Lou Gehrig’s disease: early symptoms to know
Lou Gehrig’s disease, medically called amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), is a progressive disease affecting nerve cells that control voluntary muscles. Early symptoms can be subtle and vary considerably from person to person. nhs.uk+1
Common early signs include:
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Muscle weakness — often beginning in one hand, arm, leg, or foot.
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Tripping or difficulty walking — including a developing foot drop.
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Dropping objects or difficulty with buttons, writing, or other fine hand movements.
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Muscle twitching (fasciculations).
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Muscle cramps or stiffness.
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Muscle wasting in an affected area.
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Slurred or increasingly difficult speech when muscles involved in speaking are affected.
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Difficulty swallowing in some forms of ALS.
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Increasing difficulty with everyday movements as weakness progresses.
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Fatigue associated with muscle weakness. nhs.uk+1
Important: these symptoms don’t automatically mean ALS
Many much more common conditions can cause weakness, twitching, cramps, numbness, or difficulty walking. ALS is diagnosed through a neurological evaluation and appropriate testing; there isn’t a single symptom that confirms it.
If weakness is progressively worsening, especially if it is accompanied by muscle wasting, persistent twitching, speech changes, or swallowing difficulty, a doctor—often a neurologist—should evaluate it. Sudden weakness, particularly on one side, is different and can be a sign of stroke requiring emergency treatment.
