If not ALS, What else could this be?
Occasionally, the Neurologists at the center will give you a diagnosis which may be related to ALS, but not actually ALS. That can be a confusing situation, and we wanted to provide other resources for you. Although there is potentially no cure for many disorders affecting motor neurons, quality of life can be improved with diligent management and supportive, proactive treatment. Certain characteristics are true for most of these types of diseases, and most affect motor neurons. Motor neurons are divided into Upper Motor Neurons (UMNs) and Lower Motor Neurons (LMNs). UMNs carry information from the brain to the spinal cord where they connect with the LMNs (which move the muscles). Damage to the UMNs can cause spasticity (muscle stiffness) and exaggerated or abnormal reflexes, damage to LMNs results in weakness, atrophy (muscle wasting), decreased or absent reflexes, and fasciculations (involuntary muscle twitching). ALS is a progressive motor neuron disease which affects both UMNs and LMNs, and has to have both types of signs to be diagnosed, but many other motor neuron diseases do not have both. Here are some common diagnoses, with information on each:


*Bulbar Onset ALS
*Brachial Amyotrophic Diplegia
*Spinal Muscular Atrophy
*Primary Lateral Sclerosis
*Progressive Bulbar Palsy
*Progressive Muscular Atrophy
*Pseudobulbar Palsy
*Spinal Bulbar Muscular Atorphy(Kennedy's Diease)
*Multifocal Neuropathy



*Requires Adobe Acrobat Reader


http://www.carolinasals.org/aboutALS.asp