Being diagnosed with a chronic medical condition during childhood or adolescence shapes the lives of the patient and their family. In Rheumatology, the pediatric rheumatologist can become an additional parent and a partner. Pediatric hospitals and clinics become homes away from home. They are often painted bright colors, have comfy furniture and entertainment throughout the halls as everyone tries to make the heartbreaking reality of disease in children more palatable. Thankfully, treatment success in rheumatology is the norm and there will come a day in most patient’s lives when they need to say goodbye to their pediatric rheumatologist and find a new adult-focused rheumatologist. Transitioning from the pediatrician’s office is a day most patients and parents dread. This process, known as “transition,” is an integral part to any young person’s care.
[Read more…] about Transitioning from the pediatrician’s officeAutoimmune Lifestyle
Race & Lupus: Understand the Connection
Lupus can affect anyone. And although this is true, we do not want to ignore the fact that lupus disproportionately affects certain people. We have discussed how it affects young women, but we haven’t discussed how it affects young Black women. Lupus affects 1 in every 250 Black women and when compared to the white community, the prevalence of lupus in the Black community is 3-4x higher. It is well established that Black lupus patients tend to be sicker, need more aggressive medications and have worse outcomes. And despite the amazing advancements in testing and treatment, Black patients don’t benefit from those advances to the same extent as their white counterparts.
[Read more…] about Race & Lupus: Understand the ConnectionChronic Pain & The Nervous System
Chronic Pain. Fibromyalgia. Arthritis. So many have to deal with the accusation that it is “all in your head.” Even if said with the best intentions, this statement is gaslighting at it’s finest. It is telling those with pain, that what they feel and experience isn’t real. Which, of course, we know it is.
[Read more…] about Chronic Pain & The Nervous SystemArthritis & the Heart Disease
Heart disease. We all know about it, we all want to prevent it and sadly, we all know someone with it. When we think of heart disease, our minds naturally think of heart attacks or maybe heart failure. We think of an overweight man with high blood pressure and diabetes, although we know women are just as affected. But did you know that inflammatory arthritis can be associated with heart disease? In fact, most autoimmune or inflammatory arthritis types can lead to disease of every part of the heart. Watch the video above or keep reading to learn more!
[Read more…] about Arthritis & the Heart DiseaseWhy Meditation is the best medication
We all hear how great meditation is. And at some point we may have been advised that we should be doing it. To start a new meditation practice sounds easy, but I know first hand, it is not. It can be hard to start something so out of our norm when the benefits aren’t easily apparent. If we have chronic medical conditions, especially if they are rheumatologic, inflammatory or autoimmune, it can seem as if meditation isn’t for us. That perhaps we are too far down the “sick road” to get any benefit. But that couldn’t be further from the truth! EVERYONE benefits from a meditation or mindfulness practice – but what does it do exactly and how can it benefit you?
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