Meteorologist Jeriann Ritter’s ‘Weird’ Mouth Sensation Led To ALS Diagnosis: Early Symptoms Everyone Should Know

Ritter initially experienced changes in speech and difficulty swallowing to which healthcare professionals confirmed bulbar-onset ALS after she took a trip to the dentist.

Meteorologist Jeriann Ritter, who has spent over 20 years working for a local NBC affiliate in Des Moines, Iowa - WHO 13, recently opened up about how her career hit an unexpected storm when she was diagnosed with bulbar-onset Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS). The 49-year-old meteorologist told her co-worker, Keith Murphy, in an on-camera interview, "I didn't forecast this storm hitting. It's raining right now, and I'm just trying to find the sunshine."

Jeriann Ritter First ALS Symptoms

According to Ritter, the initial symptoms of ALS she experienced include changes in speech and difficulty swallowing, which healthcare professionals confirmed after she took a trip to the dentist. In her words, "I had started to notice some weird stuff with my speech. And I was constantly grabbing (the left) side of my face. But I'm not in a lot of pain."

Recalling the times she found out about the medical condition, Ritter said that she had visited the dentist, assuming that her "teeth were moving" or "something was weird." The 49-year-old further revealed that her dentist thought she might be having a stroke, which led her to a CT and MRI scan. And when Ritter finally saw a neurologist, "she looked at me and found something with my tongue that led her to believe I had bulbar ALS. I just wasn't prepared to hear that."

What Is Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS)?

Talking about this neurodegenerative disease, Dr. Vinit Banga, Director Neurology at Fortis Hospital, Faridabad, explains that ALS is a medical condition that targets the motor neurons, which are responsible for controlling voluntary muscle movement. He said, "As these nerve cells gradually deteriorate and die, patients begin to experience muscle weakness, difficulty speaking or swallowing, and eventually problems with breathing. One of the most challenging aspects of ALS is that it does not affect intelligence or awareness in most patients. Individuals are often fully aware of what is happening to their bodies, which can make the emotional toll especially profound for both patients and their families."

The ALS Therapy Development Institute (ALS TDI) notes that every person has a unique experience of ALS, depending on where the disease starts. It states that if someone starts to experience the illness in the neck or face then this is known as bulbar-onset ALS. Generally, if you have been diagnosed with this medical condition, then you may experience slurred speech, difficulty chewing, swallowing, excessive choking, weakness or twitching in the muscles of the face, jaw, throat, and voice box, particularly the tongue. Other symptoms of ALS include difficulty forming words, poor articulation and changes in speech patterns, hoarse voice and a decrease in range or loudness of voice.

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