Massage therapy can reduce pain and improve overall well-being in people with fibromyalgia.
Living with fibromyalgia can be challenging, as the condition is characterized by chronic pain, fatigue, and sleep disturbances.
While medications can be helpful for managing some symptoms, they don’t work for everyone. Many individuals turn to complementary treatments, such as massage therapy, for relief.
Massage therapy has been shown to manage pain, improve sleep, and reduce anxiety and depression.
Massage therapy involves the manipulation of soft tissues such as muscles, tendons, and ligaments to promote relaxation and relieve tension.
Here are some types of massage that may be beneficial for people with fibromyalgia:
Swedish massage:Swedish massage is a gentle form of massage that uses long strokes, kneading, and circular movements on the topmost layers of muscles. It’s effective for reducing muscle tension and promoting relaxation.
Myofascial release:Myofascial release targets the connective tissue (fascia) surrounding the muscles. A review of six studies found that myofascial release (both therapist- and self-administered) significantly improved pain, quality of sleep, and quality of life right after treatment. It also had a moderate effect 6 months post-treatment.
Trigger point therapy: This technique involves applying pressure to specific points on the body that are believed to be sources of pain. It uses various techniques such as compression, stretching, and massage to alleviate pain and discomfort.
Shiatsu:Shiatsu is a form of Japanese massage that involves applying pressure to specific points on the body to relieve tension and promote relaxation. Shiatsu is believed to trigger the release of endorphins, which are the body’s natural pain relievers.
Thai massage:Thai massage combines acupressure, stretching, and compression techniques to promote relaxation, improve flexibility, and reduce anxiety.
Connective tissue massage: This type of massage focuses on manipulating the fascia that surrounds muscles and bones. It’s often used as part of manual therapy (a variety of hands-on techniques) used by physical therapists, chiropractors, and massage therapists to help reduce pain and improve mobility.
For instance, physical pressure and manipulation during massage may help reduce muscle tension and increase blood flow, which can help alleviate pain and improve physical function.
At the same time, the relaxation and stress-reducing effects of massage can have positive effects on mental well-being, including reducing anxiety and depression and improving sleep quality.
The overall result is a complex interaction between physical and mental factors that can improve overall health and well-being for individuals with fibromyalgia.
One 2020 studyTrusted Source found that manual therapy with moderate pressure on the posterior cervical muscles (a group of muscles located at the back of the neck) in people with fibromyalgia helped reduce pain, muscle fatigue, and anxiety. Further research is needed in a larger population.
What are the benefits of massage for fibromyalgia?
Massage therapy can provide several benefits for people with fibromyalgia, including:
Massage therapy for fibromyalgia is believed to work in several ways. First, it releases tension in muscles and trigger points, which can help reduce pain and stiffness.
Additionally, massage therapy may also release endorphins and increase levels of the neurotransmitters serotonin and dopamine in the body, which can help regulate mood and improve sleep.
In some cases, massage may temporarily worsen fibromyalgia symptoms. This can occur if your massage therapist applies too much pressure or uses techniques that are too aggressive for your condition.
However, it’s important to note that 75%Trusted Source of people with fibromyalgia seek massage therapy, which suggests that it’s quite helpful. So, even though massage can be fairly painful at times, many people with fibromyalgia continue to use it for its long-term benefits.
Insurance coverage depends on your insurance policy and the specific treatment plan prescribed by a healthcare professional. Some insurance plans may cover a certain number of massage therapy sessions as part of a treatment plan, while others may not cover it at all.
It’s best to check with your insurance provider or healthcare professional to determine coverage options. Additionally, some massage therapists may offer a sliding scale fee or accept insurance directly, so it’s worth exploring different options.
Massage therapy may be an effective option for reducing pain, stiffness, and fatigue for people with fibromyalgia. It may also improve mood, sleep, and overall quality of life.
Several types of massage may help with fibromyalgia, including myofascial release, Swedish massage, and shiatsu.
If you’re interested in massage, it’s important to look for a licensed massage therapist in your area who’s trained and experienced in treating fibromyalgia. You can search online or ask for recommendations from a healthcare professional or friends.
We’re in the dog days of summer in Texas, yesterday was one degree below the record at 107 degrees, and it’s oppressive outside after 7:30 am. Due to my ongoing challenges with Anemia, I’m always freezing. At 4:30 am this morning I’m wearing a sweater buttoned up all the way, long pants, wool gloves, covered in a wool blanket, and yet the fireplace is needed to stop me from shacking. At least the fireplace in my office is relaxing.
A team led by CUNY Graduate Center biologists has produced a genetic analysis of Lyme disease bacteria that may pave the way for improved diagnosis, treatment, and prevention of the tick-borne ailment.
Weigang Qiu, a professor of biology at the CUNY Graduate Center and Hunter College, and an international team mapped the complete genetic makeup of 47 strains of Lyme disease-related bacteria from around the world. This created a powerful tool for identifying the bacterial strains that infect patients.
More accurate tests and treatments?
Researchers said this could enable more accurate diagnostic tests and treatments tailored to the bacteria causing each patient’s illness.
“By understanding how these bacteria evolve and exchange genetic material, we’re better equipped to monitor their spread and respond to their ability to cause disease in humans,” said Qiu, the corresponding author of the study.
The study was published in mBio, the flagship journal of the American Society for Microbiology.
Researchers said the genetic information uncovered in the study may help scientists develop more effective vaccines against Lyme disease.
Lyme disease is the most common tick-borne illness in North America and Europe, affecting hundreds of thousands of people a year. The disease arises from bacteria belonging to the Borrelia burgdorferi sensu lato group, which infect people through the bite of infected ticks. Symptoms can include fever, headache, fatigue, and a characteristic skin rash. If left untreated, the infection can spread to joints, the heart, and the nervous system, causing more severe complications.
Case numbers are increasing steadily, with 476,000 new cases each year in the United States, and may grow faster with climate change, the authors of the study said.
The research team sequenced the complete genomes of Lyme disease bacteria representing all 23 known species in the group. Most hadn’t been sequenced before the effort. The National Institutes of Health-funded project included many bacteria strains most associated with human infections and species not known to cause disease in humans.
Evolutionary history of Lyme bacteria
By comparing these genomes, the researchers reconstructed the evolutionary history of Lyme disease bacteria, tracing the origins back millions of years. They discovered the bacteria likely originated before the breakup of the ancient supercontinent Pangea, explaining the current worldwide distribution.
The study also disclosed how these bacteria exchange genetic material in and between species. This process, known as recombination, allows the bacteria to rapidly evolve and adapt to new environments. The researchers identified specific hot spots in the bacterial genomes where this genetic exchange occurs most frequently, often involving genes that help the bacteria interact with their tick vectors and animal hosts.
To facilitate ongoing research, the team has developed web-based software tools (BorreliaBase.org) that allow scientists to compare Borrelia genomes and identify determinants of human pathogenicity.
Looking ahead, the researchers said they plan to expand their analysis to include more strains of Lyme disease bacteria, especially from understudied regions. They also aim to investigate the functions of genes unique to disease-causing strains, which could uncover new targets for therapeutic interventions.
As Lyme disease expands its geographic range because of climate change, the research provides valuable tools and insights for combating this rising public health threat.
The study is supported by grants from NIH and an award from the Steven and Alexandra Cohen Foundation.
Finger pain is a common condition. It’s usually caused by a hand injury such as a broken finger, a cut, or a broken fingernail. It may also indicate an underlying medical conditions, such as osteoarthritis, rheumatoid arthritis, and carpal tunnel syndrome.
Finger pain is a throbbing, cramplike, or achy pain that’s felt in any of your fingers, including your thumb. It often results from an accident or a medical condition.
In most cases, finger pain isn’t serious and will go away on its own. However, unexplained finger pain can be a sign of a more serious medical condition.
Be sure to visit your doctor if you experience ongoing or unexplained pain in your fingers.
The most common cause of finger pain is a hand injury. Injuries to the finger can cause an open cut, a bruised or fractured bone, or muscle and tissue damage.
Common injuries that result in finger pain are:
broken fingers, which are often caused by jamming the finger during contact sports or while improperly handling heavy-duty equipment
Medical conditions that affect the nerves, muscles, or bones can also cause finger pain.
For example, osteoarthritis (OA) causes the breakdown of cartilage. This breakdown causes bones to rub together and triggers pain and stiffness. In the hands, OA can affect the joints at the base of the thumb, in the middle of the finger, and near the nail bed.
Other conditions that can cause finger pain include:
A compressed or pinched nerve in the arm, wrist, or hand can also contribute to finger or thumb pain.
Identifying types of finger pain
Finger pain may feel dull and achy, or it may be sharp and cramplike. The pain may start suddenly and then go away.
Pain accompanied by swelling
If you have a broken finger, it’ll usually be swollen, purple or blue in color, and extremely painful. In some cases, the bone might be physically separated and visible through the skin. Infection can also cause pain with swelling. It may be accompanied by redness, warmth, or skin changes.
Throbbing pain or pain when moving
Carpal tunnel syndrome and other medical conditions that affect the nerves and muscles in your arm and hand can cause:
throbbing pain in the hand and fingers
pain when moving the affected fingers or when moving your wrist
A finger dislocation occurs when the bones of your finger or thumb dislocate from their joints. In some cases, the dislocation is visible.
You may also experience throbbing pain or a sharp shooting pain.
Pain at the site of injury
A cut on your finger may cause pain at the site of the injury. Depending on how deep the cut is, you may also feel pain that spreads or radiates to surrounding areas of your hand.
Pain accompanied by lumps
If you have a growth on your hand, such as a boil or nodule, you may experience the following symptoms along with your finger pain:
If you have a cut or growth on your finger, your doctor may be able to diagnose the condition based on a physical examination alone. If you have pain when using your fingers and there’s no obvious cause, more information will be needed.
Your doctor will ask questions about your medical history, medications you take, and your occupation. Using this information, your doctor can decide which tests are necessary for a proper diagnosis.
Common tests for diagnosing finger pain include blood tests and imaging tests, such as X-rays.
An X-ray can show any fractures and abnormal growths within the finger. If an X-ray isn’t enough to determine a diagnosis, your doctor may order additional imaging tests or a nerve study. A nerve study looks for nerve damage or nerve dysfunction.
Finger pain caused by cuts, scrapes, or burns will often heal without treatment. You simply need to give the area time to heal. You can take over-the-counter pain medications to help ease your discomfort.
I think we can all get behind World Cancer Support Month. Most of us have been affected by Cancer whether it be ourselves or someone close to us and we understand the support that is needed. I was traumatized when I was diagnosed with Cancer at 28 years old, it changed the trajectory of my life. I was one of the lucky ones who didn’t need chemotherapy or radiation. The cancer was removed during surgery, I was very lucky. My husband has two types of cancer that is slow growing but it’s no less worrisome.
World Cancer Support Month, observed annually in August, stands as a beacon of solidarity and hope for those affected by cancer across the globe. This dedicated month serves as a reminder of the immense strength, resilience, and compassion that unite individuals, families, and communities in the face of this challenging disease.
Cancer, an intricate ailment, arises from the uncontrolled growth of abnormal cells in the body. These cells can develop into tumors, affecting nearby tissues and, in some cases, spreading to other parts of the body. With over 100 types of cancer, each characterized by distinct behaviors and treatment requirements, it’s a complex adversary that demands comprehensive understanding and dedicated research.
World Cancer Support Month takes a multifaceted approach to addressing this issue. It not only emphasizes the importance of providing medical treatment but also highlights the need for emotional and psychological support for those dealing with cancer. The emotional toll of the disease on patients, families, and caregivers cannot be understated. By fostering an environment of open dialogue, the stigma surrounding cancer can be dismantled, encouraging more people to seek help and resources.
Don’t forget those around you with Cancer and do something thoughtful for them. Sitting and talking is a great start and helping run a few errands or cooking a meal is extra special.
Here’s what you need to know about using generic medications for bipolar disorder, how they compare to brand names, and some useful tips for managing medication changes.
If you or your loved one has been switched to a generic medication for bipolar disorder or are considering making the change yourself, it’s natural to feel unsure. You might wonder whether these more affordable options can truly match the brand names you’ve relied on — especially with all the mixed messages out there. I’ve been through this myself when my pharmacy replaced my Lamictal with generic lamotrigine, and I understand the anxiety and disappointment that can come with such unexpected changes. Let’s dive into the details of brand names and generics.
