Living with rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is more than joint pain. It’s a chronic pain, accompanied by many other symptoms, that often gets worse over time. Symptoms can come at inconvenient times without any warning which makes them difficult to manage. But what people think RA feels like and what it actually feels like are often two different things. How does rheumatoid arthritis really feel? Rheumatoid arthritis isn’t “just” arthritis. When you have RA, it affects your body or one part of… Continue reading What Does Rheumatoid Arthritis Really Feel Like?
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What is Seasonal Depression?
As the weather gets colder and days become shorter, you may notice you have less energy, feel a little less optimistic and spend more time alone. While this may not be a cause for concern, about 5% of the U.S population experience seasonal depression during the fall and winter months. Seasonal depression, or seasonal affective disorder (SAD), is a subtype of depression that begins and ends around the same time every… Continue reading What is Seasonal Depression?
6 Possible Causes of Multiple Sclerosis
If you’re living with multiple sclerosis, you probably have a lot of questions about your diagnosis. You might be wondering how you developed the disease and what your outlook is. While the course of the disease will vary from person to person, an exact cause has yet to be identified. Scientists have found that a combination of factors often causes multiple… Continue reading 6 Possible Causes of Multiple Sclerosis
Medication-Free Ways To Feel Better With Parkinson’s Disease
Getting a Parkinson’s disease diagnosis can be overwhelming. This neurodegenerative disorder affects movement and doesn’t have a cure, but with the right medications and complementary or alternative therapies, symptoms can be managed. Incorporating medication-free ways into Parkinson’s treatment can help people living with the condition improve their health and well-being, along with preserving physical function… Continue reading Medication-Free Ways To Feel Better With Parkinson’s Disease
MS and Stress: Managing the Holidays
Stress is a normal part of life for many people. For some, holidays can be especially stressful because of gift buying, traveling, and making holiday dinners. If you have multiple sclerosis, the stress of the holidays can be compounded by managing your illness on top of everything else. Living with MS is not only a… Continue reading MS and Stress: Managing the Holidays
Navigating the Holidays with a Chronic Illness
The holidays are a wonderful time of the year, and it can be hard to get into the spirit when you’re living with a chronic illness. While there are a lot of joyful parts about the holidays, there are also some stressful parts. That’s why it’s important to recognize what aspects of the holiday seasons trigger your symptoms and to have a plan in place to reduce them. Do the holidays make chronic illness worse? Navigating the holidays with a chronic illness can be difficult,… Continue reading Navigating the Holidays with a Chronic Illness
Unexpected Warning Signs of Multiple Sclerosis (MS)
Multiple sclerosis (MS) can be one of the most difficult conditions to diagnose because of the variety of symptoms it causes and the ways they present. Most people with MS experience their first symptoms between the ages of 20 and 40. Sometimes, symptoms can come on suddenly and go away just as quickly. Other times, symptoms will start minimally and progressively get worse. Because MS effects everyone… Continue reading Unexpected Warning Signs of Multiple Sclerosis (MS)
10 Early Warning Signs of Chronic Kidney Disease
How often do you think about your kidneys? Probably not very often. When your kidneys are functioning properly, it’s easy to forget what a key role they play in your health. But when your kidneys aren’t working as well as they should, your body will send you warning signals to let you know something is wrong. These warnings can be early indicators of chronic kidney disease. What is… Continue reading 10 Early Warning Signs of Chronic Kidney Disease
Lupus Advocate and PatientsLikeMe Team of Advisors Member, Juana Mata
“Living with lupus [a systemic autoimmune disease] is difficult. I thrive by staying positive,” says 2019 Team of Advisors member, Juana (@Juanymata). Advocating on behalf of lupus patients like herself is one key way Juana stays positive. Off and Running Only months after being diagnosed with rheumatoid arthritis and systemic lupus erythematosus, Juana Mata and her two sisters formed a team to… Continue reading Lupus Advocate and PatientsLikeMe Team of Advisors Member, Juana Mata
ASMR – The Phenomenon Everyone’s Whispering About
Chills. Goosebumps. Tingles. “Autonomic sensory meridian response” or ASMR is described as a pleasurable wave of calm that comes to some people during exposure to gentle actions and/or sounds: think whispering, tapping fingernails or turning pages. These ordinary audio and visual triggers can inspire a deeply soothing effect on many people – making ASMR potentially… Continue reading ASMR – The Phenomenon Everyone’s Whispering About