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Neuroscience and Spine Institute
1-800-924-7620
CAROLINAS ALS CENTER
Lou Gehrig's Disease
Most people know something about Lou Gehrig, and how he faced a devastating disease with
extraordinary courage. Yet few know the exact nature of the disease or its real name:
Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS).
ALS is a progressive disease shared by as many as 30,000 Americans. Deterioration of motor
neurons and pathways in the brain and spinal cord disrupt connections to muscles throughout
the body, causing increasing paralysis. Although ALS patients are unable to control or use
their voluntary muscles, their minds and sensory nerves remain unaffected.
While ALS, first described in 1869, is presently incurable, the situation is not hopeless. The
Carolinas ALS Center research team is working diligently to better understand the disease's
cause, potential cures and possible means of prevention.
Recent studies indicate that we can help ALS patients live longer, more productive lives. Our
treatment approach combines new therapies with symptom relief, prevention of complications,
and maintenance of optimal independence. Physical therapy and rehabilitation techniques teach
patients to work around physical and functional disabilities. We believe proper diet, exercise,
mental attitude, access to the most current therapies, and the support of family and friends
allow our ALS patients to reach an optimal quality of life.
Comprehensive Care for ALS Patients
The Carolinas ALS Center is one of the most comprehensive ALS facilities in the United States,
and the Southeast's only comprehensive facility for the study and treatment of degenerative
neuromuscular diseases. ALS patients in the Southeast now have regional access to the finest
medical treatment and care in the nation.
Through the interdisciplinary participation of key physicians and allied health professionals,
Carolinas ALS Center provides a high level of diagnostic service and coordinated care. The center
also offers extensive education and community resource programs. Its comprehensive multidisciplinary
approach integrates all services into each individual patient care plan, providing significant
benefit to ALS patients and their families.
The Carolinas ALS Center is supported by the Muscular Dystrophy Association.
Carolinas Neuromuscular ALS-MDA Center Loaner Library
The Loaner Library provides ALS patients with immediate access to assistive devices at no charge.
Equipment available through the Loaner Library includes wheelchairs, walkers, baby monitors,
voice amplifiers, LightWriters and laptop computers. For more information, call 704-355-0867
To Make An Appointment
Carolinas ALS Center is open from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. at Carolinas Medical Center. To make an
appointment, call 704-446-6257 or 800-924-7620. Mail medical records to: Carolinas ALS
Center, P.O. Box 32861, Charlotte, NC 28232
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