Unraveling the Generic vs. Brand Mystery
In 2008, I did some heavy research on the topic of brand name versus generic medications when my brand name Lamictal medication was switched to generic lamotrigine. It was very obvious within the first few weeks that the medications were not the same.
I naturally asked my pharmacist and colleagues, “Why does it feel like the generic medication I just tried is not working as well as the brand name medication?” Their responses varied widely, and no one really had a clear answer. I was told, “The pills should be the same.”
As a person who has bipolar disorder and a psychotic disorder, I could physically tell that this newly approved generic (lamotrigine) was not as effective as the brand name I had been on for more than a year. This was in 2008 when GlaxoSmithKline’s Lamictal lost its patent, and the generic drug (lamotrigine) became available.
I knew there was an answer, so I started digging. I had many resources at my fingertips. I was a regular presenter at a well-known pharmacy school and could also talk to my psychopharmacology expert and coauthor, John Preston, PsyD. I even had contact with sales reps for GlaxoSmithKline.
But despite all these resources, I received different answers.
I eventually found an answer that everyone agreed with, and I share it with you now as a change to generic medications affects so many of us who live with or care about someone with a brain illness.
I’ve since tested this information with many of my clients whose loved ones faced a change from a brand name to a generic medication and have found the following to be a safe approach to the topic.
What’s the Main Difference Between Brand Name and Generic Medications?
Here is the short answer: Medications have two components — active ingredients and the vehicle used to get these ingredients into your body. The active ingredients are the original chemical compounds that make the drug effective. The vehicle is added to deliver the active ingredients into your system and can be in the form of a pill, cream, or shot. When you take a brand name medication, both the active ingredient and the vehicle are consistent with each prescription. For generics, the active ingredients must be the same worldwide, but there are no regulations for the vehicle. This is where there can be problems.
The main difference between generic and brand-name medications is how the active ingredients are delivered into the body using a vehicle.
Active Ingredients Are the Same in Brand Name and Generic Drugs
The term active ingredients refers to the original chemical compounds that make the drug effective.
According to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA), the active ingredients in a generic medication must be the same as those in the brand-name equivalent.
These active ingredients are proprietary in the United States for up to 20 years under a patent.
When the patent expires, the drug’s active ingredients recipe becomes available for use in generic medications.
The Vehicle Can Differ Widely Between Brand Name and Generic Drugs
The vehicle delivers the active ingredients into the human body.
The vehicle includes added ingredients that are combined with the brand name active ingredients to create a usable pill, capsule, shot, cream, or suppository.
Also known as carrier systems, vehicles play a crucial role but are not regulated as strictly as the active ingredients.
This difference in regulation can lead to variations in how generic medications perform compared to their brand name counterparts.
Strategies to Manage a Change to Generics
Here are some practical tips to help you or your loved one adjust to a new generic or determine if you need a medication adjustment from your prescriber:
Chart the reactions to the brand name versus the generic medication. Always carefully chart new medications, especially any change from a brand name to a generic. If you or a loved one isn’t doing well on a generic that is the same dose as the brand name, use the information in this article to get the help you need.
Give generics time. It may be that the medication needs more time to get into the system.
Use a different generic manufacturer. The pharmacist can help you find the country of origin and choose a different producer of the same generic.
Talk with the prescriber. If there is still a consistent problem with the generic, petition the insurance company or disability service and explain the situation in order to return to the brand name or try a different medication. After a year of the generics being on the market, you can try the generics again.
Figuring out bipolar medications takes time and requires a lot of support. Still, ultimately, the goal is to manage as many symptoms as possible using behavior and lifestyle changes so that medications can be taken at lower and more sustainable doses.
For now, start by charting the dosage and source of medication, and if this changes in any way, carefully note any changes in symptoms. It’s much easier for a caregiver to notice changes than the person who is ill, especially if a generic isn’t working, as well as a brand name for mania or psychosis. You can then use your observations to help a loved one get the medication support they need.
Overall, generics are far more economical than brand name medications, and if this means they can offer more access to those who need them, generics are a positive in our bipolar world.
By understanding the full scope of how medications are created and regulated, we empower ourselves to make informed decisions that enhance our health and well-being.
Julie A. Fast is the author of the bestselling mental health books Take Charge of Bipolar Disorder, Loving Someone with Bipolar Disorder: Understanding and Helping Your Partner, Getting It Done When You’re Depressed, OMG, That’s Me! (vol. 2), and The Health Cards Treatment System for Bipolar Disorder. She is a longtime bp Magazine writer and the top blog contributor, with over 5 million blog views. Julie is also a researcher and educator who focuses on bipolar disorder prevention and ways to recognize mood swings from the beginning—before they go too far and take over a person’s life. She works as a parent and partner coach and regularly trains health care professionals, including psychiatric residents, pharmacists, general practitioners, therapists, and social workers, on bipolar disorder and psychotic disorder management. She has a Facebook group for parents, The Stable Table, and for partners, The Stable Bed. Julie is the recipient of the Mental Health America excellence in journalism award and was the original consultant for Claire Danes’s character on the TV show Homeland. Julie had the first bipolar disorder blog and was instrumental in teaching the world about bipolar disorder triggers, the importance of circadian rhythm sleep, and the physical signs of bipolar disorder, such as recognizing mania in the eyes. Julie lives with bipolar disorder, a psychotic disorder, anxiety, and ADD.
It’s so refreshing to hear the affirmation of what I and so many others go through. I had an issue in the 90’s with Wellbutrin 300. The main manufacturer of the generic version did not complete the studies correctly. They also made a 150mg tablet and when it came to testing the 300mg they only double the 150mg study and did not actually study it. The calculation was wrong and those who took the medication suffered for years before they admitted what they did. The manufacturer and the FDA failed because the FDA is required to study the results of all tests to make sure the higher doses are as effective as they say they are. The manufacturer was no longer able to sell their drugs in The United States and banned from future sales. The situation is different and only applied to one manufacturer but it’s still important for everyone who takes generics to understand how they work differently, make informed decisions, and log how the medication is working or not when you start a new generic after taking the brand name.
President Trump knew about COVID-19 in January 2020 but did not tell the public until March of that year. I heard the words myself during a phone interview with highly respected journalist Bob Woodward. Bob asked President Trump about the virus and he admitted it was deadly yet in public he said it was no worse the the seasonal flu and would go away quickly.
The most complete overview of the conversation with Bob Woodward and President Trump.
During the months that President Trump refused to listen to his top national advisors, the government was not ramping up its national supplies which is why hospitals found themselves without masks, proper protective gear, enough ventilators, and enough staff. I remember seeing hospitals overrun with patients and having to make the hard choice of who would get treatment or continue to get life support. This is not a weight that any individual employee needs to make, several committed suicide and washed out of their field and many caught COVID-19 themselves.
For conspiracy theorists and anti-vaxxers, you are misinformed and misguided, and no doubt you live lost in the same state of mind in the other areas of your life. People need to look at factual information and make up their own minds, conspiracy therorist are being controlled by others. That makes you a follower.
The total number of deaths from COVID-19 in the United States to date
We at USAFacts have endeavored to provide comprehensive, real-time pandemic data from all 50 states. However, the growing prevalence of at-home testing and the potential for individuals to contract the virus multiple times have skewed the government data we receive. These developments, plus the end of the public health emergency — and the required data reporting that came with it — have made it difficult for us to present a clear and reliable picture of COVID-19 in America.
We are committed to presenting thorough, accurate data, but the fact is that collecting that data on COVID-19 data is a significantly more challenging that it used to be, if the data is even out there at all. Therefore, we will no longer update the data on this dashboard. We appreciate your understanding and encourage you to remain vigilant in observing health protocols and guidelines. For more information about broader health outcomes, visit US Health Statistic and Data trends
Not all the statistics add up over the last seven days but you get the overall message. Close to 100,ooo people died in Texas alone.
I would like to see how conspiracy theorist explain the number of documented cases and deaths. Maybe the same way President Trump explains his very existence.
COVID-19 is on the rise in many countries, The United States has not been hit hard but the is no excuse for not taking precautions. Look at President Biden who recently contracted COVID-19, it can happen, and if we are not careful COVID-19 may return the the awful days of the pandemic. I pray not, it affected everyone, every business, and how we went about our daily life, people lost their jobs and businesses closed and life sucked all around.
I’m asking you to think about yourself, your family, and the community around you. Don’t read news about COVID-19 on social media, read news from respected news outlets, read briefings from the CDC and National Security within our government, and make an informed decision.
Our life and future depends on accurate information and making the right decisions which are not easy but ones you’ll be glad you made.
The National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine (known collectively as NASEM) are private, nonprofit institutions that examine challenging issues and offer advice to the nation.
Academy members are elected based on their outstanding achievements and contributions to their fields. They are considered the cream of the cream.
NASEM works by convening committees of experts from various fields to study specific topics. Sometimes, these committees organize workshops to bring together experts, policymakers, and the public to share knowledge and explore solutions.
That’s what happened July 11, in Washington DC. A NASEM committee held a workshop examining the question of what they called “Lyme infection-associated chronic illness”—or “Lyme IACI.” (Pronounced “Lyme eye-ACK-ee” by most participants, it doesn’t exactly roll off the tongue, does it?)
Apparently, Lyme IACI is the label the committee landed on to avoid the polarizing effects of such terms as “chronic Lyme” or “post-treatment Lyme disease syndrome.”
Based on input from this public workshop as well as a review of medical literature, the committee will develop a report of its findings. This document will put forth recommendations for how to bring about better treatments for people with Lyme IACI.
You may remember that NASEM held a groundbreaking workshop last year that focused on the commonalities of several “long haul” diseases—long COVID, persistent Lyme disease, multiple sclerosis and ME/CFS (chronic fatigue). Read more about last year’s event here: “Words matter.” A new way of thinking about long-haul diseases.
The 2024 conference continued in that vein, but this time focused only on Lyme IACI. The event was significant on several fronts.
Why this matters
For starters, you had important scientists exploring the question of why some people with Lyme disease continue to have symptoms despite treatment. This major change comes after decades of “Lyme denialism,” when medical professionals, health officials, researchers, the NIH, and the CDC, all told us that what we call “chronic Lyme” didn’t even exist. So, just the fact that you have a NASEM committee considering the issue is a huge step forward.
Furthermore, the Lyme community actively participated in the event.
Retired US Air Force Col. Nicole Malachowski—a prominent advocate for those with tick-borne disease—served on the workshop’s planning committee.
Rhisa Parera, the writer/director/producer of the Lyme film “Your Labs are Normal,” delivered a keynote address on the patient perspective.
The committee lined up an impressive array of researchers from prominent academic centers to shed light on the following questions:
Describe the current state of Lyme IACI research for treatments and diagnostics to clarify barriers in development of new, effective therapeutic interventions;
Explore recent advancements from other biomedical research fields with the potential to address these barriers by catalyzing scientific breakthroughs or translation of discoveries to treatments;
Understand patient-defined priorities for research and discuss potential opportunities for engaging this perspective in developing a biomedical research agenda; and
Discuss research strategies and infrastructure that could facilitate the application of innovations from other fields into the Lyme IACI research context.
LymeDisease.org CEO Lorraine Johnson, principal investigator of the MyLymeData project, spoke on a panel about patient-defined priorities for research.
Lorraine Johnson, Principal Investigator of MyLymeData
She emphasized the importance of outcomes that patients themselves care about—namely, getting their health back and being able to return to work and other activities.
But that’s often not the way clinical trials are structured. For example, many are geared to evaluating something called the SF-36 score.
“However, a change in the SF-36 score is not inherently meaningful or important to patients,” Lorraine noted. “This is obvious on its face. If you ask any patient what they want in healthcare – none of them will say, ‘I want to improve my SF-36 score.’”
Videos from the workshop should be available soon. When they are, I strongly recommend you watch Lorraine’s presentation. I think you’ll find it riveting.
Thank you for all the great feedback on the Blogger Highlight series, I’ve enjoyed meeting each blogger and sharing their site with you. This week we highlight Invisibly Me. Caz and I have known each other for years and I’m honored to call her a friend. She is a warrior in every sense of the word, she works tirelessly to balance her chronic illness, help her elderly parents, advocate for better access to healthcare, and also encourage others to take better care of themselves. I would be remiss if I didn’t mention how much she loves cats.
