Ask a doctor on the topic of Neurology

Is it ALS?

October 27, 2020 | 20,00 EUR | answered by Dr. med. Frauke Gehring

Hello,

since I had a tooth extracted, I have been experiencing severe speech problems. My family, friends, and acquaintances have all mentioned it to me. When I went to see my primary care physician, he suspected a stroke or a brain tumor. However, the hospital ruled those out. After seeing several doctors, one of them suspected ALS. Unfortunately, my neurology appointment is not until next week and I am very worried. I understand that a diagnosis from a distance is not possible, but are there other possible causes for my sudden speech problem? It has been ruled out that it is related to the tooth. Additionally, I have noticed some visible pulsing in my upper arm a few days ago. I would greatly appreciate your assessment.

Dr. med. Frauke Gehring

Good day,

Unfortunately, you have not written what has been investigated so far, how old you are, and what gender you are. This is extremely important to assess the probability, as well as the type of speech problems and any pathological findings that may have been collected.

There is indeed a bulbar ALS, which manifests itself through articulation problems, so this is not excluded. However, it is not understandable why this should be noticed after extracting a tooth.

Therefore, too many things are unclear here to make a serious statement.

Sincerely, Dr. Gehring