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- Jul 29, 2017
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- 3,933
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- PALS
- Diagnosis
- 07/2017
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- Southern Oregon
Here is a listing of some of the most common acronyms and abbreviations you are likely to encounter on this forum or when dealing with topics related to motor neuron diseases.
General ALS Terms & Acronyms | |
A | |
AAC | Augmentative and Alternative Communication device. A Tobii or similar device used for communication |
ABG | Arterial Blood Gas. Blood test that provides many results, including CO2, O2 and pH. Blood is drawn from artery |
AD | Alzheimer's Disease |
AFO | Ankle-Foot Orthotic. An appliance to compensate for foot drop. |
ALS | Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis, aka Lou Gehrig’s disease. The most common Motor Neuron Disease, characterized by loss of both UMNs and LMNs |
ALSA | ALS Association |
AVAPS | Average Volume Assured Pressure Support. Ventilator technology |
B | |
BAD | Brachial Amyotrophic Diplegia, or flail arm syndrome. Refers to a lower motor neuron condition affecting just the upper extremities. |
BFS | Benign Fasciculation Syndrome. NOT a Motor Neuon Disease (MND) but frequently mistaken for one by laymen |
BiPAP | Bi-Level Positive Airway Pressure. A type of noninvasive ventilation which administers one pressure for inhalation and another for exhalation. Used for reducing work of breathing in ALS. |
Button | Slang / generic term for feeding tube with no external tube, requires extension tube for use (see Dangler) |
bvFTD | Behavioral FTD. A variant of FTD characterized by personality and behavior aberrations |
C | |
cALS | Caregiver for someone with ALS |
CO2 | Carbon Dioxide. A gas that can buildup and cause health issues if a pALS cannot breathe effectively |
Comm. Assistant | Communications Assistant. A specially trained person who facilitates communication using Telecommunications Relay Services |
Cough Assist | A machine that simulates a cough to assist in removing mucus from the lungs. See Vest |
CPAP | Continuous positive airway pressure. Used in sleep apnea treatment; generally not for ALS, but the masks are the same. See BiPAP |
D | |
Dangler | Slang / generic term for feeding tube with long external tube. See Button |
DAV | Disabled American Veterans. A service organization which assists US Veterans. See PVA |
E | |
EMG | Electromyogram. Tests muscles. |
Enteral food | Liquid nutritional formula for tube feeding e.g. Boost, Isosource, Liquid Hope |
F | |
FALS | Familial (hereditary) ALS |
FTD | Frontotemporal Dementia |
FVC | Forced vital capacity. This is one of the measurements made with pfts. |
G | |
G-tube | Gastrostomy tube. A feeding tube inserted in the stomach. |
GJ-tube | As the name implies, a combination of a G- and a Jtube. |
H | |
HCO | Hearing Carry Over, a type of Telecommunications Relay Service used by people who cannot speak but can hear |
HME | Humidifier Moisture Exchange. A humidification method used in Ventilators, less efficient than a heated chamber |
IM | Intra Muscular. An injection into a muscle |
I | |
IP Relay | A type of Telecommunications Relay Service using a website for text input |
IV | Intra Venous. An injection into a vein |
J | |
J-tube | Jejunostomy Tube. A feeding tube inserted in the jejunum. |
L | |
LMN | Lower Motor Neuron. Refers to nerve cells in the brain stem and spinal cord. Loss of these neurons leads to muscle weakness and atrophy. See UMN |
M | |
MDA | Muscular Dystrophy Association |
MIC-KEY | Brand name of a button-style G-Tube |
MMN | Multi Focal Motor Neuron Nephropathy |
MND | Motor Neuron Disease. Refers to a group of conditions characterized by loss of the nerves that control skeletal muscles, e.g. ALS, pba, etc. |
MRI | Magnetic Resonance Imaging |
N | |
NCS | Nerve Conduction Study. Tests nerves. |
NCV | Nerve Conduction Velocity. Basically the same thing as ncs. |
NIV | Non Invasive Ventilation. Use of a vent via nose and/or mouth mask. Does not use Tracheostomy |
NP-tube | Nasopharyngeal feeding tube. A temporary feeding tube routed through the nose and down the throat to the stomach |
NPO | nil per os. Latin for nothing by mouth (i.e. No food or drink) . See PO |
O | |
O2 | Oxygen. A gas necessary for life but not to be administered to pALS without adequate ventilation. See Ventilator |
OT | Occupational therapy or occupational therapist |
P | |
pALS | Person (or people) living with ALS |
PBA | Psuedobulbar affect. Inappropriate excessive laughter/ crying. Often can be helped by nuedexta |
PBP | Progressive Bulbar Palsy |
PCP | Primary care provider. Generally this would be an internist, family or general physician, or family or adult nurse practitioner or physician assistant. |
PEG | Percutaneous endoscopic gastrostomy. A method of inserting a G-tube using an endoscope under full anesthesia. |
PFT | Pulmonary Function Test |
PIG | Per-Oral Image Guided gastrostomy. A hybrid method of inserting a G-tube. Least common method. |
PLS | Primary lateral sclerosis. A disorder characterized by degeneration of only upper motor neurons. |
PMA | Progressive muscle atrophy. A disorder characterized by degeneration of only lower motor neurons. |
PO | Per os. Latin for by mouth. See NPO |
PPA | Primary Progressive Aphasia. A variant of FTD which degrades the speech and communications part of the brain |
PT | Physical therapy or physical therapist |
PVA | Paralyzed Veterans of America. A service organization which assists US Veterans. See DAV |
PWC | Power Wheelchair |
R | |
RD | Registered Dietitian |
RIG | Radiologically Inserted Gastrostomy. A method of inserting a G-tube using interventional radiology with minimal anesthesia. |
ROM | Range Of Motion |
RT | Respiratory therapy or respiratory therapist |
S | |
SALS | Sporadic (non-hereditary) ALS. The most common type of ALS |
SCI | Spinal Cord Injury |
Serum CO2 | Blood test that provides CO2 content in blood. Blood is drawn from vein |
SLP | Speech and language pathologist (speech therapist) |
SMA | Spinobulbar Muscular Atrophy, Also Known As Kennedy Disease. |
STS | Speech-To-Speech, a type of Telecommunications Relay Service used by people with speech defects |
SVC | Slow Vital Capacity. Another pft measuring quantity of air in a normal inhalation / exhalation |
T | |
TPN | Total parenteral nutrition is the feeding of a person intravenously, bypassing the usual process of eating and digestion |
Trilogy | Brand of Ventilator |
TRS | Telecommunications Relay Service . Free, nationwide service that allows people with hearing or speech disabilities to communicate over a telephone or a website with the assistance of a specially trained Communications Assistant |
TTY | Text Telephone, an application or device that relays typed text to a Communications Assistant for Telecommunications Relay Services |
Tubie | Slang for person with feeding tube |
U | |
UMN | Upper motor neuron. Refers to nerve cells in the motor cortex and lateral corticospinal tracts of the brain. Loss of these neurons leads to spasticity and poor coordination. See LMN |
V | |
Ventilator | aka Vent. A device used to provide air when breathing is impaired. See CPAP, BiPAP and Trilogy |
Vest | Aka Percussion Vest, Oscillation Vest. An air powered vest used to loosen mucus in the lungs. Often used in sequence with Cough Assist |
VSED | Voluntary Stop Eating and Drinking. An acronym for choosing to starve to death |
VSO | Veterans’ Server Officer. Represents, assists and advises veterans With VA issues. See DAV, PVA |
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