Caz is a 30-something chronically ill blogger from the UK with a penchant for American crime thriller books, Dr Martens, chocolate and Hello kitty. She writes about life with chronic illness and pain, product reviews, tips, and general health information to raise awareness.
She writes on many topics but stays true to health, writing reviews about health products and other items that simplify life. Simple is far from the life that Caz leads, she’s a superwoman with what she accomplishes and you would be surprised by the number of disabling health issues she deals with each day. She’s snarky, has the greatest attitude, and has limits with the NHS healthcare system in England. But who doesn’t?
She’s a proud member of the following organizations:
You must stop by her blog to say hello, read through her archives, and get to know a remarkable woman. Caz is encouraging, raw, funny and always leaves me feeling better and loved.
The Normals regularly say these things to me, whenever I take disability leave to recover (kinda) from tick-borne disease.
Bless their little Normal hearts. They’re not trying to be hurtful. They’re trying to relate to something they can’t understand: invisible chronic illness, with its unpredictable flares and unquantifiable symptoms of pain, fatigue, and “Help, doctor, my cells are all pulling on each other like magnets.”
My favorite Normal faux-pax happened when I returned to work after two years of disability leave (and one additional year of a lawsuit against my insurer). Many coworkers knew I’d been sick. Some knew I’d had tick-borne disease. One of them welcomed me back and asked, “Did you enjoy your time off?” He meant well, but here’s what I heard him saying: Did you enjoy living it up with your free paychecks?
I feared my colleagues thought I’d spent those three years lounging on a chaise in a silken robe and full makeup, listening to celebrity gossip podcasts, sipping wine, and dropping bon-bons between my freshly-glossed lips, while stroking my sleek purebred cat like a Real Housewife of Northern Virginia.
Sure, I “enjoyed my time off.” I enjoyed the handful of semi-functional hours I had each day. I enjoyed squinting, while sweating and shivering, at incorrect health insurance EOBs and shady reports from insurance physician reviewers. Because of the broken U.S. health system, when I’m on disability leave I use almost more cognitive energy than when I’m at work.
The feared “activity tax”
Here’s what I’d like to tell people about what I “do all day:” I calculate my energy expenditures, then wait with bated breath to see if my calculations are correct. Will I be fine? Or will I pay the much-feared Activity Tax? If the latter, in what currency will the Tax be? Headache? Stiff joints? Motion sickness? Vibrating feet?
Because the stakes are so high, people with chronic illness become supercomputers: Estimated useable body-hours divided by approximate time to complete chores, plus parenthetical sub-formula ranking chores by importance, times the bounded function of activity tax per X number of stairs between the hamper and washer.
The poor Normals want to “just stay at home and rest.” Well, so do I. Instead, I’m racing my body against my bank account. I’m wrangling physical therapy and fistfuls of pharmaceuticals. The goal: Get my health to kick in, before my disability is randomly taken away because some doctor paid by an insurance company lies on my case report (I wish this were a hypothetical). Disability leave is so exhausting, I pine for the workaday drudgery of the office.
My best impression
In the meantime, though, I’m doing my best Real Housewife impression, lounging on that chaise. Except it’s not a chaise, it’s a cat-hair-covered futon, and I’m not lounging, I’m curled up in ache, and it’s not wine but electrolyte water, and it’s not a silken robe but pilly yoga pants, and it’s not bon-bons but fish oil capsules almost as big as bon-bons.
Per my calculations, the fish oil capsules are better than the liquid alternative. The splotch of spilled fish oil on my pants crotch cost about $35 dollars. (This does not include the Activity Tax I paid from walking up and down stairs, trying to figure out where the rotting mackerel smell was coming from.)
Back on the chaise-futon, in true frustrated-Housewife style, I hurl my wine glass. But it’s not a wine glass, it’s a thermometer. As is common in tick-borne disease, I feel flu-ish almost all the time, but there’s little to no corresponding fever. The cruel digital displays never validate my aches and burning face. To resolve this dissonance, I smash the devices. Still, my cool cheeks stay scorching. You’d think they’d at least give me a luminous glow, but no.
Beauty tips
Which brings us to beauty tips, as recommended by our Real Housewife on the cat-hair-strewn cushions. It’s not makeup, it’s purple under-eye moons. It’s not plastic surgery, it’s skin stretched smooth by inflammatory water-fat. It’s not lip gloss, it’s snot. Too tired to get a tissue? Just blow your nose on your cardigan sleeve!
Also clinging to the crusty cardigan: my cat. He’s not a sleek purebred, but an old, thin street rescue with allergies and a seizure disorder. He’s also a poor conversationalist, but that’s ok, because I have the celebrity gossip podcasts—except they aren’t celebrity gossip podcasts, they’re Zoom coffee klatsches with my fellow sickies. And we don’t gossip, we rage.
We rage about the doctor who was late calling in a pain meds script. We rage about the insurance company who denied someone disability, because the company’s spies caught the patient sweeping her porch (gasp!). We rage about the sick young woman erroneously diagnosed with Munchausen’s Syndrome by old male doctors at a northeast emergency room. In comparison, my coworkers’ thoughtless comments are small potatoes.
They still hurt, though. I should see my psychologist. Mental health care is an important reason to dig into my skimpy disability paychecks. And yet. . . it’s easier to pivot to add-to-cart therapy: a silken robe, lip gloss, and some bon-bons.
Christina D. Campbell is an award-winning author who writes about health, marital status discrimination, and special needs cats. She is currently seeking representation for her memoir about invisible illness. She can be reached at ChristinaDC.com.
Her words resonate with me and she’s right, it’s impossible to relate to an invisible disease unless you’ve been down that road.
Team USA runner Noah Lyles—who won bronze in the men’s 200m and was rushed off the field after the race in a wheelchair and later admitted to NBC Nightly News that he had tested positive for COVID two days before. He was not wearing a mask and I seriously doubt he was in the two days prior since the information was not released by him or his management team.
His management team released a statement saying that he was diagnosed two days earlier and they backed his decision to race. Unacceptable. The situation needs to be investigated, his management team fired and his bronze medal taken away. The Olympic Committee needs to hold a press conference and speak out against the decision to keep the information under wraps.
This is beyond reckless behavior and the Olympics could be a superspreader. He is selfish, ego-driven and does not take anyone’s health into consideration. I would take all his medals away for this behavior. He is not worthy of being called an Olympian and is a disgrace to his teammates and this country.
What else needs to be done
Banned from the 2028 Olympics
All of his medals taken away
All journalists, Olympians, and others exposed by him who get COVID need to sue him, the management team, and the Olympic Committee.
As of yesterday, Noah had planned to isolate and finish the competition however I read today that he has dropped out of the remaining races.
The Olympics and the public can not accept this behavior, it was a total disregard for others’ health and frankly, this should end his career.
The Olympics is a team sport and he was not a team player in the least.
The constant pressure to go-go-go caused me to ignore my body’s alarms and wreaked havoc on my ulcerative colitis. Then I found a better way.
Hustle culture — or the pressure to constantly be going, doing, and producing — is a big part of today’s work and school environments. Some see it as a hallmark of success.
Once you’re caught up in it, hustle culture can feel ever-present and all-consuming and yes, necessary. But is it really? Or is this emphasis on always striving to make more money, be more productive, etc. actually harmful, especially to those of us with chronic illnesses?
Life as a hustle culture queen
Before my diagnosis of ulcerative colitis (UC), I was a self-proclaimed hustle-culture queen. I lived for the go-go-go lifestyle and loved the constant approval it seemed to get me, especially as it related to academic success, and later, my work.
When I began getting sick in college and was in and out of medical appointments, I still continued on the path I had begun forging for myself in high school. I would wake up at 4:45 a.m., run mile after mile, spend an hour in the gym, go to classes all day long, work my on-campus jobs, and then spend the evening doing my homework as perfectly as possible, working on my blog, and running my sorority.
Because my vision was so clouded by my constant need for “success,” I didn’t hear the cries of my body as my first major flare started creeping up on me.
And after being diagnosed with UC? Well, nothing changed. I believed I could take my medication, call it good, and continue on as I was before — going, running, hustling.
Because my vision was so clouded by my constant need for “success,” I didn’t hear the cries of my body as my first major flare started creeping up on me. Then 3 weeks after graduating college, I found myself lying in a hospital bed, hooked up to IVs, staring out into the summer sun. It was this moment that made me realize hustle culture wasn’t all that it was made out to be. Sure, I had an almost 4.0 grade-point average, honors society tassels at graduation, and a marathon medal hanging in my bedroom, but what good was any of that if I didn’t have my health?
The moment I got out of that hospital I made it my mission to turn in my hustle-culture queen crown and become a hustle-culture dropout.
The measure of success
If you resonate with any pieces of my story, know that you’re not alone. Hustle culture is sneaky — from the messages we hear from bosses and coworkers about the importance of things like staying late at the office or having a side hustle, to the questions from family members about promotions and grades, to daily TikTok vlogs showing everyone’s 5–9s before their 9–5s — and it’s everywhere.
As tempting as it can be to try and fit into the mold that hustle culture has created, I truly believe it’s not worth it, or even safe, for folks with chronic illnesses. Not only does hustle culture negatively affect our bodies, but it can impact our minds as well by encouraging comparison, making us feel like we’re never enough, and creating mental burnout.
Hustle culture tells us to place traditional measures of success, such as income, grades, and job status, above all else, but when we have a chronic illness (or multiple illnesses), listening to our bodies must come first. And by subscribing to the hustle culture ways, we are continuously pushed into a cycle of ignoring our bodies, flaring, recovering, and then doing it all over again, just as I was in college. And we — and our bodies — deserve so much more.
So, how do we, in a world that tells us our worth comes from how much we do and produce, become a hustle-culture dropout? How do we learn to see our worth as completely separate from our productivity?
Redefine success
Instead of focusing on “success” as hustle culture sees it, what if you redefined success for yourself?
This was the first step I took in becoming a hustle-culture dropout, which does not have to be an all-or-nothing concept. Instead of seeing success as something that could be measured by society, I decided that for me, success was living a life that is balanced — a life that still allowed me to feel financially comfortable so I could afford my medical needs, but that also included daily rest and self-care. I realized that I never actually felt that successful when I was doing “all the right things,” because I was so burnt out and disconnected from myself.
Try thinking about what real success might look like for you.
Foster self-love
A big reason why I fell so easily into hustle culture and based so much of my worth on how much I did and produced was because I lacked self-love. Because of this, I was constantly searching for validation outside myself.
When we center ourselves in self-love, it’s much easier to remember that we don’t have to participate in hustle culture, and to rest without guilt, because we’re able to give ourselves the validation we need from an intrinsic place. Self-love can feel hard to foster when we are being constantly pushed to be and do more, but forcing yourself to slow down and get to know yourself on a deeper level is a beautiful place to start.
Getting to know all the layers of who you are — your passions, your values, your unique characteristics, your quirks, what makes you laugh, what makes you tick, etc. — is a foundational piece of starting to love yourself better. Think of a romantic relationship, for example — it would be really difficult for you to feel loved if your partner never took the time or put in the effort to learn new things about you. It’s the same thing with yourself!
Cultivate more joy
Doing things simply for joy is something that we too easily forget how to do as adults, especially in the midst of navigating chronic illness. I have found that dedicating time each week to activities that serve no “purpose” other than making me happy has helped remind me that productivity isn’t the only thing in life that matters, and that there are other things I want to prioritize above simply go-go-going.
This may look like taking a dance class (if you’re physically able), coloring, reading a fun novel, or watching a new television show. Anything works as long as joy is at the center of it!
Release destination addiction
Hustle culture wants us to always be striving, because if we’re always wanting to be more, make more money, get more praise, etc., we’re going to keep forcing ourselves to do more.
Hustle culture thrives on a concept called destination addiction. Destination addiction can sound like, “I’ll be happy when I make X amount of money” or “I’ll be satisfied when I have achieved X promotion.”
Hustle culture pulls us out of the present and puts an unhealthy emphasis on the future, despite the fact that who and what you’re doing right now is always enough. Finding ways that help you stay present with chronic illness, such as writing a daily gratitude list or meditating, can help you drop out of hustle culture once and for all, because you start to find peace in the present and no longer feel a constant need to look toward the future.
The takeaway
Although it can feel impossible to become a hustle-culture dropout, it’s possible and necessary if you have chronic illness. Dropping out of hustle culture won’t only protect your physical health, but your mental health as well. Making small changes by allowing yourself to slow down and not push harder than you need to can make a big difference.
