Is it normal for someone with ALS to have severe swelling in their feet?

Written by Liu Hong Mei
Neurology
Updated on September 24, 2024
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ALS patients with severe foot swelling is not normal. If an ALS patient experiences severe swelling of the feet, it is important to be cautious of the formation of blood clots in the lower limb vessels. The formation of venous blood clots can lead to poor blood circulation, easily causing blood stasis and thrombotic obstruction, leading to severe swelling of the feet. It is necessary to conduct a Doppler ultrasound of the lower limb vessels to assess their condition. Treatments may include anti-platelet aggregation, anticoagulation, promoting blood circulation to remove blood stasis, and providing nutritional support to nerves. Heat application, keeping warm, promoting lower limb blood circulation, acupuncture, physical therapy, massage, and heat application can be used as symptomatic treatments. For ALS patients with severe foot swelling, it is advisable to elevate the lower limbs during sleep, perhaps covering them with a blanket or elevating them about 45 degrees.

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Written by Liu Hong Mei
Neurology
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How long does it take for someone with ALS to go from onset to paralysis?

Patients with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis generally progress from onset to paralysis within three to four years. The condition typically involves the progressive degeneration, degeneration, and necrosis of brain nerve cells. Severe and irreversible damage can occur in the brain, spinal cord, and peripheral nerves, also known as motor neuron disease. Motor neuron disease restricts our movement, speech, swallowing, breathing, and muscle activity, causing muscles to gradually atrophy and degenerate, leading to progressive weakness and paralysis. Even speaking, swallowing, and breathing functions degrade, potentially leading to respiratory failure and life-threatening situations, requiring proactive treatment.

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Written by Liu Hong Mei
Neurology
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Do people with ALS feel soreness and pain in their legs when lying down?

People with ALS often experience soreness and pain in their legs when lying down. In patients with ALS, certain neurons in the brain and spinal cord gradually degenerate and die, leading to muscle atrophy, nerve damage, muscle weakness, and stiffness, as if they are frozen. This muscle damage can lead to symptoms such as sore legs, general weakness, and fatigue. Over time, it may also cause difficulties in walking, speaking, eating, choking while drinking water, swallowing, and breathing. This can lead to systemic damage, complications like breathing difficulties, respiratory failure, and ultimately threaten life. The symptoms of leg pain and soreness in people with ALS, when lying down, can be alleviated through acupuncture, physical therapy, massage, and heat application.

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Written by Liu Shi Xiang
Neurology
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Does amyotrophic lateral sclerosis skip generations in inheritance?

Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), also known as motor neuron disease, may possibly be inherited through generations. The exact cause of ALS is still not very clear, but there is a certain genetic predisposition. Patients with ALS gradually experience symptoms such as limb weakness and muscle atrophy. As the disease progresses, it will eventually lead to difficulties in speech, swallowing disorders, and breathing difficulties, resulting in the patient losing the ability to take care of themselves independently and requiring full-time care from others. Currently, ALS is an incurable disease. The treatment available to patients includes medications to nourish the nerves and systematic rehabilitation training. However, this treatment can only improve the symptoms to a certain extent and enhance the quality of life but cannot stop the progression of the disease. Eventually, the patient will be confined to bed.

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Written by Liu Shi Xiang
Neurology
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Does amyotrophic lateral sclerosis cause leg soreness?

Patients with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) may experience leg pain, but leg pain is not the primary clinical manifestation of ALS. The early main symptoms of ALS include muscle atrophy and limb weakness. As the disease progresses, patients will further experience general muscle atrophy and weakness, which may manifest as difficulty in swallowing, speech problems, and respiratory difficulties. As the disease progresses, if the patient experiences extreme muscle atrophy and limb weakness, they may experience leg pain during movement, but this symptom is not specific. Therefore, when symptoms such as muscle atrophy and limb weakness occur, the possibility of ALS should be considered, and patients need to undergo timely examinations such as electromyography and muscle biopsy to confirm the diagnosis. If the patient also suffers from leg pain, other conditions such as sciatica and osteoporosis should be considered, and further examinations like bone density tests and lumbar disc magnetic resonance imaging should be conducted to clarify the diagnosis.

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Written by Li Qiang
Intensive Care Unit
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What to do with respiratory failure in the late stage of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis?

Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS) is an irreversible disease, also known as motor neuron disease. Its motor function deteriorates progressively and irreversibly. Therefore, in the advanced stages, respiratory failure can only be managed with the help of a ventilator, which assists the patient's breathing mechanically. Consequently, patients typically require a tracheotomy in the late stages of the disease. Once connected to a ventilator via a tracheotomy, the ventilator becomes a permanent necessity. If at any point the ventilator is stopped, the patient would die due to lack of oxygen and the accumulation of carbon dioxide in the body. Therefore, they must wear the ventilator for life. Inevitably, this leads to respiratory-related complications, such as lung infections.