Mayo Clinic Radio: ALS

More than 15,000 Americans are living with Lou Gehrig\'s disease, also called amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. It\'s a progressive neurological disease that destroys nerve cells gradually, causing more and more loss of function over time. It often begins with muscle twitching and weakness in a limb, or slurred speech. Eventually, it affects control of the muscles needed to move, speak, eat and breathe. While there is no cure, treatments can slow its progression.