Medically reviewed on February 21, 2023
This a great article that applies to anyone with a chronic illness, we have to listen to our bodies and not other’s expectations.
The ‘Polly Murray Papers’ reveal the horrific symptoms of ground-zero Lyme disease sufferers.
By Kris Newby
Sadness washed over me as I walked through the house in Lyme, Connecticut, where Mary Luckett “Polly” Murray used to live. Built in 1853, it was located in a rural area surrounded by forests, rolling hills, and cranberry bogs. The house needed a fresh coat of paint, and the yard had gone to seed.
The new owner had recently divorced and hadn’t replaced the furniture his ex-wife had taken. There were mattresses on the floor and unfinished projects spilling out of the garage. The owner and his dog seemed unwell. Taking in the scene, I thought, this looks like the flotsam and jetsam of another family destroyed by Lyme disease.
The previous owner, Polly Murray, was an artist, a mother of four sick children, and the disease’s first unofficial epidemiologist. She died in 2019 of Alzheimer’s disease. In the 1960s, she began documenting the bizarre constellation of symptoms that afflicted her family and neighbors living along the Connecticut River. In April, I visited the Medical Historical Library at Yale University to review her original Lyme patient case histories, turning back the pages of time in search of the origins of this mysterious outbreak.
So many questions
These first-hand accounts raised a lot of questions for me. Why did it take 11 years, from 1964 to 1975, for the medical system to take notice and take action?
In 1975, the investigation was assigned to Allen Steere, MD, a young Yale rheumatology fellow who had just returned from a CDC Epidemic Intelligence Service (EIS) assignment in Liberia. Why did Steere narrow the symptomology so soon in the investigation and downplay most of the neurological symptoms? Why did it take six more years to identify the underlying tick-borne bacterium, Borrelia burgdorferi? Did CDC-EIS, the U.S. organization that investigates suspicious disease outbreaks, find it strange that three tick-borne diseases suddenly appeared a few miles from the Plum Island biological weapons lab?
As I looked through the boxes of her notes, I was struck by the unusual nature of the symptoms and the point-source geographic origin. What happened there, and what can we learn from Polly’s eyewitness account?
A map from an early survey of Lyme disease in Connecticut, from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control. [1]
Polly’s case histories
Polly’s family had been sick for decades, and the many doctors they visited couldn’t figure out what was wrong—they’d never seen this combination of crazy symptoms before. In a letter to a journalist, she explained why she became the medical scribe for her community:
“Early in the history of our problems, I realized that my only salvation would be in keeping accurate records of what was going on, as unbelievable as it was. I intuitively felt it very important for anyone with baffling chronic symptoms to put the information down on paper.” [2]
Polly Murray, 1954, on graduation day at Mt. Holyoke College, before her strange symptoms began. [3]
Polly filled boxes with notes on her neighbors’ unusual histories, which included relapsing pain, brain fog, mental breakdowns, kids on crutches, children with developmental problems, seizures, lost jobs, broken marriages (including her own), and children too sick to go to school. As a Lyme-area insider, neighbors told her their heartbreaking stories, from personality changes to suicides. Each family’s tragic history read like crib notes for a Stephen King horror novel.
Huge toll of neurological and psychological symptoms
In one list of 35 cases from the 1990s, I was struck by the large number of patients who reported serious neurological and psychological problems. [2] Here’s a sampling:
Patient No. 1. Diagnosed Lyme disease. Foot problem, arrhythmia, leg weakness. Neurologist. Lyme encephalitis? Psychiatric problems. Paranoia. Hospitalization. Attempted suicide. Nursing home with weekends home.
Patient No. 2. Diagnosed Lyme disease. Mental problems. Seen in Boston. Psych tests, Lupus IV treatment. Alzheimer’s? Stroke? Lyme? Nursing home. Died 7/1991. No autopsy.
Patient No. 3. Lyme disease history. Found outside in a nightgown one winter night, disoriented. Nursing home. Positive Lyme titer.
In another document, she noted that 22 of her neighbors had heart issues, 26 had neurological symptoms, seven or more suffered from psychosis or depression, and seven had suicidal ideations. [2]
Yet none of these potentially life-threatening symptoms were mentioned in Steere’s “I solved the Lyme mystery” announcements, first at a 1976 conference [4], then in the 1977 article “Lyme arthritis: an epidemic of oligoarticular arthritis in children and adults in three Connecticut communities.” [5] (To be fair, subsequent publications documented some of the neurological symptoms.)
The wrong path
In a move that would send researchers down a dead end for years to come, Steere declared that Lyme disease was primarily a problem of swollen joints, not a disease that affected the nervous system, the brain, the heart, and other organs.
Steere’s letter to Polly Murray on the nature of Lyme disease.
Other medical experts criticized his premature labeling of this disease as a “relatively minor type of arthritis,” including:
—Franz J. lngelfinger, MD, the editor of The New England Journal of Medicine, who rejected Steere’s discovery article, wrote, “Although reviewers and editors were impressed by the interest your studies have generated, you were unable to identify an etiologic agent and apparently actually saw yourself only 20 symptomatic patients.” [6]
—William E. Mast, MC and William, M. Burrows, MC, the Groton military physicians who published the first Connecticut Lyme case studies, wrote in a JAMA rebuttal letter: “On exchange of patients and information with Dr. Steere and the group at Yale investigating “Lyme arthritis,” it is the consensus that we are all dealing with the same process. It is apparent that the term “Lyme arthritis” is much too restrictive since there have been cases from the Connecticut and Rhode Island shores and the incidence is expected to be more widespread.” [7]
—Raymond Dattwyler, MD, Professor of Pathology, Microbiology and Immunology, Medicine, and Pediatrics at New York Medical College said, “It’s unfortunate that in the U.S., the rheumatologists studied Lyme disease first. Lyme disease is a multisystemic infectious disease that impacts many organs. But because the early work was done by rheumatologists, the prism through which we view the disease was artificially narrow, and impeded research for years.” [8]
Words from the grave
Polly wasn’t a trained epidemiologist, but she approached the problem like a true scientist—she wrote everything down so nothing would be missed. And as the people around her got sicker, she doubled down on her resolve to get help for these very sick people:
I firmly believe in the politics of numbers. One person, or even six in a family such as ours, does not have the power that was acquired by the ever-increasing number of people eventually involved. Proper diagnosis was further hampered by the fact that the patients from our area did not go to just one medical center, where, if we had, the high incidence of these strange symptoms might possibly have been picked up earlier. Instead, because of our geographic location, we, in fact, went to specialists in New Haven, Middletown, Hartford, and even New York and Boston. Perhaps it was the adversity that I encountered in the early pursuit for knowledge concerning our constant maladies that made me persist more than I would have otherwise.
Despite her efforts, it’s still difficult for patients to get diagnosed and treated, especially in the later stages of the disease. According to MyLymeData’s registry of 12,000-plus Lyme patients, about half had to see 5 or more clinicians over 3 or more years before receiving an accurate diagnosis. [9]
Little progress in 43 years
Forty-three years after its discovery, we still don’t have a reliable Lyme screening test, and about a quarter of patients treated with the standard dose of antibiotics go on to suffer from ongoing symptoms. [10] The CDC estimates that there are almost 500,000 new cases a year and growing. [11] And an analysis of NIH Lyme-related research grants from 2013-2021 revealed that less than 1% was spent on looking for better treatment protocols. [12]
Regrettably, Polly’s perspective on what went wrong in the 1970s still holds true today. The medical system still hasn’t figure out how to deal with complex chronic diseases like long COVID, Lyme disease, or ME/CFS (chronic fatigue).
It is only in looking back on the discovery of this disease that I see that it fit into the classic pattern of denial and resistance to the unknown until it reached a point where it could no longer be ignored. Most doctors are overloaded in just trying to alleviate known problems, thereby making it difficult for anyone with a new set of symptoms to compete for the clinician’s time. It is easier to decide that the patient is hypochondriacal than to deal with the unknown. Furthermore, in this age of specialization, the total picture of the patient’s health is often lost when the patient goes from specialist to specialist to be treated for individual symptoms.
This history shows that the definition of Lyme disease went off track early on and then diverged further from reality under the influence of vaccine developers and medical insurers who found it more profitable to deny the chronic, relapsing manifestations of the disease. The legacy of Lyme disease, which continues to spread unabated, will continue to haunt us unless we address this problem in a more honest and effective way.
Good Housekeeping, March 1977. [13]
Kris Newby is an award-winning medical science writer and the senior producer of the Lyme disease documentary UNDER OUR SKIN. Her book BITTEN: The Secret History of Lyme Disease and Biological Weaponswon three international book awards for journalism and narrative nonfiction. Previously, Newby worked for Stanford Medical School, Apple, and other Silicon Valley companies.
This article is republished by permission from The BITTEN FILES on Substack, July 12, 2024. Learn more here.
References
1. Petersen LR, et al. “Epidemiological and clinical features of 1,149 persons with Lyme disease identified by laboratory-based surveillance in Connecticut.” Yale J Biol Med. 1989 May-Jun;62(3):253-62.
2. Polly Luckett Murray Papers, Medical Historical Library, Harvey Cushing/John Hay Whitney Medical Library, Yale University.
5. Steere AC, et al. Lyme arthritis: an epidemic of oligoarticular arthritis in children and adults in three Connecticut communities. Arthritis Rheum. 1977 Jan-Feb;20(1):7-17.
Hypogammaglobulinemia is an Immune Disorder where my body doesn’t make enough antibodies which can be dangerous. Luckily, I don’t leave the house often and wear a mask when I do. I was diagnosed two years ago but insurance didn’t approve until I reached a record low. I’ve been approved for 12 treatments but I’m not confident that 12 treatments is all I need. Currently, my Imoglobins are at 600 and my doctor would like to see them at 800-900. Hopefully, this week’s treatment will increase my number and I’ll know more once the lab work is back.
The treatments take 4-5 hours and during that time you get to relax in an oversized recliner. For this treatment I packed much lighter, instead of a duffle bag and my handbag, I bought a North Face backpack, and everything fit inside. I took my new book Native American Myths by Matt Clayton, my ancestors were Cherokee and I wanted to learn more about their beliefs. When I wasn’t reading, I indulged in my favorite pastime by listening to music.
Here is what I listen to
Adele 21
Adele 25
John Mayer Born and Raised
One Republic Dreaming Out Loud
REO Speedwagon You Can’t Tune A Fish
Pharrell Williams Happy
Paul Carrack Tempted
Fleetwood Mac Crystal
It was so nice to relax with my feet up with my eyes closed and listen to some great tunes.
The treatments had a few hiccups. The first needle didn’t go in right so she had to use the vein next to it which was successful. It was a very slow morning but my nurse let my first bottle of medication run dry so they had to prime the line and she let it dry again with my saline. A small price to pay to get better.
The first two days after treatment you feel sluggish and can have a headache.
This time my treatment took five hours and by the time I got home I was starving and had not taken my morning medication.
My Bipolar Disorder was difficult to manage with medication alone. My Psychiatrist told me about a device that was waiting for FDA approval.
In 2005 the Vagus Nerve Stimulator was approved by the FDA and my doctor had all the information ready to send to my insurance company.
The first time insurance denied the device. Here’s how I got insurance to approve. I wrote a letter explaining what my life was like and how it controls my life and in time the possibility of suicide.
A VNS device looks much like a pacemaker with two leads that attach to your vagus nerves, sending signals to the brain to relieve your depression.
The surgery doesn’t take long, but getting used to the device turned on takes a while.
When you are talking the device makes your voice sound weird but only when the device is sending signals to the brain.
When I had my surgery, no one had seen one implanted which meant the Gallery was full of other doctors. My doctor got to see my boobs, that had to settle in.
After you have healed the device is turned on at a low level so you get used to the feeling of the device working. Then we turned up the level until we found what we thought was the right setting.
I kept it on for years but finally admitted it wasn’t working and had it turned off.
The only pain involved is initial surgery.
I thought this device would change my life but it didn’t work out that way.
These are the notes I made on 12/30/05
Received a letter today from the insurance company, they approved.
I can’t wait to call my Psychiatrist to tell him the news and to get my surgery date rolling.
2005 has been a rough year but this news is my beacon of hope.
The greatest news all year.
Unfortunately, I was in the percentage of people that the device didn’t work.
I am waiting to hear about new treatments but nothing new for my mental illness.
