Early Signs of Parkinson’s Disease

Parkinson's Disease, Patient Experiences / By

One day, you’re relaxing on the couch and notice your hand is shaking. Has it always done that, or is it new? But when you go to pick something up, you notice the shaking stops. You may have noticed other minor changes like your movement is slowing down or your limbs feel unusually stiff. You could pass all of these instances off as being dehydrated or needing more sleep, but these symptoms put together could be early indicators of Parkinson’s disease.   What is Parkinson’s disease?  Parkinson’s disease is a chronic neurodegenerative condition that is caused by damage to nerve cells in the substantia nigra, the area of the brain that controls movement. The disease is progressive, meaning the symptoms generally develop slowly over the course of several years. Because the disease is so diverse, not every person with Parkinson’s will experience the same progression of symptoms as others. Scientists believe that Parkinson’s is caused by certain genetic and environmental factors.   Symptoms of Parkinson’s usually start appearing in middle or late life. Because a diagnosis can take months, or even years, it’s not usually diagnosed until age 60. A diagnosis younger than 50 is called young-onset Parkinson’s. Nearly one million people in the United States have Parkinson’s disease, and about 60,000 Americans …

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8 Physical Symptoms of Anxiety

Mental Health / By

Have you ever noticed your heart starting to race for seemingly no reason, started sweating before an important meeting, or maybe had an ongoing digestive issue during a time of change? Because anxiety is a mental health condition, we tend to focus more on psychological symptoms and less on physical ones. It’s easy to forget about or chalk up physical symptoms to be something else. But physical symptoms of anxiety are not something to be forgotten about. What is anxiety? Anxiety is an emotion characterized by feelings of tension, worried thoughts, and physical changes. People who experience anxiety tend to have reoccurring and intrusive thoughts. While it’s normal to experience anxiety from time to time, especially if it’s situational, anxiety disorders involve more than temporary worry or fear. For a person with an anxiety disorder, anxiety doesn’t dissipate once the triggering has passed, rather it lingers and tends to worsen over time. Symptoms can be debilitating, and interfere with day-to-day activities like work, school, relationships, and maintaining physical health. Persistent feelings of anxiety that interfere with daily life may be a sign of a diagnosable anxiety disorder. There are five main types of anxiety. Generalized Anxiety Disorder (GAD) Generalized Anxiety …

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Conditions Commonly Mistaken for Multiple Sclerosis

Conditions, Multiple Sclerosis, Patient Experiences / By

Have you wondered why your vision got so blurry, or why you feel tired all the time? Maybe you’re having trouble remembering things, and your mind isn’t as sharp as it used to be. These symptoms can be scary, and it can be frustrating when there are no clear answers about what they may be. Your symptoms could be multiple sclerosis (MS), but they could be something else. One study found that nearly 1 in 5 people with other neurological conditions are mistakenly diagnosed with MS. Because there is no single diagnostic test to receive a definitive MS diagnosis and because symptoms often mimic other illnesses, it can take years to get a final diagnosis. What is multiple sclerosis? Multiple sclerosis (MS) is a disease that affects the central nervous system, which is made up of the brain and spinal cord. With MS, the body’s immune system attacks the protective layer, called myelin, that forms around nerve fibers. When the myelin sheath is damaged or destroyed, it disrupts the flow of information from the brain to other parts of the body. The scarring left behind from inflammation to the myelin sheath is called sclerosis. There are four main types of …

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Am I Depressed? Surprising Signs of Depression

Depression / By

Life gets tough sometimes, and you may start to feel stressed or down. Over the last few weeks, or months, you’ve noticed you’re having more bad days than good – you’re less productive at work, spending more time alone, and haven’t been able to sleep.  Something feels different from the normal ups and downs you’ve experienced before. So you go to the doctor and tell them how you’ve been feeling, and how long you’ve been feeling that way. The doctor says it sounds like you are depressed, and that you might have major depressive disorder.  Major depressive disorder is one of the most common mental disorders in the United States, with an estimated 17.3 million adults age 18 or older have at least one major depressive episode in 2017. About 1 in 6 adults will have depression at some point in their life, but anyone at any age can get depressed.  What is major depressive disorder? Also known as clinical depression, major depressive disorder (MDD) is a mood disorder that affects the way people feel, think, and handle daily activities like eating, sleeping, or working.  Depression is a serious mental health condition that needs professional care. Of those who seek …

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Health Information: What Sources Do People Trust?

Patient Experiences, Research / By

Finding accurate and reliable health information has become more confusing for patients than ever before. By examining where patients are getting their information — for example, from trained healthcare professionals or their peers — and their ability to determine the most reliable sources can help the industry and patients better understand the importance of providing reliable health information and the value of patient-to-patient discussions. We recently surveyed 1,000 U.S. consumers about challenges and perceptions around finding accurate and reliable health information. Here’s what we discovered: Being Your Own Advocate, with the Help of Trusted Sources When asked what type of health information they looked for most often, consumers stated that symptoms (31%) and treatment options (21%) are what they look for most. 43% of respondents say that they use their doctor as a resource to evaluate new treatment options, while only 2% say they rely on peer groups. What does this mean? The state of the healthcare industry overall is influx, which means it can be easy for patients to get lost in the shuffle, as many health systems are understaffed and strapped for resources. Now more than ever, patients need to become their own advocates and ensure that they …

