ALS Ice Buck Sheet Challenge Essay

In the summer of 2014 a social media phenomenon swept the world and newsfeed of every Facebook, Instagram and Twitter account. It was called the “ALS Ice Bucket Challenge”. How it worked was someone who had previously been challenged, challenged someone else and they had to accept it, dump freezing water on their head in the most creative way possible and pass it on or donate to the Amyotrophic Laterals Sclerosis Association (ALSA) to help research the disease. Then I knew nothing about Amyotrophic Laterals Sclerosis (ALS) though I participated in the challenge myself, nor did I realize that this challenge that I took part in to join the crowd was going to become a challenge that would change my life in a few short years. Jean Martin Charcot

There is not one specific test created to determine whether or not someone has ALS. It is all done through a series of test and examinations to detect if the symptoms mimic those of ALS. When diagnosing physicians look for signs of muscle deterioration in the lower motor neurons, which are located in the spinal cord and brain stem, signs of deterioration in the upper motor neurons, located in the brain. Both are done by clinical examination and specialized testing. From there they begin to rule-out other neurological diseases and begin an in-depth medical and family history and physical examination to start a neurologic work-up, testing specific nerve points and nerve functions. The next step if ALS is suspected is an electromyogram (EMG). This test measures the signals that run between nerves and muscles and the electrical activity inside muscles to see if there is a pattern consistent with ALS. If there is additional test may involve imaging the spinal cord and brain by magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and they will test the fluid surrounding the spinal cord (spinal tap or lumbar puncture), this is done by inserting a needle into the back between the two lower vertebrae. Even then diagnosing ALS is often a “rule-out” procedure. Meaning that ALS is only diagnosed after all possibilities of any other kind of neurological disease has been ruled out by specific tests, and still the physician will usually