The FDA approved the Vagus Nerve Stimulator in 2005 and I was fortunate enough to get approval for it. It’s implanted in my upper left chest, looks like a pacemaker, and the lead wires attach to my Vagus Nerve. I prayed the device would deliver a miracle for my Bipolar Disorder but that was not the case. After several years of adjusting the stimulation, my doctor and I made the decision to turn it off. Almost 20 years later it has become painful and I plan to have it removed this Fall.
The technology has advanced with implants showing better results. I don’t plan to have another implanted but I did find the research on non-invasive VNS devices very interesting. I am researching several brands and will purchase one that vets out. What I find most interesting is the non-invasive devices can help with many other conditions like anxiety, pain, stress, and even migraines. I could use help in many of the areas they tout.
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Last updated on July 24th, 2024 at 11:22 am
The human body is a complex and intricate system, with various nerves and pathways working in tandem to maintain optimal health. Among these nerves, the vagus nerve stands out as a key player in regulating numerous bodily functions. Thanks to recent advancements in medical technology, a non-invasive vagus nerve stimulation device has emerged as a breakthrough in the field of medicine. This device has the potential to revolutionize the treatment of various health conditions and enhance overall well-being.
Understanding the Vagus Nerve and Its Functions
The vagus nerve, also known as the tenth cranial nerve, is the longest and most vital nerve in the human body. It extends from the brainstem to various organs, including the heart, lungs, and gastrointestinal tract. The vagus nerve plays a crucial role in regulating essential bodily functions such as heart rate, digestion, and respiratory function.
But what exactly is the vagus nerve, and how does it carry out its functions? Let’s dive deeper into the fascinating world of this remarkable nerve.
The Role of the Vagus Nerve in the Human Body
With its extensive reach and influence, the vagus nerve acts as a communication channel between the brain and various organs. It carries signals that control the parasympathetic nervous system, which is responsible for rest and digestion functions. This means that the vagus nerve helps to slow down heart rate, stimulate digestion, and promote relaxation.
But that’s not all. The vagus nerve also plays a role in modulating inflammation and immune responses. It has been found to have anti-inflammatory effects, helping to regulate the body’s immune system and reduce excessive inflammation. This connection between the vagus nerve and the immune system opens up new possibilities for treating inflammatory diseases.
The Connection Between the Vagus Nerve and Various Health Conditions
Research has shown that abnormalities in vagal nerve activity can contribute to the development and progression of various health conditions. For example, chronic pain has been linked to dysfunctional vagus nerve signaling. By understanding and targeting the vagus nerve, researchers hope to develop new treatments for chronic pain that go beyond traditional pain medications.
Depression and anxiety disorders are also closely tied to vagal nerve activity. Studies have found that stimulating the vagus nerve through techniques like vagus nerve stimulation (VNS) can have a positive impact on mood and reduce symptoms of depression and anxiety. This has led to the development of VNS as a potential treatment option for individuals who do not respond to traditional antidepressant medications.
Migraines, too, have been linked to vagal nerve dysfunction. The vagus nerve is involved in pain modulation, and abnormalities in its function can contribute to the development of migraines. By understanding the role of the vagus nerve in migraines, researchers are exploring new ways to prevent and treat these debilitating headaches.
Furthermore, the vagus nerve’s influence extends to inflammatory diseases. Inflammatory bowel disease, rheumatoid arthritis, and other conditions characterized by excessive inflammation have been associated with vagal nerve dysfunction. This connection has sparked interest in developing therapies that target the vagus nerve to regulate inflammation and potentially provide relief for individuals with these conditions.
As we continue to unravel the mysteries of the vagus nerve, its importance in maintaining overall health and well-being becomes increasingly evident. By understanding its functions and connections to various health conditions, researchers are paving the way for innovative treatment approaches that could improve the lives of millions.
The Evolution of Vagus Nerve Stimulation (VNS) Therapy
Vagus nerve stimulation (VNS) therapy has been used for decades as a treatment option for certain conditions. Traditional VNS involves the implantation of a device that delivers electrical impulses directly to the vagus nerve. While effective in some cases, this invasive approach has limitations and potential complications, leading researchers to explore alternative methods.
The Traditional Approach to VNS
In the past, VNS therapy involved the surgical implantation of a device that connects to the vagus nerve. This device typically delivers mild electrical impulses to modulate the nerve’s activity. However, the invasiveness of this method poses risks such as infection, nerve damage, and complications related to device placement.
Despite these risks, the traditional approach to VNS has shown promising results in the treatment of epilepsy and depression. Studies have demonstrated a reduction in seizure frequency and improved mood in patients who underwent VNS therapy. However, the limitations and challenges associated with invasive VNS have prompted researchers to explore less invasive alternatives.
The Limitations and Challenges of Invasive VNS
Despite its positive outcomes in certain cases, invasive VNS therapy presents several challenges. The necessity for surgical implantation limits its accessibility and increases the potential for complications. Additionally, adjusting the stimulation parameters requires medical intervention, making it less flexible for patients who may benefit from personalized treatment regimens.
Furthermore, the invasiveness of the traditional VNS approach may deter some patients from seeking treatment. The fear of surgery and the associated risks can be a significant barrier, especially for individuals with comorbidities or those who are more risk-averse. As a result, researchers have been actively exploring non-invasive or minimally invasive alternatives to VNS therapy.
One such alternative is transcutaneous VNS, which involves the application of electrical stimulation to the skin overlying the vagus nerve. This non-invasive approach eliminates the need for surgical implantation, reducing the associated risks and complications. Transcutaneous VNS has shown promising results in the treatment of various conditions, including migraine, depression, and chronic pain.
Another emerging technique is minimally invasive VNS, which utilizes a smaller, less invasive device for nerve stimulation. This approach involves the placement of a tiny electrode near the vagus nerve, allowing for targeted stimulation without the need for extensive surgery. Minimally invasive VNS offers a middle ground between traditional invasive VNS and non-invasive alternatives, providing a balance between effectiveness and safety.
As researchers continue to explore and refine VNS therapy, advancements in technology and medical understanding are driving the evolution of this treatment modality. The development of novel devices, improved stimulation parameters, and a better understanding of the underlying mechanisms are all contributing to the expansion of VNS therapy options.
In conclusion, while traditional VNS therapy has been a valuable treatment option for certain conditions, the limitations and potential complications associated with invasive approaches have prompted researchers to explore alternative methods. Non-invasive and minimally invasive techniques are emerging as promising alternatives, offering improved accessibility, reduced risks, and increased flexibility for personalized treatment. As the field of VNS therapy continues to evolve, patients can look forward to more effective and safer options for managing their conditions.
The Advent of Non-Invasive Vagus Nerve Stimulation (nVNS)
Non-invasive vagus nerve stimulation (nVNS) has emerged as an exciting alternative to traditional VNS therapy. This innovation allows for the stimulation of the vagus nerve without the need for surgical procedures or implantation.
The vagus nerve, also known as the “wandering nerve,” is the longest cranial nerve in the body. It plays a crucial role in regulating various bodily functions, including heart rate, digestion, and inflammation. Traditionally, vagus nerve stimulation (VNS) has been used as a treatment option for conditions such as epilepsy and depression. However, the invasive nature of VNS therapy has limited its accessibility and acceptance.
nVNS offers a non-invasive solution to harness the therapeutic potential of the vagus nerve. By utilizing mild electrical stimulation, nVNS can activate the vagus nerve and modulate its activity, providing a promising avenue for the treatment of various health conditions.
The Science Behind nVNS
nVNS operates on the principle that mild electrical stimulation can activate the vagus nerve and modulate its activity. By placing electrodes on the skin over specific nerve pathways, nVNS devices deliver targeted electrical impulses, stimulating the vagus nerve indirectly. This non-invasive approach has shown promising results in clinical trials
Research has demonstrated that vagus nerve stimulation can have a profound impact on the body’s autonomic nervous system, which controls involuntary functions. By modulating the vagus nerve’s activity, nVNS can influence heart rate, blood pressure, and even the release of neurotransmitters in the brain.
Furthermore, studies have suggested that nVNS may have anti-inflammatory effects. Inflammation is a key component of many chronic diseases, and by reducing inflammation through vagus nerve stimulation, nVNS could potentially offer a novel therapeutic approach.
The precise mechanisms through which nVNS exerts its therapeutic effects are still being explored. However, the growing body of research indicates that this non-invasive technique holds great promise for the future of medical treatment.
The Design and Function of nVNS Devices
nVNS devices consist of a handheld stimulator with attached electrodes. When applied to specific areas, such as the neck or tragus, these devices deliver precisely calibrated electrical impulses. The stimulation triggers a response in the vagus nerve, which can have therapeutic effects on various health conditions.
One of the advantages of nVNS devices is their portability and ease of use. Patients can conveniently carry the handheld stimulator with them and apply the electrodes whenever needed. This flexibility allows for on-demand stimulation, enabling individuals to tailor their treatment according to their specific needs and symptoms.
Additionally, nVNS devices are designed to be user-friendly, with intuitive controls and adjustable settings. This ensures that patients can easily customize their stimulation parameters, optimizing the therapy’s effectiveness and comfort.
As the field of nVNS continues to advance, researchers and engineers are exploring innovative ways to enhance device design and functionality. Efforts are being made to develop smaller, more discreet devices that can be worn comfortably throughout the day, allowing for continuous vagus nerve stimulation without disrupting daily activities.
Moreover, advancements in technology are enabling the integration of nVNS devices with smartphone applications and wearable devices. This integration offers the potential for real-time monitoring and personalized treatment plans, further optimizing the therapeutic benefits of nVNS.
In conclusion, non-invasive vagus nerve stimulation (nVNS) represents a groundbreaking development in the field of medical treatment. By providing a non-surgical and easily accessible alternative to traditional VNS therapy, nVNS holds immense potential for improving the lives of individuals with various health conditions. With ongoing research and technological advancements, the future of nVNS looks promising, paving the way for a new era of personalized and effective medical interventions.
With its ability to modulate the vagus nerve’s activity, nVNS holds promise in revolutionizing various areas of healthcare. From chronic pain management to mental health treatment, this innovative approach has garnered attention and sparked excitement among researchers and medical professionals alike.
The Impact of nVNS on Chronic Pain Management
Chronic pain is a widespread and challenging condition that can significantly impact a person’s quality of life. Traditional pain management approaches often involve pharmacological interventions, which may come with unwanted side effects and limited efficacy. However, studies have shown that nVNS can provide effective pain relief by modulating the vagus nerve’s activity.
The vagus nerve, a major component of the parasympathetic nervous system, plays a crucial role in pain perception and inflammation. By targeting this nerve through non-invasive nVNS, it is possible to reduce inflammation and alter pain perception, offering a non-pharmacological approach to pain management. This opens up new avenues for individuals suffering from chronic pain, providing them with a potential alternative or complementary treatment option.
nVNS and Mental Health: A New Frontier
Mental health disorders, including depression and anxiety, affect millions of people worldwide. While various treatment modalities exist, there is a constant need for innovative approaches that can enhance therapeutic outcomes and minimize side effects. nVNS has emerged as a potential game-changer in the field of mental health treatment.
Research has shown that nVNS can modulate the vagus nerve’s activity, influencing neurotransmitter release and mood-regulating pathways. By doing so, it offers a novel and non-invasive approach to mental health treatment. This exciting development has the potential to transform the lives of individuals struggling with mental health disorders, providing them with a new frontier of hope and possibilities.
Furthermore, the non-pharmacological nature of nVNS makes it an attractive option for individuals who may be hesitant or unable to tolerate traditional medication-based treatments. By harnessing the power of the vagus nerve, nVNS opens up a world of potential for personalized and targeted mental health interventions.
As research continues to unfold, the potential health benefits of nVNS become increasingly evident. From chronic pain management to mental health treatment, this innovative approach holds promise in revolutionizing the way we understand and address various health conditions. With its non-invasive nature and ability to modulate the vagus nerve’s activity, nVNS offers a glimpse into a future where personalized and effective treatments are within reach for individuals worldwide.
The Future of nVNS in Medical Technology
As the field of medical technology continues to advance, researchers are exploring additional applications and potential benefits of non-invasive vagus nerve stimulation (nVNS). This innovative therapy has shown promise in various areas of healthcare, and ongoing research is shedding light on its potential to revolutionize personalized medicine.
