What Is ALS Disease?
5. Eating Problems
We don’t usually think about it, but the eating process involves a lot of coordination from different muscle groups. We need to move our mouths in a certain way that allows us to chew, and the muscles of our esophagus need to contract in waves to help push food down.
While most of us are able to take these abilities for granted, the same cannot be said for people with ALS disease. Even chewing and swallowing can become all but impossible for them, and they will eventually need to be put on a feeding tube. The loss of control over these muscles can also sometimes cause aspiration pneumonia.
