Why ALS is a Confounding Disease

It became more internationally known in 1941 by the beloved baseball player for which it was named.

But ALS, or Lou Gehrig's disease, was first identified in 1869 by a French neurologist, and still today, there's no cure(치료(법)).

"Quite honestly, we are yet to completely understand how it comes about, what causes it, what are the drivers?"

Dr. John Morren with Cleveland Clinic says a small minority of ALS cases are genetic, but often there's no clear cause, making it hard to figure out a way to prevent it or reverse damage and stop disease progression.

Red flags include arm weakness, inability to use your hands or legs like you used to, foot slapping or foot dropping which leads to stumbles and falls and affects gait.

It can also begin in your head, neck, or face area with difficulty speaking, controlling saliva, chewing, and swallowing.

There could also be breathing issues, shortness of breath when you lie flat, causing you to lean forward to breathe better.

"Especially if there's not a lot of pain or sensory symptoms like numbness, tingling, burning, prickling — that should be brought to your doctor's attention."

Morren says since symptoms appear in a sporadic or piecemeal fashion, that can make them easier to dismiss.

The CDC says most people with the disease live from two to five years after those warning signs develop.

"Quite often the diagnosis takes more than a year or so in the United States, so that diagnostic delay also adds a challenge to this disease."