Ongoing Research and Potential New Applications
Researchers are actively investigating the effects of nVNS on various health conditions and exploring its potential to improve outcomes. One area of focus is epilepsy, a neurological disorder characterized by recurrent seizures. Preliminary studies have shown that nVNS may help reduce the frequency and severity of seizures in some patients, offering a new avenue for managing this challenging condition.
Another area of interest is migraines, debilitating headaches that can significantly impact a person’s quality of life. Early research suggests that nVNS may provide relief for migraine sufferers by modulating the activity of the trigeminal nerve, which is involved in the development of migraines. This non-invasive approach could offer a promising alternative or complement to existing treatments.
Inflammatory diseases, such as rheumatoid arthritis and Crohn’s disease, are also being explored as potential targets for nVNS therapy. These conditions involve an overactive immune response, leading to chronic inflammation and tissue damage. By stimulating the vagus nerve, nVNS may help regulate the immune system and reduce inflammation, offering a novel approach to managing these complex diseases.
Furthermore, researchers are even investigating the potential cognitive enhancement effects of nVNS. By stimulating the vagus nerve, nVNS may modulate brain activity and improve cognitive function. This could have implications for conditions such as Alzheimer’s disease and age-related cognitive decline, where maintaining cognitive abilities is crucial for maintaining independence and quality of life.
The Role of nVNS in Personalized Medicine
One of the most exciting aspects of nVNS is its potential to be tailored to individual patients. With adjustable settings and personalized parameters, nVNS therapy can be optimized to meet each person’s unique needs. This personalized approach has the potential to enhance treatment effectiveness and improve patient outcomes.
For example, the intensity and frequency of nVNS stimulation can be adjusted based on the severity of symptoms and individual response. This flexibility allows healthcare providers to fine-tune the therapy to achieve the best possible results for each patient. Additionally, the ability to remotely monitor and adjust nVNS devices further enhances the personalized nature of this therapy, allowing for real-time optimization and improved patient convenience.
Moreover, the integration of nVNS with other medical technologies holds promise for personalized medicine. By combining nVNS with wearable devices, such as smartwatches or biosensors, healthcare providers can gather real-time data on a patient’s physiological responses and customize nVNS therapy accordingly. This integration could lead to more precise and effective treatment strategies, tailored to the specific needs of each individual.
In conclusion, the emergence of non-invasive vagus nerve stimulation devices represents a breakthrough in medical technology. By harnessing the power of the vagus nerve, these devices offer new possibilities for the treatment and management of various health conditions. The potential benefits of nVNS in chronic pain management, mental health treatment, and other areas are particularly promising. As further research unfolds and technology continues to advance, the future of nVNS holds great potential for revolutionizing personalized medicine and improving the lives of countless individuals.
National Wellness Month speaks to me as I try to live a healthier life, work daily on my mental health, rest my mind, and eat healthier. I believe strongly in self-care daily for my overall health and well-being. Maybe you too will make August a wellness month for you.
Every August, celebrate National Wellness Month! Prioritize your self-care, reduce stress, and create healthier habits to feel like your best self!
We can often put our health and wellness on the back burner due to work deadlines, traffic, family obligations and other stressors. Research has shown self-care can help increase happiness by up to 71%. National Wellness Month was born out of the idea that if we are going to do big things in the world— build our careers, raise a family, further our education, create new ideas, and nurture our bodies — we need to take care of ourselves.
This August, take the “I choose wellness” pledge, a promise to yourself that you’re prioritizing your self-care. Choose one small daily habit (like drinking 64oz of water daily or walking 10,000 steps), take the 31 day Wellness Month challenge to discover a new way you can take care of yourself each day, or explore different offers at your local spa and wellness business to try something new! Learn more at wellnessmonth.com
HISTORY OF NATIONAL WELLNESS MONTH
The concept of self-care has a long and varied place in human history amongst different cultures and time periods. Ancient philosophers like Socrates and Plato emphasized the importance of self-care and self-reflection as part of a virtuous life. Taoist principles also promoted self-care through practices such as meditation, breathing exercises, and herbal medicine. The 19th and 20th centuries also saw the emergence of movements focused on mental health and self-care. Many of these practices have been successful in creating a healthy mind and body for many generations and have carried over into modern day ideas of self-care.
Today, the concept of self-care encompasses various practices aimed at holistic well-being, including physical exercise, healthy eating, mindfulness, stress reduction techniques, and more. Self-care and wellness is a personal and subjective concept but the underlying idea of taking deliberate actions to care for oneself physically, mentally, and emotionally remains central.
I’m all for any awareness of taking care of your health, self-reflection, self-care, and healthy eating.
Here are a few products I’m loving with right now. I hope you find a product to add to your household or self-care routine. The list can give you ideas for friends, and family. Most products are found on Amazon. I am not an Amazon Affiliate; any links provided don’t cost you more and take you right to the product brand. I am proud of my Affiliate relationships and will always let you know if I make a small commission on a product.
For the past two months, I’ve been nursing myself back to better health. I have low potassium, anemia and have updated my self-care routines. These are the new products I’ve added to help me.
Evolution Fresh
Evolution Fresh® Mighty Watermelon Cold-Pressed Vegetable & Fruit Juice Blend 32 oz.
Natural source of hydration
Carefully sourced ingredients from farm to press
Cold-pressed using high pressure processing to preserve taste and nutrients and ensure safety
Cold Pressed Watermelon Juice [Original HYDRATION]| Natural Electrolytes + Antioxidants | No Added Sugar | 1 liter bottles
DELICIOUSLY HYDRATING each bottle is bursting with fresh pressed watermelon packed with natural electrolytes and antioxidants like Lycopene and L-citrulline to quench your thirst
NO ADDED SUGAR, preservatives, or artificial ingredients in any of our functional flavor boosts, only the delicious taste and hydration from real fruit
REAL, SIMPLE, CLEAN INGREDIENTS that are Vegan, Gluten Free, OU Kosher, Non-GMO Project Certified and naturally power-packed for hydration, immunity, muscle recovery and detoxing
Mooala’s Vanilla Bean Almondmilk isn’t your regular, plain ol’ vanilla almondmilk. Our recipe blends blanched almonds, real vanilla beans, and a touch of sugar cane juice with the best organic vanilla flavors we could find. The result is a creamy, delicious taste that would rival your grandma’s homemade ice cream. But with way less calories. Gluten free.
This is the best Almond Milk I’ve ever tasted and we drive across town to buy it since Central Market is the only place we can find it. My husband doesn’t drink it but knows how much I love it. The touch of pure cane sugar juice makes all the difference. It’s so creamy, you can taste the vanilla beans and the top of of pure cane sugar makes it addictive.
Easy Morning Overnight Oats
Organic Mix of Rolled Oats, Flax, Chia, Steel Cut Oats ⎸ Make in Overnight Oats Containers with Lids, Then Wake Up to Your Perfect Breakfast (10 Serving Bag, 15oz)
I make mine with Almond Milk, add a few chopped pecans, and add fruit on top. In the morning I have to add a little extra milk since I don’t like mine dry. I have used strawberry and mango both of which taste great. I did buy some Overnight Oat jars with lids since I didn’t have anything that would work and they are dishwasher safe. Also bought it on Amazon.
26 PCS Mix Dried Eucalyptus & Lavender Flowers Bundles for Shower, 17” Natural Real Hanging Silver Dollar Eucalyptus Leaves Stem, Fresh Shower Plants, Fragrance, Wedding Decor (26 pcs)
Eucalyptus & silver dollar leaves have a menthol-like distinct scent that is used in aromatherapy to encourage relaxation and anxiety relief. Dried lavender has a calming scent, soothing effect. Enjoy a moment of peace in your busy day with this Shower Plants Set and enjoy the simple pleasure of aromatherapy in every shower！
A moisturizing non-oily hand cream enriched with extra-virgin olive oil and olive leaf extract with aromatic notes of the sea. The list of good-for-you ingredients is long, and it soaks in fast leaving your hands completely moisturized and soft. I have no problems working on the computer right after applying.
I also use their body lotion and shower gel in my bath, it smells good and leaves your skin soft.
Clovertree Apothecary was founded in 2009 by Amy Bohn – massage therapist, herbalist, breast cancer survivor, and co-founder of one of the top organic spa companies in the world. Amy and her team of herbalists and chemists have spent more than a decade developing authentic, pure, plant-powered products, specifically formulated to remedy the various skin and body concerns that are common to today’s spa-goers and consumers. These products have now been tested and perfected by hundreds of estheticians and massage therapists on hundreds of thousands of satisfied spa customers, and are proven to provide real results and a beautiful, luxurious experience.
Clovertree products are Plant Powered® – packed full of pure plant ingredients and formulated to remedy specific skin and body concerns common to spa customers. It is a true “clean beauty” line, containing no artificial colors or fragrances, and no harmful chemicals or preservatives. All products are gluten-free and “beegan” (vegan + bee products) and never tested on animals.
I recently discovered Clovertree and was so impressed with their background, that I stocked up on several items and see myself buying many more good-for-you products from them. They are not far from where I live but I buy online since I’m immune compromised.
Skin Rescue Balm × 1 Muscle Relief Bath & Body Oil × 1 Limoncello Signature Candle × 1 Triple C Repair Serum × 1 Hibiscus Rose Lip Balm × 2 Balance Me Centering Oil × 1
Living alone with a chronic illness can make it hard to get support. Some may worry about burdening others or explaining their condition, but there are people who want to help.
Not all chronic conditions are apparent, and their “invisibility” can make asking for help a challenge.
People living alone may feel this most, without a partner, family, or roommates who understand their daily routines and consistent needs.
If this describes you, you may find yourself with another task on your to-do list: finding the support you need.
Read on for tips on how to get your needs met, even when living alone with chronic illness.
1. First, know it’s OK to need help (and you’re not a burden)
People with chronic illness may be reluctant to seek help for several reasons.
“People don’t want to be a burden on others,” says Marzena Gieniusz, MD, an internist. “I hear this a lot in my practice, even when there are people willing, able, and happy to help available.”
Part of this involves cultural expectations and norms.
“Our culture places high emphasis on independence and autonomy,” says Rehan Aziz, MD, a psychiatrist.
Sometimes the issue is communicating what you need.
“Many people with chronic illnesses also face the challenge of their conditions being ‘invisible,’ which can lead to misunderstandings about the severity of their needs,” says Clorinda Walley, president of Good Days.
Still others may simply prefer being alone.
“Living alone can provide a moment of solitude — a reprieve from the intensity of medical spaces and constant interactions with others,” says Gabriel Cartagena, PhD, a clinical psychologist. “Living alone can also provide individuals with space to pause, reflect, and process their thoughts and experiences.”
2. Reflect on your relationship to asking for help
Cartagena recommends starting with self-reflection as you embark on your journey to find the support you need.
You can ask yourself questions like:
Has it been uncomfortable for me to ask for help? If so, why?
What does it mean for me if I do ask for help?
What do I worry about losing if I ask for help?
What difficulties might I have if I don’t get the help I need right now?
This reflection can be a key first step to understand what it means to you to ask for help, and why you may feel reluctant to do so.
Cartagena says the next question to ask yourself is: “Who do I feel I can trust?”
The answer may be a family member or friend. It may be challenging to ask, but you can try reframing your thoughts.
“People like to feel useful and will often be happy to be able to help in a practical way,” says Hannah Carmichael, the director of the Living Well Alone Project.
3. Be specific about your needs
While people may be eager to help, they’ll likely look to you to hammer out the what, when, and how. The good news? You’ll be able to advocate for your actual needs.
“The more specific you can be, the easier you make it for others to help you,” Carmichael says. “This gives the person you’re asking much more certainty about exactly what you need and clarifies their role.”
For example, “Rather than ‘I’d really appreciate some help with a bit of shopping at some point,’ try, ‘Next Thursday, would you be able to drive me to the shopping center at 3 p.m., and stay with me while I pick up a couple of birthday presents?’” says Carmichael.
Carmichael suggests asking different people to help with different tasks. Think of assembling a village like a coach putting together a team — everyone has a unique skill set and availability. This step can also prevent overloading one person.
For instance, a person who loves cooking may be able to assist with meal prep. A friend who enjoys driving might be willing to give you a lift to the doctor. An assertive but tactful friend could be a good advocate for you in the emergency room.
Think of assembling a village like a coach putting together a team — everyone has a unique skill set and availability.
