ALS Services

UPMC provides comprehensive medical care for ALS with a collaborative approach to treatment.

UPMC is an ALS Association (ALSA) Certified Treatment Center of Excellence and one of only four treatment centers in Pennsylvania with this accreditation. Certification is earned by meeting the rigorous best practices standards set by the ALS Association Treatment Centers of Excellence Program®.

UPMC has also been designated an MDA-ALS Center by the Muscular Dystrophy Association in recognition of excellence in clinical and research services. We are the only such center in western Pennsylvania.

Find the Right Care For You

What Is Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS)?

Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) — also known as Lou Gehrig’s disease — is a progressive disease that affects the motor neurons, which are nerve cells in the spine and brain. These neurons control your muscles, including those used to breathe, swallow, speak, walk, and move your arms and hands, legs, and feet.

In ALS, the motor neurons deteriorate and die over time. Different motor neurons control different muscles, but the disease doesn’t affect all the motor neurons at once. ALS symptoms usually start in one area of your body before spreading to other areas.

What ALS Services Do We Offer?

Our team provides advanced ALS testing, diagnosis, and treatment options for all stages of the disease. We also offer our patients the opportunity to participate in our multiple active clinical trials.

In addition to medical care, we provide education and support to both patients and their families.

Our ALS services include:

Medical services

Medical services for people with ALS include:

• Medications — May slow the progression of the disease by several months and help alleviate symptoms, such as spasticity, mood, excess salivation, and more.
• Nutritional therapy — Helps people with ALS maintain weight through healthy eating and diet management when swallowing or chewing difficulties develop.
• Respiratory therapy — Teaches breathing exercises and provides equipment to help people with ALS breathe easier and sleep better.

Rehabilitative services

Rehabilitative services for people with ALS include:

• Occupational therapy (OT) — Uses appropriate exercises and durable medical equipment to perform activities of daily living and promote functional independence.
• Physical therapy (PT) — Helps manage physical disabilities and improve mobility and safety through appropriate exercises and assistive devices to improve safety and maximize independence.
• Speech therapy — Help improve communication during ALS progression using assistive technology, including eye gaze-controlled communication devices.
• Swallowing therapy — Evaluates for swallowing difficulties that would affect nutritional status and breathing and helps with swallowing techniques and diet modifications to maintain safe and efficient swallowing.

Supportive services

Supportive services for people with ALS include:

• Coordination with durable medical equipment companies — Helps to manage assistive devices, such as power chairs, hospital beds, braces, and respiratory equipment.
• Coordination with home care agencies — Helps arrange for in-home health services, such as nursing aid, and PT/OT.
• Psychological support — Helps people cope with feelings of fear, grief, and frustration.
• Social work support — Helps people with ALS find financial help, access equipment, get help with meals at home, and much more.

Clinical trials for ALS

ALS is a devastating diagnosis for patients and their families. Through research, the hope is to find a treatment that can add years of quality to people's lives and, one day, stop the disease completely.

UPMC is one of only a few centers worldwide participating in brain-computer interface (BCI) technology trial studies to improve functional independence and communication in people with severe paralysis, including people with ALS.

We are the only center in western Pennsylvania participating in the HEALEY ALS Platform Trial. ALS platform trials accelerate the path to new ALS therapies by testing multiple experimental drugs at the same time, decreasing the trial time and increasing patient participation. Using an efficient design with increased access for people with ALS, there is a 2/3 chance of receiving the study product and a 1/3 chance of receiving a placebo.

What Can I Expect?

At UPMC, our experts provide comprehensive care — including medical management, rehabilitative services, supportive care, and access to advanced clinical trials. Our multidisciplinary team includes neurologists, nurses, physical therapists, occupational therapists, respiratory therapists, social workers, clinical psychologists, speech and swallowing therapists, and dieticians.

Why Choose UPMC for ALS Care?

When you choose UPMC for ALS care, you will receive:

• ALS Association-certified care — We are an ALS Association (ALSA) Certified Treatment Center of Excellence and one of only four treatment centers in Pennsylvania with this accreditation. Certification is earned by meeting the rigorous best practice standards set by the ALS Association Treatment Centers of Excellence Program®.
• Access to clinical and research innovations — We have received the MDA-ALS Center designation from the Muscular Dystrophy Association in recognition of excellence in clinical and research services. We are the only such center in western Pennsylvania. We also participate in national and international clinical trials, bringing promising therapies to our patients years before they become available at other centers.
• Multidisciplinary care from a team of experts — Our multidisciplinary team includes neurologists, nurses, physical therapists, occupational therapists, respiratory therapists, social workers, clinical psychologists, speech and swallowing therapists, and dieticians.

By UPMC Editorial Staff. Last reviewed on 2026-03-04.