Hi Jamie,
I found my information off of these sites and the Cleveland Clinic doc and the cite from my previous link. They are all consistent in saying lower motor neuron is hypo. Why is it that my info is being discredited when I am citing it? As for you Meg, get off my back....I am no different than anyone else on this forum, but you certainly are.........just plain mean.
Table 1. Clinical signs and symptoms of ALS
Upper motor neuron
Spasticity
Hyperreflexia
Pathologic reflexes (eg, Babinski's sign)
Lower motor neuron
Muscle weakness
Muscle atrophy
Fasciculations
Hyporeflexia
Hypotonicity, flaccidity
Muscle cramps
Bulbar
Dysarthria
Dysphagia
Sialorrhea
Pseudobulbar palsy
Respiratory
Exertional dyspnea
Respiratory failure
Other
Fatigue
Insomnia
Weight loss
Tendon shortening
Joint contracture
http://www.postgradmed.com/issues/1999/04_99/mackin.htm
This was on Cleveland Clinics website
CCF Neuro[P]-M.D.-RPS
4/28/2001
Scared Dear Scared:
I am sorry for both the physical symptoms and mental anxiety your experiencing. We do see patients your age with new onset ALS, but this is uncommon this early. When the symptoms of muscle fasciculations are noticed in ALS, there is always a objective sign (the neurological exam) of muscle weakness. The hallmark of ALS is having both upper and lower motor signs. One sees the upper motor neuron signs of weakness, hyperreflexia, spasticity, extensor plantar responses, and clonus, with lower motor neuron signs of hyporeflexia, flaccidity, atrophy, fasciculations and weakness. As you can see from the symptoms, there is a mixture but some keys we look for are muscle weakness with other signs combined with no changes in the sensory system or cognition. So, against ALS is the pain in the calves, no true upper motor neuron signs (hyperreflexia can be misleading unless there it is done repetitively and combined with plantar response-or by someone who does the neurological exam alot and knows the difference between anxiety induced hyperreflexia and hyperreflexia). The time you have been having symptoms should have been long enough to give you significant motor weakness, but you do not express loss of strength.
Not to mention the other link I already cited.