5. Build a village near your hometown
You may not have family and friends around who can help, or perhaps you’re looking for new connections.
“When you live alone, you don’t have anyone ‘on hand’ to keep you company,” Carmichael says. “That means that the responsibility is on you to find people to be friends with, and it’s also on you to grow and maintain those relationships.”
Here are some tips to get you started.
Look online
Online resources can help set you up for in-person social support.
“Look on Meetup [and] on local Facebook groups for activities taking place that don’t need you to travel too far from home,” Carmichael says. “You might be surprised at how much is going on.”
Local notice boards at a library or community center may also spark ideas.
Keep an open mind
It can be beneficial to try something different.
“You never know, that local talk on the history of bridges in your area might turn out to be a lot more interesting than you think, or at least, a chance to meet new people,” Carmichael says.
Get into a routine
One of the easiest ways to build new connections is to encounter the same people daily. It’s not always luck.
“Try to walk the dog or go for a stroll at the same time each day, and see how quickly you start to spot familiar faces,” Carmichael says.
6. Look into community-based programs
You may have organizations within your community with people who have already volunteered to help.
“Some communities have volunteer programs that offer free assistance with tasks like grocery shopping, transportation, and home maintenance for individuals with chronic illnesses,” says Aziz.
Aziz recommends services like Meals on Wheels. However, the nonprofit generally serves people 60 and older.
Local churches, mosques, synagogues, and other volunteer-based organizations may also have services accessible to people regardless of age. A healthcare professional can point you to organizations within your community.
7. Find support online
One of the benefits of living in the Digital Age is that it can connect you with people you might not normally meet.
“Face-to-face interactions are great, but they’re not always possible when you’re living with a chronic illness,” says Carmichael. “There are some brilliantly friendly, supportive groups on Facebook, for example, if you take the time to look for them.”
Carmichael suggests searching for groups geared toward people with your condition or even hobbies and interests.
Aziz agrees that online groups can be a useful tool.
“Virtual support groups and forums can be valuable resources for connecting with others who share similar challenges and experiences,” Aziz says.
Gieniusz says it can be a challenge to stay up to date with medications, which can be critical to managing a condition. Compounding matters, you may be using different pharmacies for different medicines.
“Using a delivery pharmacy to ensure medications are at your door and on time can help make managing chronic illness easier,” Gieniusz says.
Major pharmacies like Walgreens and CVS also offer delivery services.
9. Let them know you value their help
Simple acknowledgments of someone’s efforts to help you can go a long way in community-building.
“It’s important because it not only shows recognition but also encourages a continued support network,” Walley says.
Carmichael agrees.
“Think about what you can offer in return so that the relationship feels more reciprocal,” Carmichael says. “Even if your condition means you won’t be able to help them with practical tasks, you could perhaps offer a cup of tea and a chat about something on their mind.”
Walley says thank you notes or simply saying or texting “Thank you” are often enough.
Simple acknowledgments of someone’s efforts to help you can go a long way in community-building.
10. Enlist help through national nonprofits
National nonprofits can connect you with organizations in your area.
Living alone with a chronic condition can be both practically and emotionally challenging.
Even if you can’t afford in-home aid, resources are available.
From the wider community to national organizations, there are people out there who want to provide support. Sometimes, but not always, all it takes is asking.
Medically reviewed on March 20, 2024
5 Sources
These are some great ideas and many will take time but the payoff can make all the difference in your life.
Tortured by Lyme disease, a young man killed his friend and himself. He is not alone.
by Mary Beth Pfeiffer, Trial Site News
For decades, Lyme disease physicians have seen a small share of late-stage patients with symptoms far beyond the physical ravages of a tick bite.
These patients, estimated to be 1 percent of chronic Lyme psychiatric cases, manifest brain disorders so intractable that they become violent, even homicidal.
Now, a new article in the science journal Heliyon validates these observations and reveals possible mechanisms driving them. It tells the horrific story of a 32-year-old man whose tickborne infection at age 14—one of several—went unrecognized until it was unresponsive to treatment.
Failed by short-course antibiotics that mainstream medical guidance swears by, he descended into substance abuse, as many chronic Lyme patients do, to ease his anxiety, depression, and physical pain. READ MORE
A patient with psychiatric manifestations of Lyme depicted his pain in this painting. He would later commit suicide. (Photo by permission of Dr. Robert Bransfield.)
(Note: The important work discussed in this article came about because the family trusted the Lyme Disease Biobank with this young man’s body. Furthermore, Bay Area Lyme Foundation funded this research. Click here to learn more about the biobank.)
I have never heard of the psychiatric manifestations of Lyme but can certainly understand it. When your body is invaded and attacked every minute causing severe pain in many areas of the body, understand the feeling of losing your mind. The Lyme Spirokeetes set up house in my brain, eating away at my memory, and balance and causing havoc on my entire body. No amount of pain medication can give relief, it’s non-stop. Thank goodness it’s a very small percentage of Lyme patients that are affected by Psychiatric Manifestations.
Anyone can have a short bout of Anemia during their life, young girls and women can also get Anemia from their menstrual cycle, vegans have to ensure they eat plenty of alternatives to red meat and there are health conditions that can be serious to your health. I’ve had Anemia on and off most of my life but in recent years it’s an ongoing problem. I don’t eat enough red meat although I’m not vegan and I don’t eat many leafy greens.
Many people may not even know they are Anemic because they have a mild case and they bounce back. I on the other hand can’t seem to shack it even while taking an iron supplement, a good one at that. I have taken prescription iron but it doesn’t help any better than over-the-counter. Three key symptoms are hard to deal with, severe leg cramps, fatigue and I’m always freezing. When I sleep at night, I pull the covers over my head and this week started wearing wool gloves to bed. It’s way into the early morning before my hands thaw and no longer feel like ice.
During the day I wear a tee and sweatshirt and when I’m in my office I have a wool blanket over me and wool gloves on and still shiver. I have a sheepskin run over the back of my chair to add warmth and have my vent half closed. Nothing seems to matter and it’s in the dead of summer here in Texas.
I eat red meat a couple of times a month but I like a variety of meat and eat fish every week as well. It’s not like I don’t eat greens but because I’m so cold salads haven’t been on my menu and I prefer hot foods. I’m eating soup for lunch most days to keep me warm.
I also have the Immune Disorder Hypogammaglobenlemia which is the lack of red blood cells and hemoglobin to carry oxygen to my body. I’ve been taking monthly Antibody Infusion treatments since the Spring. My red blood count is still very low and I may have to continue to take Infusion Treatments for years maybe all my life.
An Overview of Anemia
Anemia is a problem of not having enough healthy red blood cells or hemoglobin to carry oxygen to the body’s tissues. Hemoglobin is a protein found in red cells that carries oxygen from the lungs to all other organs in the body. Having anemia can cause tiredness, weakness, and shortness of breath.
There are many forms of anemia. Each has its own cause. Anemia can be short-term or long-term. It can range from mild to severe. Anemia can be a warning sign of serious illness.
Treatments for anemia might involve taking supplements or having medical procedures. Eating a healthy diet might prevent some forms of anemia.
Anemia symptoms depend on the cause and how bad the anemia is. Anemia can be so mild that it causes no symptoms at first. But symptoms usually then occur and get worse as the anemia gets worse.
If another disease causes the anemia, the disease can mask the anemia symptoms. Then a test for another condition might find the anemia. Certain types of anemia have symptoms that point to the cause.
Possible symptoms of anemia include:
Tiredness.
Weakness.
Shortness of breath.
Pale or yellowish skin, which might be more obvious on white skin than on Black or brown skin.
Irregular heartbeat.
Dizziness or lightheadedness.
Chest pain.
Cold hands and feet.
Headaches.
If you are experiencing any of these symptoms, check with your doctor right away.
I’m 5 ft 7 inches and was a normal weight until I turned 28 years old. At 28 I was diagnosed with Treatment-Resistant Bipolar Disorder and Anxiety. The diagnosis wasn’t a huge surprise since my father had committed suicide months earlier and we both had struggled with depression. One of the downsides of having a mental illness is that many medications make you gain weight, with each medication I tried, it was 20-25 pounds. That can weigh you down but I learned quickly that my vanity was not as important as my mental health.
I tend to be more depressive than manic so my protocol includes many stimulant medications. There were many times I would lose large amounts of weight and was skinny again. Although short-lived, once your body adjusts to the stimulants the weight loss stops. The last medication that brought me out of a deep depression caused me to gain 40 pounds and it took effort to lose that amount of weight. I lollygagged for a couple of years until I went to see one of my doctors and had to weigh. I was shocked at what the scale said.
You also need to know I have some baggage here because my mother is obese and my abuser. I wanted to be nothing like her, I must have seen her that day on the scale.
I was determined to lose weight the right way this time, with no diet, no program food just eating what I liked but in smaller portions. I set a goal of losing 40 pounds with 50 pounds in the background. First, I cut all meals in half and cut out snacking unless I was truly hungry. When I needed a snack it was nuts because they are good for you.
The first 20 pounds were hard but not nearly as hard as the next 20 pounds. After reaching 20 pounds, I cut my meals in 1/3 and continued to eat a piece of chocolate at lunch and dinner. I also allowed myself dessert on the weekends. There was no depriving myself of the foods I loved, my diet didn’t change just the amount of food I was eating.
Last August, I had reached my goal of 40 pounds and was working on 10 more pounds. Then life got in the way. I was hospitalized in December of 2023 and had a traumatizing experience by being told that my kidneys were shutting down and that I would not live until my check-out date. Logically I knew better but we were in complete shock. I called my brother to say goodbye which was very difficult and my husband and I just cradled each other. A short time later, I came to my senses and said there was no way my GFR was 20! Of course not, a lazy lab tech didn’t run the test a second time and the doctor didn’t even question it. I never received an apology.
After leaving the hospital I continued to lose weight and after 25 months I am 70 pounds down. Being this skinny is not a choice, you would be surprised at what I eat although I can’t eat as much as I did in the beginning but that’s expected. I’ve been having major issues with my Esophagus for a couple of months and a month after going to the ER, I’m worse. I’m taking two additional medications but still have problems eating or keeping food down. It doesn’t seem to be as urgent to my doctor. I’m still working on it.
Yes, you can lose weight the right way without restricting yourself and in turn, sabotaging your efforts. There are no shortcuts, no quick fixes, and only one permanent solution. Set your goal for the long term, change your eating habits, and pay attention to why you eat and enjoy yourself at the same time. I can’t imagine lunch or dinner without chocolate, I just eat one piece.
When my daughter Rachel was 13, she suffered a seemingly simple injury that led to an outbreak of inexplicable, debilitating, body-wide pain. This left her bedridden and needing a wheelchair.
Refusing to believe doctors who claimed either that she was “faking it” or that nothing could be done, our family searched for answers until we at last found the underlying cause—unrecognized chronic Lyme disease and co-infections.
We were lucky enough to find a knowledgeable Lyme doctor within two hours of our home and we started on the long hard slog to getting her better. But we soon found that medical treatment was only part of what our family needed.
There were so many other needs: how to keep Rachel from spiraling into depression, how to continue her education when she was too sick to attend school, finding out what foods supported the healing process best—and which of those she was willing to eat.
As it turns out, one of the most helpful therapies Rachel undertook was something she figured out on her own. Throughout those dark days, she recorded her daily experiences in a journal. It chronicled the bad—her anger at the doctors who didn’t believe her, her despair at ever getting past the pain. It also recorded good times with friends—lip-synching to Hannah Montana songs, visiting the beach to try out a beach wheelchair (yes, those are a thing.) That journal became a lifeline for her, and in my view, was as important as the many different treatments she went through.
In time, Rachel’s health improved—she left the wheelchair behind, graduated from high school and college, and embarked on a career and marriage. For many years, she avoided even looking at the journal, not wanting to revisit those traumatic times.
But then, she decided to share the story with others, and the two of us collaborated on Finding Resilience: A Teen’s Journey Through Lyme Disease. The main narration is based on the journal, interspersed with additional passages by me, giving the mother’s perspective of what was going on.
Capturing the right voice
In the months since publication, we’ve garnered a lot of positive feedback. Here’s one of my favorite reviews, by a judge from the Benjamin Franklin Award competition:
Finding Resilience is a wonderfully written book (by both mother and daughter) that chronicles a teenager’s struggle with both Lyme disease and the medical establishment too unwilling to consider the—at the time—difficult diagnosis. What makes this book so strong is the voice. It’s often difficult for an adult to capture the right voice when writing about earlier experiences, but Rachel Leland does it expertly. At no time did I waver in believing that a teenager was talking to me in real time, as a teenager. This is hard—exceptionally hard—to do well…The mother’s voice, too, is appropriate throughout. All of this worked so effectively that I found myself as a reader on the same emotional rollercoaster they were on.
