How Is ALS Treated?
An ALS diagnosis can feel devastating and overwhelming for patients and their families. Learning how to live with this disease can challenge everyone. That’s why finding a caring team to support you through this life-changing experience is essential.
University of Utah Health offers a variety of treatment options for people with ALS. These are available at our Motor Neuron Disease/ALS Clinic:
- Medication
- Speech therapy, physical therapy, and occupational therapy
- Breathing support & respiratory therapy
- Nutritional support
These treatments help improve your life in several ways:
- Control symptoms
- Make everyday tasks easier
- Help with mobility
Find an ALS Specialist
ALS Medications
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has approved three medicines to help people with ALS slow down the disease:
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Riluzole (approved in 1995)
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Radicava® (2015)
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Qalsody® (2023), specifically for ALS-SOD1
Other medicines may help reduce a variety of symptoms:
- Excess saliva and phlegm
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Muscle cramps
- Stiffness
- Involuntary emotional displays (pseudobulbar affect)
- Pain
- Depression
- Sleep disturbances
- Constipation
ALS Medication Research
Researchers worldwide are exploring new medications for ALS. U of U Health participates in many national research studies. Patients who qualify can enroll in these studies, which may provide access to new medicines. Talk to your care team if you want to learn more about ALS research studies at U of U Health.
Therapy For ALS
ALS Speech Therapy
ALS weakens the muscles you use to speak. Many people with ALS have difficulty speaking loudly and clearly in the early stages of the disease. Speech-language therapists can recommend strategies that help.
As time passes, some people with ALS cannot talk or make vocal sounds. A speech therapist can help them communicate using tablets or speech synthesizers.
Some people with ALS may choose voice banking. Voice banking involves saving recordings of their voice to use later via a tablet or computer. People also use it to leave messages for loved ones.
ALS Physical Therapy
If appropriate, your physical therapist will help you add gentle, low-impact exercise to your routine. These exercises can strengthen the muscles unaffected by ALS. They can improve your heart health and help you fight fatigue and depression.
You have several options for low-impact exercises:
- Stationary bicycling
- Swimming
- Walking
Your physical therapist will also show you stretching and range-of-motion exercises. These exercises may help prevent muscle tightness and shortening.
ALS Occupational Therapy
You’ll want to stay safe and as independent as possible while living with ALS. Occupational therapy can help.
An occupational therapist will suggest devices to save your energy and stay mobile:
- Braces
- Ramps
- Walkers
- Wheelchairs
Breathing Support
When you have ALS, weak muscles can also affect your ability to breathe. U of U Health providers use three types of breathing support for ALS.
Non-Invasive Ventilation for ALS
Non-invasive ventilation (NIV) means using a mask or straw to help you breathe. It improves your quality of life and helps you live longer with ALS. You can use NIV when you need it. Or you can use it throughout the day and night. It depends on your symptoms.
ALS Mechanical Ventilation
Mechanical ventilation uses a ventilator (machine) to breathe for you. The ventilator delivers warm, moist air to your lungs through a breathing tube. The tube connects to a device that inflates and deflates your lungs. For short-term use, providers place a breathing tube through your mouth. For longer-term use, they create an opening at the front of your neck. Then, they insert a tube leading to your windpipe.
Mechanical ventilation can help people with ALS live longer. Patients using mechanical ventilation have intensive care needs and face risks. Your care team can discuss this in detail. They can help you decide if mechanical ventilation is right for you.
Cough Assistance with Breath Stacking for ALS
People with ALS may also have trouble generating a forceful cough. Breath stacking helps. In breath stacking, you take several small breaths without exhaling until your lungs fill with air. Then, you briefly hold your breath and exhale the air with a cough.
Nutritional Support
People with ALS need good nutrition to help them maintain muscle and fat, have more energy, and strengthen their immune systems.
Eating meals throughout the day will provide a well-balanced diet. Our nutritionists will teach you and your family how to plan and prepare small meals. They will also teach you how to avoid difficult-to-swallow foods.
Eating and drinking often become more difficult as your muscles weaken. Your provider may recommend inserting a feeding tube into your stomach if you no longer get enough nutrients from eating.
Why Choose University of Utah Health?
The Motor Neuron Disease/ALS Clinic is the only multidisciplinary ALS Clinic in the Mountain West region. Our team of specialists have years of expertise caring for ALS patients and understand the challenges of an ALS diagnosis:
- Neurology (neuromuscular neurologist)
- Lung specialist (pulmonology)
- Care management
- Clinical pharmacy
- Genetic counseling
- Nursing
- Nutrition
- Occupational therapy
- Physical therapy
- Respiratory therapy
- Social work
- Speech therapy
We see patients with ALS at the Clinical Neurosciences Center in Salt Lake City and twice a year at our Southern Utah clinic.
The Motor Neuron Disease/ALS Clinic is recognized as a certified Center of Excellence by the ALS Association, ALS United Rocky Mountain, and Muscular Dystrophy Association (MDA).
Make an Appointment at the Motor Neuron Disease/ALS Clinic
You will need a referral from your primary care provider or neurologist to make an appointment with our ALS specialists. Call 801-805-7575 or request an appointment.
You will have access to all of our multidisciplinary specialists during each visit to the Motor Neuron Disorder/ALS Clinic. Most insurance companies cover the cost of our specialized clinic care because costs are the same as a basic neurology visit. Our team will work with your insurance and other resources to ensure that services and therapies outside the clinic are less expensive. We’re here to help you and your family deal with the challenges of ALS. We want you to experience the best quality of life possible.
Support Groups
Salt Lake City MDA/ALS Group Meeting
Date & Time: First Tuesday monthly, 6pm-8pm
Location: Sanderson Community Center
5709 South 1500 West Taylorsville, UT 84123
ALS Association-Sponsored Family Support Group in Riverton
Date & Time: 2nd Tuesday of the month
2 pm - 3:30 pm
Location: Riverton Senior Center
Room D
12914 Redwood Rd.
Riverton, UT 84065
ALS Association-Sponsored Family Support Group in Roy
Date & Time: 3rd Thursday of the month
6 pm - 7:30 pm
Location: First Baptist Church of Roy
2025 W 5700 S
Roy, UT 84067
Riverton, UT 84065
ALS Association-Sponsored Family Support Group in Lindon
Date & Time: 4th Tuesday of the month
1 pm - 2:30 pm
Location: Lindon Senior Center
25 Main St.
Lindon, UT 84042
Boise
Please contact the MDA office in Boise for more information: 208-327-0107.
Patient & Family Resources
National Associations
ALS Association
National office phone number: 818-880-9007
Utah office phone number: 425-656-1650
ALS United Rocky Mountain
Phone number: 303-832-2322
Muscular Dystrophy Association (MDA)
National office phone number: 800-572-1717
Utah MDA phone number: 801-278-6200
Idaho MDA phone number: 208-327-0107 MDA-ALS
