May 20, 2020 | Awareness, Medical Issues and Genetics, Medical News
Welcome to Part 3 of May Awareness! Hi Guys and Gals!
**This post contains affiliate links and I will be compensated if you make a purchase after clicking on my links.
May is Better Sleep Month by the Better Sleep Council. Did you know 90 million Americans have their sleep disrupted by snoring? The Better Sleep Council has so much information on getting better sleep. They even have a quiz to help you determine what type of mattress would suit you best. Check it out here!
May is Correct Posture Month by the American Chiropractic Association.
According to the ACA, “Good posture helps us stand, walk, sit, and lie in positions that place the least strain on supporting muscles and ligaments during movement and weight-bearing activities. Poor posture can lead to excessive strain on our postural muscles and may even cause them to relax when held in certain positions for long periods of time. For example, you can typically see this in people who bend forward at the waist for a prolonged time in the workplace. Their postural muscles are more prone to injury and back pain.
May is Huntington’s Disease Awareness Month.
A condition that leads to progressive degeneration of nerve cells in the brain.
Rare (Fewer than 200,000 cases per year in the US)
Treatments can help manage the condition, no known cure
Often requires lab test or imaging
Can last several years or be lifelong
Family history may increase the likelihood
Urgent medical attention recommended
May is Lyme Disease Awareness Month. Learn more at the Lupus Disease Foundation.
A tick-borne disease caused by bacteria Borrelia Burgdorfer.
Very common (More than 3 million cases per year in the US)
Treatment from medical professional advised
Requires lab test or imaging
Can last several days or weeks
Transmitted through tick bites
Many people with early-stage Lyme disease develop a distinctive circular rash at the site of the tick bite, usually around three to 30 days after being bitten. This is known as erythema migrans. The rash is often described as looking like a bulls-eye on a dartboard.
Some of the common symptoms are as follows:
- Rashes
- Fever
- Chills
- Fatigue
- Headache
Symptoms of late-stage Lyme disease:
- Numbness in hands and legs
- Arthritis
- Short term memory loss
Finally, but not exclusively, May is the awareness month for Neurofibromatosis. The Children’s Tumor Foundation website has so much valuable information on this incurable genetic disorder (s). They have a superb resource library. NF can cause tumors to grow on nerves throughout the body. You can donate, volunteer, and advocate by visiting their website for more information.
May 13, 2020 | Awareness, Disability, Mental Illness
May is a huge awareness month. I’ve written about arthritis, an important topic for me, but there are also many other important illnesses we should also be talking about.
ALS
is a progressive, neurodegenerative disease that is 100% fatal. You can help change the facts.
(From alsa.org) ALS, or amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, is a progressive neurodegenerative disease that affects nerve cells in the brain and the spinal cord. A-myo-trophic comes from the Greek language. “A” means no. “Myo” refers to muscle, and “Trophic” means nourishment – “No muscle nourishment.” When a muscle has no nourishment, it “atrophies” or wastes away. “Lateral” identifies the areas in a person’s spinal cord where portions of the nerve cells that signal and control the muscles are located. As this area degenerates, it leads to scarring or hardening (“sclerosis”) in the region.
To read all about ALS, please see http://www.alsa.org/about-als/what-is-als.html
You may donate to the ALS Association,1275 K Street, NW Suite 250; Washington, DC 20005 – see ALSA.org
Borderline Personality Disorder
In May of 2007, the National Education Alliance for Borderline Personality Disorder (NEABPD) organized hearings before congress to educate legislators about Borderline Personality Disorder (BPD). A year later, in April 2008 the U.S. House of Representatives declared May as Borderline Personality Disorder Awareness Month. *1 –https://evolvetreatment.com/blog/may-is-borderline-personality-disorder-awareness-month/
Five Quick BPD Facts
- Over 14 million Americans suffer from BPD.
- More people have BPD than schizophrenia and bipolar disorder combined.
- People with BPD commit suicide at 400 times the rate of the general population
- BPD is more common in women than in men.
- BPD is the 3rd leading cause of death for young adult women between 15-24.
5.9% of the adult population has BPD, they commit suicide at an alarming rate, and women are especially vulnerable to the disorder. That’s why we have Borderline Personality Disorder Awareness Month. To raise awareness and awareness, end the stigma around the condition, and encourage people to get the help they need.
According to the National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH) BPD is:
“A mental illness marked by a pattern of varying moods, self-image, and behavior. These symptoms often result in impulsive actions and problems in relationships. People with BPD may experience intense episodes of anger, depression, and anxiety that can last from a few hours to days.”
Mental Health –
a great website for this is https://www.mhanational.org/mental-health-month. This website is chock full of great information! As a member of a family who knows the importance of observing mental health month, I urge you to learn as much as you can. Another partner, NIMH, has offered up some additional informative websites
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