form of motor neurone disease that affects the nerves that supply the muscles of the body. The absolute cause is unknown, but it may run in families, and results in a steadily progressive degeneration of the motor nerves in the body.
The symptoms include a muscle weakness that usually starts in the hands or feet, muscle cramps and twitches, difficulty in swallowing and talking, drooling of saliva, inability to cough effectively, reduced tongue movement, and progressive weakness up the arms and legs. Eventually the muscles used for breathing are involved.
No cure is available, and treatment is aimed at relieving muscle spasm, assisting feeding, preventing infections, aiding breathing and making the patient as comfortable as possible. Physiotherapy on a very regular basis is essential.
Lung infections such as pneumonia develop, and often lead to death, usually within three to five years.
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