brain, spinal cord, and nerve disorders
Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS) and Other Motor Neuron Diseases (MNDs)
Treatment
Physical therapy Drugs to relieve symptoms Motor neuron diseases have no specific treatment or cure. However, researchers continue to look for safe, effective treatments. Care provided by a team of several types of health care practitioners (a multidisciplinary team) helps people cope with progressive disability. Physical therapy helps people maintain muscle strength and keep joints flexible and thus helps prevent contractures. Nurses or other caregivers must feed people with swallowing difficulties carefully to prevent choking. Some people must be fed through a tube inserted through the abdominal wall into the stomach ( Inserting a feeding tube directly into the stomach or intestine ). Certain drugs can help relieve symptoms: Baclofenmay help make muscles less spastic. Phenytoinorquininemay help decrease cramps. Drugs with Anticholinergic: What Does It Mean? , such as Amitriptylineorfluvoxamine(antidepressants) may help people who have changeable emotions or depression. A drug that combinesdextromethorphan(a cough suppressant) withquinidinemay help control changeable emotions. In some people with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis,riluzole, a drug that protects nerve cells, can prolong life for a few months. It is taken by mouth.Edaravone, a newer drug, may slow the decline in function to some degree in people with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis. If pain develops as the disease progresses (for example, if pain occurs when a person has to sit in one position too long), benzodiazepines, which are mild sedatives, may be used. Surgery to improve swallowing helps only a few people with progressive bulbar palsy. Because amyotrophic lateral sclerosis and progressive bulbar palsy are progressive and incurable, people who have one of these diseases are advised to establish Advance Directives that specify what kind of care they want at the end of life. 