MDA IS READY TO HELP
If you think you have ALS, see your doctor.If he suspects ALS or any other neuromuscular disease, ask for a written referral to an MDA clinic.Then call your local MDA office for the location of the nearest MDA clinic and to set up a diagnostic appointment.Through MDA, people with ALS and other neuromuscular diseases are offered a wide variety of services, ranging from medical care and assistance in purchasing wheelchairs to support groups, a newsletter (specific to ALS) and other publications.
The most important step is to establish a definite diagnosis, which is done by skilled neurologists at MDA's 225 hospital-affiliated clinics nationwide or one of MDA's eight specialized ALS centers.Accurate diagnosis of ALS is extremely important, because it can be confused with several other neurological disorders that require different treatment.
Some symptoms of ALS can be relieved and survival extended with the expert medical management available at MDA clinics.Aids may by prescribed to extend mobility and independence, and a variety of therapies may be provided to help people improve or maintain function.Some MDA clinics are also test sites for experimental ALS therapies. These clinical trials are a necessary step in the development of new treatments.
For a detailed description of MDA services, call your local MDA office and request a copy of the pamphlets "MDA Services for the Individual, Family and Community" and "MDA: First in ALS Services and Research."To call your local MDA office, look in your telephone directory under Muscular Dystrophy Association, or use the locator on this Web site.
You may also wish to contact MDA's national headquarters at 3300 East Sunrise Drive, Tucson, AZ 85718.You can call the national office at (800) 572-1717.
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