4. Hand weakness
Hand weakness is one of the first symptoms to present itself in most ALS diagnosed patients.
Hand weakness usually starts due to the muscles in the hand beginning to atrophy with the loss of motor neurons and is also accompanied by inflammation in the hand and swelling. Some have even noticed excessive twitching in the fingers as well.
This hand weakness is occasionally accompanied by a significant weighted feeling as if gravity is stronger on that part of your body than the rest. This causes the patient with a lot of excess discomforts.
As the hand weakness progresses, it takes its course through the rest of the body. Usually going to the wrists and shoulders next. During this time the heaviness also sets in the lower body and works its way up through the legs, until the patient can not move at all and can only be moved around by wheelchair.