Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS)

Living with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) is difficult. It gets worse over time, causing many different symptoms that interfere with your daily life. 

While there's no cure for ALS, our experts can provide treatment to slow progression of the disease and ease symptoms. Our goal is to help you be as comfortable and independent as possible.

ALS Treatment at UVA Health

Our care team brings together many different experts with deep experience in treating patients with ALS. Your team includes a:

• Neurologist
• Nurse coordinator
• Physical therapist
• Occupational therapist
• Speech-language pathologist
• Respiratory therapist
• Social worker
• Registered dietitian

Supportive care offered at UVA Health includes:

• Physical therapy — To reduce pain from with muscle cramping and spasms.
• Respiratory care — You may need a mixture of air and oxygen from a machine. If you can't get enough air in and out of your lungs, you may need surgery to inert a tube into your airway.
• Nutritional care — We can give you help with diet and tube feeding, if needed.
• Speech therapy — We can help you with speech difficulties and finding alternative ways to communicate.

ALS Treatment Excellence

UVA Health's Richard R Dart ALS Program at the Adult Neurology Clinic has been recognized as the region's first Certified Treatment Center of Excellence (CTCE) by the ALS Association. 

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Read about support services.