Texas Tech Health neurologist on why ALS may affect veterans more

ALS, or lou gherig's disease is a disease that borderland doctors say isn't talked about enough.

It is a progressive neurodegenerative disease that affects the neurons or cells that control the muscles, and leads to muscle weakness and eventually paralysis. 

Dr. Isabel Narvaez-Correa says patients start to have coordination and motor-function issues with tasks like buttoning clothes or dropping things.

But it can eventually affect the tongue and throat -- causing trouble with speech, swallowing and even breathing. 

It doesn't just affect them physically, but emotionally. 

"It affects the patients and the entire family emotionally and financially... As a disease progresses, they progressively lose the independence in their activity of daily living. They become fully dependent on their caregivers. They eventually need a wheelchair, bedbound, and at the later stage of the diseases they might need a feeding tube."

Narvaez-Correa says some studies have shown that patients who are veterans have twice more probability of having ALS than those who haven't had any type of military service. 

The neurologist says a big percentage of their patients are veterans and they work with veteran affairs to provide care. 

While it's unclear why they're more prevalent, there are theories that it may be due to exposure to chemicals and toxins from when they were deployed. 

But the disease is still too complex.

"With this type of disease, although we are aiming to prolong life, one of our goals is also to improve their quality of life and having a good social support like friends, family that work together with us," she says. "It has like significantly impact their lives for better for our patients."

Narvaez-Correa says if anyone is feeling any symptoms, they should contact their doctor to seek treatment as early as possible.