Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis


Free

E-newsletter

Subscribe to Housecall

Our weekly general interest
e-newsletter keeps you up to date on a wide variety of health topics.

Sign up now

Treatments and drugs

By Mayo Clinic staff

Because there's no reversing the course of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, treatments mainly involve efforts to slow the progression of symptoms and make you more comfortable and independent.

Medications
The drug riluzole (Rilutek) is the first and only medication approved by the Food and Drug Administration for slowing ALS. The drug appears to slow the disease's progression in some people, perhaps by reducing levels of glutamate — a chemical messenger in the brain that's often present in higher levels in people with ALS.

Your doctor may also prescribe medications to provide relief from:

  • Muscle cramps
  • Constipation
  • Fatigue
  • Excessive salivation
  • Excessive phlegm
  • Pain
  • Depression

Therapy

  • Physical therapy. A physical therapist can recommend low-impact exercises to maintain your cardiovascular fitness, muscle strength and range of motion as long as possible, helping you preserve a sense of independence. Regular exercise can also help improve your sense of well-being.
  • Occupational therapy. An occupational therapist can help you become accustomed to a brace, walker or wheelchair and may be able to suggest devices such as ramps that make it easier for you to get around.
  • Speech therapy. Because ALS affects the muscles you use to speak, communication becomes an issue as the disease progresses. A speech therapist can help teach adaptive techniques to make your speech more clearly understood or help you explore alternative methods of communication, such as an alphabet board or simple pen and paper. Later in the disease, a speech therapist can recommend devices such as speech synthesizers and computer-based equipment that may help you communicate. Ask your therapist about the possibility of borrowing or renting these devices.
Coping and support Tests and diagnosis
References
  1. Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis fact sheet. National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke. http://www.ninds.nih.gov/disorders/amyotrophiclateralsclerosis/detail_amyotrophiclateralsclerosis.htm. Accessed Sept. 28, 2010.
  2. Elman LB, et al. Clinical features of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis. http://www.uptodate.com/home/index.html. Accessed Sept. 28, 2010.
  3. Maragakis NJ, et al. Epidemiology and pathogenesis of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis. http://www.uptodate.com/home/index.html. Accessed Sept. 28, 2010.
  4. McCluskey L. Familial amyotrophic lateral sclerosis. http://www.uptodate.com/home/index.html. Accessed Sept. 28, 2010.
  5. Neurological diagnostic tests and procedures. National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke. http://www.ninds.nih.gov/disorders/misc/diagnostic_tests.htm. Accessed Sept. 28, 2010.
  6. ALS in the military: Unexpected consequences of military service. ALS Association. http://www.alsa.org/files/pdf/als_military_paper.pdf. Accessed Sept. 28, 2010.
  7. Elman LB, et al. Diagnosis of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis. http://www.uptodate.com/home/index.html. Accessed Sept. 28, 2010.
  8. Galvez-Jimenez N, et al. Symptom-based management of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis. http://www.uptodate.com/home/index.html. Accessed Sept. 28, 2010.
  9. Choudry RB, et al. Pharmacologic treatment of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis. http://www.uptodate.com/home/index.html. Sept. 28, 2010.
  10. Why is exercise important? In: Everyday Life With ALS: A Practical Guide. Muscular Dystrophy Association. http://www.als-mda.org/publications/everydaylifeals/ch8/. Accessed Sept. 28, 2010.
  11. Miller RG, et al. Practice parameter update: The care of the patient with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis: Multidisciplinary care, symptom management, and cognitive/behavioral impairment (an evidence-based review): Report of the Quality Standards Subcommittee of the American Academy of Neurology. Neurology. 2009;73:1227.
  12. Miller RG, et al. Practice parameter update: The care of the patient with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis: Drug, nutritional, and respiratory therapies (an evidence-based review): Report of the Quality Standards Subcommittee of the American Academy of Neurology. Neurology. 2009;73:1227.
  13. Covering all the bases. ALS Association. http://www.alsa.org/coveringallthebases/. Accessed Oct. 21, 2010.
  14. Armon C. Smoking may be considered an established risk factor for sporadic ALS. Neurology. 2009;73:1693.
  15. Gallo V, et al. Smoking and risk for amyotrophic lateral sclerosis: Analysis of the EPIC cohort. Annals of Neurology. 2009;65:378.
  16. Mayadev AS, et al. The amyotrophic lateral sclerosis center: A model of multidisciplinary management. Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation Clinics of North America. 2008;19:619.
  17. Crum BA (expert opinion). Mayo Clinic, Rochester, Minn. Oct. 6, 2010.
DS00359 Dec. 2, 2010

© 1998-2013 Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research (MFMER). All rights reserved. A single copy of these materials may be reprinted for noncommercial personal use only. "Mayo," "Mayo Clinic," "MayoClinic.com," "EmbodyHealth," "Enhance your life," and the triple-shield Mayo Clinic logo are trademarks of Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research.

  • Reprints
  • Print

  • Share on:

  • Email

Advertisement


Text Size: smaller largerlarger