What is MND?

The cause is not known. For a few people who develop MND, it seems to run in the family.

You can’t catch it from somebody.

MND symptoms

MND usually starts slowly, sometimes starting on one side of the body and then spreading. Usually, the first things people notice are:

• weakness in the hands and grip
• slurred speech
• weakness in the legs, and a tendency to trip
• weakness of the shoulder, making lifting difficult.

Later on, people with MND:

• have little or no movement
• have trouble talking, breathing and swallowing.

A few people with MND develop a type of dementia.

If you have MND, your sense of sight, touch, smell, hearing and taste won’t be affected. It is usually not painful.

MND diagnosis

MND can be hard to diagnose when the symptoms first appear because at first, it seems like a lot of other conditions.

Your doctor may refer you to a neurologist who will examine you and do various tests. These may include:

• blood tests
• muscle biopsies
• studies to measure how well your nerves and muscles work.

MND treatment

There is no cure. Because of this, doctors and others will help you by easing your symptoms and keeping you as mobile as possible for as long as possible.

Most people with MND die within two to three years of developing the condition, however some people can live a long time.