Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis
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- help each other live better and uncover the best ways to manage your health today
- help researchers shorten the path to new treatments tomorrow
How much good can your data do? A whole lot, as co-founder Jamie Heywood explains in this video.
What is amyotrophic lateral sclerosis?
ALS (amyotrophic lateral sclerosis) is a degenerative disorder affecting upper motor neurons in the brain and lower motor neurons in the brainstem and spinal cord. Symptoms include progressive weakness, atrophy, fasciculation, dysphagia, and eventual paralysis of respiratory function.
Common symptoms reported by people with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis
Common symptoms
How bad it is
What people are taking for it
Reports may be affected by other conditions and/or medication side effects. We ask about general symptoms (anxious mood, depressed mood, insomnia, fatigue, and pain) regardless of condition.
Last updated:
Treatments taken by people with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis
You’ve tried
Treatment name(s)
Type
How many have tried
Tried for
Check to add this treatment to your profile
Type
Prescription Drug
How many have tried
603
Tried for
amyotrophic lateral sclerosis
(603)
Check to add this treatment to your profile
Type
Prescription Drug
How many have tried
179
Tried for
Stiffness/Spasticity
(144)
amyotrophic lateral sclerosis
(61)
2 more
Check to add this treatment to your profile
Type
Supplement
How many have tried
160
Tried for
amyotrophic lateral sclerosis
(160)
Check to add this treatment to your profile
Treatment name(s)
Deanna Protocol
Type
Supplement
How many have tried
71
Tried for
amyotrophic lateral sclerosis
(71)
Check to add this treatment to your profile
Type
Prescription Drug
How many have tried
63
Tried for
amyotrophic lateral sclerosis
(62)
Excess saliva
(1)
1 more
Check to add this treatment to your profile
Type
Supplement
How many have tried
48
Tried for
amyotrophic lateral sclerosis
(47)
Stiffness/Spasticity
(2)
1 more
Check to add this treatment to your profile
Type
Equipment
How many have tried
35
Tried for
amyotrophic lateral sclerosis
(33)
Fatigue
(10)
Check to add this treatment to your profile
Type
Supplement
How many have tried
32
Tried for
amyotrophic lateral sclerosis
(32)
Check to add this treatment to your profile
Type
Prescription Drug
How many have tried
31
Tried for
Insomnia
(15)
Excess saliva
(10)
3 more
Check to add this treatment to your profile
Type
Equipment
How many have tried
28
Tried for
amyotrophic lateral sclerosis
(28)
Data from patients with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, who reported starting treatments within the last 5 years.
Last updated:
You’ve tried this treatment.
Compare treatments taken by people with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis
You’ve tried
Treatment name(s)
Perceived effectiveness
Side effects
Total evaluations
Tried for
Check to add this treatment to your profile
Perceived effectiveness
for amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (560 evaluations)
Total evaluations
565
Tried for
amyotrophic lateral sclerosis
(603)
Check to add this treatment to your profile
Perceived effectiveness
for Stiffness/Spasticity (101 evaluations)
Total evaluations
125
Tried for
Stiffness/Spasticity
(144)
amyotrophic lateral sclerosis
(61)
2 more
Check to add this treatment to your profile
Perceived effectiveness
for amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (591 evaluations)
Total evaluations
592
Tried for
amyotrophic lateral sclerosis
(160)
Check to add this treatment to your profile
Treatment name(s)
Deanna Protocol
Perceived effectiveness
for amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (92 evaluations)
Total evaluations
92
Tried for
amyotrophic lateral sclerosis
(71)
Check to add this treatment to your profile
Perceived effectiveness
for amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (50 evaluations)
Total evaluations
57
Tried for
amyotrophic lateral sclerosis
(62)
Excess saliva
(1)
1 more
Check to add this treatment to your profile
Perceived effectiveness
for amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (47 evaluations)
Total evaluations
49
Tried for
amyotrophic lateral sclerosis
(47)
Stiffness/Spasticity
(2)
1 more
Check to add this treatment to your profile
Perceived effectiveness
for amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (13 evaluations)
Total evaluations
16
Tried for
amyotrophic lateral sclerosis
(33)
Fatigue
(10)
Check to add this treatment to your profile
Perceived effectiveness
for amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (17 evaluations)
Side effects
Total evaluations
17
Tried for
amyotrophic lateral sclerosis
(32)
Check to add this treatment to your profile
Perceived effectiveness
for Insomnia (9 evaluations)
Total evaluations
26
Tried for
Insomnia
(15)
Excess saliva
(10)
3 more
Check to add this treatment to your profile
Perceived effectiveness
for amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (13 evaluations)
Total evaluations
13
Tried for
amyotrophic lateral sclerosis
(28)
- Major
- Moderate
- Slight
- None
- Can't tell
- Severe
- Moderate
- Mild
- None
Data from patients with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, who reported starting treatments within the last 5 years.
Last updated:
You’ve tried this treatment.
Who has amyotrophic lateral sclerosis on PatientsLikeMe?
- 10,625 patients have this condition
- 219 new patients joined this month
- 10,464 say ALS is their primary condition
| Age | Proportion | # of patients |
|---|---|---|
| <20 | 6 | |
| 20s | 131 | |
| 30s | 450 | |
| 40s | 1,236 | |
| 50s | 2,411 | |
| 60s | 2,751 | |
| 70+ | 1,728 |
| Age at first symptom | Proportion | # of patients |
|---|---|---|
| 0-19 years | 40 | |
| 20-29 years | 220 | |
| 30-39 years | 679 | |
| 40-49 years | 1,350 | |
| 50-59 years | 1,702 | |
| 60-69 years | 1,116 | |
| 70+ years | 260 |
Sex
Distribution of sex
| 44% | Female |
|---|---|
| 56% | Male |
| Diagnosis status | Proportion | # of patients |
|---|---|---|
| Diagnosed | 5,839 | |
| Not Diagnosed | 282 |
These charts show data from ALS patients who have completed their condition history
Last updated: