What Does It Affect?
MND is a progressive neurodegenerative disease that attacks the upper and lower motor neurones.
Degeneration of the motor neurones leads to weakness and wasting of muscles, causing increasing loss of mobility in the limbs, and difficulties with speech, swallowing and breathing.
The muscles first affected tend to be those in the hands, feet and mouth, this is dependent on which type of the disease you are diagnosed with.
Diagnosis
Motor Neurone Disease can be extremely difficult to diagnose for several reasons.
- It is a comparatively ‘rare’ disease.
- The early symptoms can be quite slight, such as clumsiness, mild weakness or slightly slurred speech, all of which can be attributed to other reasons. It can be some time before someone feels it necessary to see his or her GP.
- The disease affects each individual in a different way; there is no definitive symptom, which would immediately indicate diagnosis.
There is no test available to diagnose MND; it is a case of eliminating other potential conditions. See Diagnostic Process
MND does not usually affect the senses or the bladder and bowel. It is not contagious.
The effects of MND can vary enormously from person to person, from the presenting symptoms, the rate and pattern of the disease progression to the length of survival time after diagnosis.
Life With MND