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Eating Well for Chronic Kidney Disease

Chronic Kidney Disease, Patient Experiences / By

When you were first diagnosed with chronic kidney disease (CKD), you may have been told you need to modify your diet. While it’s true that nutrition significantly impacts chronic illness, and eating foods that are high in nutrients and minimally processed, combined with some exercise, can help prevent and minimize symptoms of kidney disease, you aren’t limited to eating white rice for the rest of your life. What are the kidneys? The kidneys are a small bean-shaped organ that plays a primary role in the body. It’s responsible for eliminating waste and toxins, releasing hormones that regulate blood pressure, balancing fluids, and returning essential nutrients like vitamins, amino acids, and glucose back into the bloodstream. Why are there so many myths around kidney diets? CKD is a condition where damage to the kidneys results in a gradual loss of function over time. When kidneys aren’t able to do their jobs, waste and toxins build-up, blood pressure increases, and bones weaken, making you feel sick. Untreated kidney disease can lead to other chronic conditions like diabetes, hypotension, and heart disease. Damage to the kidneys is permanent. If caught in the early stages, you may be able to prevent or delay kidney …

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5 Tips for Exercising with Chronic Illness

Patient Experiences / By

At some point in your life, you’ve engaged in some kind of physical activity. Maybe you were an athlete as a child, take your dog for regular walks, or enjoy the serenity of a yoga class. Then you were hit with the diagnosis and progression of your chronic illness, causing you to slow down exercise frequency and intensity. Or maybe stop altogether.  Chronic illness comes with a slew of symptoms like chronic fatigue, pain, inflammation, anxiety, and even depression.  While experts recommend 150 minutes of moderate physical activity per week to promote health, prevent and treat illness, you may have found yourself wondering how on earth you’re supposed to exercise when you physically feel too sick to. A degree of exercise intolerance is common in people with chronic illnesses. Sometimes too little activity is hindering their recovery, while for others, too much activity can be harmful. Each chronic disease affects the body differently so important to learn to recognize the time and place for exercise when it comes to recovery from your illness.  Getting Started with Exercise When you start exercising with a chronic illness, it’s important to get moving on the right foot. Here are a few tips for getting started: …

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What You Need to Know About Living with Lupus

Lupus, Patient Experiences / By

After months or even years of experiencing symptoms like extreme fatigue, skin rashes, pain, or swelling in the joints, you finally got a diagnosis. It’s lupus. Because symptoms differ from person to person, can come and go, vary in intensity, and mimic symptoms of various other diseases, lupus can be difficult to diagnose. Lupus is a chronic autoimmune disorder where the immune system’s antibodies mistakenly attack the body’s healthy cells causing widespread inflammation. It can affect your joints, muscles, skin, and internal organs and affects about 1.5 million Americans. Despite the prevalence and severity of lupus, most people don’t know much about it. The lack of information can make living with lupus frustrating, difficult, and lonely. We connected with PLM members who have lupus to find out what it’s really like to live with lupus. Here are 7 things to know about living with lupus: 1.Your life will change Living with lupus is a difficult task. While you may have been experiencing symptoms for a while, once you receive a diagnosis and begin treatment, that’s when it becomes real. Your entire life will change. Those “simple pleasures in life”, like making a cup of coffee (or tea) in the morning, going …

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10 Things Not to Say to Someone with Chronic Illness

Patient Experiences / By

The Center of Disease Control reports that six in ten adults in the United States have a chronic illness, like multiple sclerosis, ALS, diabetes, kidney disease, and major depressive disorder. Because chronic illness is so common, it’s likely you have a friend, parent, co-worker, or maybe even you, have one. Chronic illnesses can be tricky because they are often invisible, or may not show more severe symptoms like inability to walk or labored breathing until later stages of the condition. This can make it challenging to know what to say and what not to say when someone you know is dealing with chronic illness. The best way to speak with someone with chronic illness is to come from a place of support and empathy, and more importantly, be a good listener. Here are a few things not to say and what to say to someone with chronic illness:   What Not to Say to Someone with Chronic Illness 1. You don’t look sick While this is usually meant as a compliment and has good intentions, it may imply that someone with chronic illness may be faking it or the illness isn’t severe. Many chronic illnesses are ‘invisible’ and ‘silent’ diseases …

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Health Benefits of Being In Nature

Mental Health, Patient Experiences / By

The pandemic forced many people to spend more time indoors and engaged in technology. Since the start of the pandemic, the average American spent 90 percent of their time indoors. With all this time indoors, Americans spent 7 hours and 50 minutes per day consuming media alone. Now think about how much time you spend on your computer working from home, taking classes, or paying the bills online. With more time spent indoors and increased time spent in front of a screen, it’s no wonder there’s been a significant increase in reports of mental health issues. During the pandemic, about 4 in 10 adults reported symptoms of anxiety or depression. That’s up 30% from 2019. In addition to negative impacts on mental health, many reported difficulty sleeping or eating, increased consumption of alcohol or other substances, and worsening of chronic conditions due to stress. Now that restrictions have loosened, it’s time to put down the phone, close the laptop screen, and take a step outside for a low-cost and effective way to reduce stress and anxiety, improve sleep, regulate metabolism and improve overall health. A study of 20,000 people found that those who spent at least 120 minutes per week outside …

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