That’s exactly what we were going for—the shared perspective of a teenager and her mom on this hideous disease and what it takes to get through it. We hope you’ll find it informative and inspiring. Click here for more info about the book.
I’ve been slowing down the past 6 months by working hard to stop multi-tasking and be in the moment, listen, and communicate clearly. My new medication is at full power, I’m feeling better than I have in over 5 years, and taking in every minute. I’ve kickstarted my indoor and outdoor plants, and have been repotting those who are long overdue. I’m a plant and flower person and treasure my outdoor standbys that come back every year. I am testing my skills to revive a Gardenia plant.
I had the same amount of time before but it was spent aimlessly on health crises, new diagnoses, unstable mood, and Infusion Treatments. I was not able to mentally or physically do it.
My favorite Rose
This idea started when I looked at the number of posts I’ve written since 2014. The numbers show I am slowing down, and it feels great.
Here’s a quick look at the numbers
2014 25
2015 1,031
2016 4,812
2017 5,984
2018 7,041
2019 21,414
2020 52,466
2021 45,619
2022 42,787
2023 23,814
2024 as of June 18th 14,312
I’m proud of the post I’ve written and at 61 years old next month, I’m glad I got in touch with what is important to me, and slowing down is important for my ongoing health issues, Bipolar Disorder, Cognitive Impairment, and Immune Disorders. Above all my Mental Health.
Thank you to all who have visited my blog over the years, it’s been a wild ride, you’ve seen me grow as a person, shared my health struggles and all that life has brought my way for 10 years. Your posts and connections have opened my mind, warmed my heart, reinforced what is important and you have filled my life with joy. I don’t plan on stopping, just writing at my own pace, not my uber-driven mind. You can look for more posts on travel, art, and photography.
Peter the Great in St Petersburg Square
Hoofs up means they lost their life in battle, my friend Gavin taught me.
Many if not most prescribed medications require a ramp-up period called efficacy, this is the time it takes for the medication to reach a therapeutic level.
For example:
I started Trintellex several weeks ago for my ongoing depression. The Prozac wasn’t working any longer which is common when you take a drug for a long time. The efficacy of Trintellix is 6-8 weeks, during this period you can experience common side effects and they often subside once the drug reaches efficacy. It’s important to track these symptoms but it’s not always time to call your doctor. Never stop taking medication before talking to your doctor, stopping medication abruptly can send your brain into a tailspin. If you can’t wait to hear back from your doctor, go to your nearest ER for help ASAP. It may save your life.
The most important side effects to be aware of are adverse side effects, which are the worst side effects that can be deadly and require immediate attention. It’s easy to forget the side effects after reading the prescribing instructions the first time so I keep them handy.
The past week I was overcome by nausea and vomiting and thought I was getting sick. After reading the prescribing instructions again I was reminded that those are common side effects, not ones to be alarmed about. I have experienced sparks in the brain as the medication reaches efficacy, like crying, returned energy, improved cognition, and feeling better overall.
All medications including over-the-counter items still have side effects, especially for children.
Always call your doctor if you are concerned about anything, not just medication side effects.
Inflammation is a process by which your body’s white blood cells and the things they make protect you from infection from outside invaders, such as bacteria and viruses. But in some diseases, like arthritis, your body’s defense system — your immune system — triggers inflammation when there are no invaders to fight off. In these autoimmune diseases, your immune system acts as if regular tissues are infected or somehow unusual, causing damage.
Inflammation Types
Inflammation can be either short-lived (acute) or long-lasting (chronic). Acute inflammation goes away within hours or days. Chronic inflammation can last months or years, even after the first trigger is gone. Conditions linked to chronic inflammation include:
Outside of inflammation, these come with a host of other side effects on you and have a tremendous impact on your life. It could lead to you wanting to buy metformin and similar medications, but fruit and vegetables can help, too.
Many fruits and veggies help with inflammation
Juicy Berries, (BlueBerries, strawberries, and Black Berries)
Yummy Avacodos
Mouthwatering dark chocolate
Apples
Grapes
Tomatoes
Olive Oil
Leafy Green Veggies
Oily Fish
Whole Grains
Unsaturated Fats
This is a short list, you can find the complete list. Click on the link below.
I’m reading Calm Your Inflammation by Dr. Brenda Tidwell and will update you as I read more.
Reducing inflammation is critical to people with Chronic Illnesses. We need all the help we can get.
My Bipolar Disorder was difficult to manage with medication alone. My Psychiatrist told me about a device that was waiting for FDA approval.
In 2005 the VNS device was approved by the FDA and my doctor had all the information ready to send to my insurance company.
The first time insurance denied the device. Here’s how I got insurance to approve. I wrote a letter explaining what my life was like and how it controls my life and in time the possibility of suicide.
A VNS device looks much like a pacemaker with two leads that attach to your vagus nerves, sending signals to the brain to relieve your depression.
The surgery doesn’t take long, but getting used to the device turned on takes a while.
When you are talking the device makes your voice sound weird but only when the device is sending signals to the brain.
When I had my surgery, no one had seen one implanted which meant the Gallery was full of other doctors. My doctor got to see my boobs, that had to settle in.
After you have healed the device is turned on at a low level so you get used to the feeling of the device working. Then we turned up the level until we found what we thought was the right setting.
I kept it on for years but finally admitted it wasn’t working and had it turned off.
The only pain involved is initial surgery.
I thought this device would change my life but it didn’t work out that way.
If you care for someone with Bipolar Disorder, know the basics about the illness and side effects. You’ll learn as you go. It’s important that you don’t keep asking how they’re doing; that will stress them out. You will have to up your game to catch the nuances of body language and conversations.
Different types of Bipolar Disorder.
There are three types of bipolar disorder. All three types involve clear changes in mood, energy, and activity levels. These moods range from periods of extremely “up,” elated, irritable, or energized behavior (known as manic episodes) to very “down,” sad, indifferent, or hopeless periods (known as depressive episodes). Less severe manic periods are known as hypomanic episodes.
Bipolar I disorder is defined by manic episodes that last for at least 7 days (nearly every day for most of the day) or by manic symptoms that are so severe that the person needs immediate medical care. Usually, depressive episodes occur as well, typically lasting at least 2 weeks. Episodes of depression with mixed features (having depressive symptoms and manic symptoms at the same time) are also possible. Experiencing four or more episodes of mania or depression within 1 year is called “rapid cycling.”
Bipolar II disorder is defined by a pattern of depressive episodes and hypomanic episodes. The hypomanic episodes are less severe than the manic episodes in bipolar I disorder.
Cyclothymic disorder (also called cyclothymia) is defined by recurring hypomanic and depressive symptoms that are not intense enough or do not last long enough to qualify as hypomanic or depressive episodes.
Until the doctor gets the medication balanced, you might have to take a medication for a month or longer to see if it works; if not, the doctor tries another. Changes in medication will continue until the Psychiatrist finds the right mix of medication. I went through many drugs in the beginning because I’m treatment-resistant, which means many medications do not work on me. It’s important to note that over time, medication can stop working, and the Psychiatrist has to find another medication. I’m currently taking a cocktail of 6 different medications.
In the 32 years since I was diagnosed, I’ve experienced rapid cycling, mixed features, hypomania, and depression. The most difficult for me to manage is rapid cycling. One minute you feel great, and 15 minutes later depressed. This is a very unstable time. Make sure you let your Psychiatrist know about your rapid cycling.
If possible, find a Psychopharmacologist over a Psychiatrist if you can find one. The difference is that a Psychopharmacologist spends extra years of education focusing on how medication and the brain work. It can be difficult to find one.
I thought my doctor didn’t like me for a long time. Over time, I learned how to talk to him, and now he’s like family. You don’t have to like your doctor if they listen and share details about the drugs and answers to your questions, and you trust them, keep them as your doctor.
Personal Experience
The backstory starts with the DEA, which is limiting the amount of medication each pharmacy receives each month. This is an experience I have been dealing with for the past year. This month, my pharmacy only had 25 pills, and I had to wait 3 weeks for a refill because they had not received a shipment. Pharmacies are NOT making these rules. Get to know your pharmacist; they may be able to help you through this crisis. Don’t take your anger out on the Pharmacy. Until the DEA backs off, this problem will continue.
Here’s one of the challenges I face. One medication is what I call my anchor medication. This past month, it took 3 weeks to get my medication in stock. In those 3 weeks without the medication, it is no longer in your system. After going three weeks without the medication, my body has to start over. So far, I have not been able to see if it works because I can’t take the medication long enough to work.
My new Psychiatrist is cutting my Xanax to 3 per day, not the 4 per day that I have been taking for so long. The bottom line is I’m in withdrawal as my body adjusts to only 3 a day. You stack that on top of the problems with refills; it’s frustrating. This means my anxiety is higher during certain hours when I don’t take my Xanax. It’s a very addictive medication,and one of the worst withdrawals I’ve been through.
It’s important to have someone that you can reach out to if you need help.
This happened two evenings ago due to my anxiety being very high. To better communicate, you can say certain words to help them understand where you are at and when you are falling into depression or higher than a kite.
I was so truly happy, and I haven’t been happy in so long. I was soaking in every moment because my mood could change. Feeling joy in my heart felt so good, and I didn’t want it to end.
My husband said I was jacked up, and I said I knew. The key word here is I KNOW. For me, that means I know and am keeping tabs on your mood. If it’s a problem after that, I’ll let you know.
I went upstairs to get ready for bed, and when he came into the room, I continued the conversation in a combative way. I was jacked and angry, raising my voice much higher and even pointing my finger at him. I could not believe what was coming out of my mouth and my behavior. In the last 22 years, we’ve had a handful of fights.
We have established words to use when my mood changes and is concerning. When he tells me I’m jacked up, the keyword is I KNOW, which means I’m keeping an eye on it. When I’m feeling suicidal, I let him know. This is how we communicate about my Bipolar Disorder when he observes a behavior change.
If you are newly diagnosed, be patient. When you start the journey, it can be rough and frustrating.
Don’t obsess over your new diagnosis; learn the basics of your illness and symptoms for now. The most important thing I can say is to only read about your illness or symptoms of Bipolar Disorder from trustworthy websites. When you read anything else, you risk getting the wrong information. It’s critical to read a respected source. Right now is not the time to read the wrong information. On my website, there is a pull-down menu called Organizations That Can Help. There, you can find resources under Mental Illness. In the beginning, you may feel overloaded; remember this is a long journey.
*This post is from 2017 and I’ve updated it to capture the years between 2017 and 2023.
There are times when Chronic Illness can get the better of you. I had such a week resulting in shaving my hair off. I’m no GI Jane but do have a nice head minus the scars from brain surgery.
For the past 13 years, I’ve been a caregiver to my grandparents and spent time in Psychic Hospital twice for ECT treatments. Finding an answer to my heart problem took three years, two cardiologists, and a trip to The Mayo Clinic I had a diagnosis in four days.
The search for ?? (Lyme Diseases) started in 2012 and the diagnosis in 2014. It took two attempts to find a competent doctor and tons of frustration. I’m not driving, my cognitive abilities like balance and memory were taken by Lyme.
Last week I discovered a total knee replacement is required and scheduled for 11/14/17. All the falls from Lyme blew out my right knee.
Wild Crazy Hair
I’m not one to have a pity party but the weight on my shoulders became too much. I gave my husband many reasons why I shaved my head, the truth is CONTROL. I have four chronic illnesses and have to manage my health every day and every day can be different. There are many days I don’t have the strength to bathe, on those days I use medical-grade body wipes.
I’m 54, my mental illness is close to balanced, was looking forward to driving after several years, and most importantly I want to know who I am.
Shaving my head was liberating, a part of the new me came out. I can control some things and have to roll with the punches on others.
Can you imagine coming home from work to find your wife has shaved their head? My husband wasn’t surprised.
Skin Rescue Balm × 1
Muscle Relief Bath & Body Oil × 1
Limoncello Signature Candle × 1
Triple C Repair Serum × 1
Hibiscus Rose Lip Balm × 2
Balance Me Centering Oil × 1
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