The difference between Lou Gehrig's Disease and MS. Multiple sclerosis (MS) and amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) are different diseases with some similar features and symptoms.
They both:
- Affect your muscles and your ability to move your body
- Attack your brain and spinal cord
- Have “sclerosis” in their name
- Cause scarring or hardening around nerve cells
They have some key differences, though. MS is an autoimmune disease that causes your body to attack itself. ALS, also called Lou Gehrig’s disease, is a nervous system disorder that wears away nerve cells in your brain and spinal cord. Both are treated differently.