Semmes Murphey’s Multidisciplinary Clinic Making Strides Against ALS

Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, also known as ALS and Lou Gehrig’s disease, is a progressive neurodegenerative disorder affecting about 20,000 people in the United States. When Eric Brown of Jonesboro, Arkansas, turned 50, he traveled to Semmes Murphey Clinic in Memphis where he was diagnosed with the disorder. For over a century, our team has diagnosed and treated patients with neurological disorders, but once a month, we host the region's only multidisciplinary clinic for many patients like Brown.

The Daily Memphian sat down with Brown and Semmes Murphey neurologist Dr. Tulio Bertorini, who specializes in neuromuscular diseases. Semmes Murphey has the ALS Association’s only Certified Treatment Center of Excellence practitioner in West Tennessee. The article shares Brown’s journey since his diagnosis and highlights Semmes Murphey’s work with ALS patients.

Dr. Bertorini works with Semmes Murphey’s multidisciplinary team, which includes social workers, speech therapists, physical therapists and occupational therapists. This team collaborates to decrease patients' stress levels by providing not only treatment, but also various services these patients need to manage their everyday lives. Some of these services include sending OTs to patients’ homes to determine potential modifications, injecting Botox to decrease muscle stiffness or providing medications to slow the progression of the disease. Even though there is no cure for ALS, the multidisciplinary team at Semmes Murphey is working hard to make life more tolerable for patients.

To speak to a Semmes Murphey physician about a potential illness, schedule an appointment with us today by calling 901-522-7700 or visiting our appointments page.