Autoimmune Disorders happen when our immune system loses the ability to identify the difference between harmful substances such as bacteria, fungi, viruses, and even cancer cells called antigens, and healthy body substances. In a result of this, the body begins to attack healthy tissue that it would normally ignore. The reasons as to why the immune system loses this ability is still unknown. This disorder leads to further health problems, including Diabetes type I, Multiple Sclerosis, Lou Gehrig's, and ALS.
Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) is a type of autoimmune disorder. It is also known as Lou Gehrig's Disease in the U.S.A, after a famous New York Yankees baseball player whose struggle with ALS brought national awareness to this autoimmune disorder. ALS is a neurological disorder where the ability to communicate between the nerve cells in the brain, spinal cord, and muscles decreases progressively and eventually leads to death.
This disease affects the ability to make voluntary movements. The signals that the brain sends for movement are called motor neurons.
When motor neurons die, the ability to initiate and control body movements is no longer possible leading to paralysis. Lou Gehrig's disease or ALS affects the movements of limbs especially arms and legs, speech, swallowing and even breathing, when the muscles stop receiving signals the muscles begin to shrink and lose all ability to function or move.
ALS is a painless disease. It does not affect the senses nor the ability to think or process thoughts.