It was nearly a decade ago when Shekita Green first experienced severe nerve pain, followed a month later by dizziness, nausea, and vomiting. Shekita, now 38 and living in Spring, TX, went to the ER several times, but at each visit the doctors ran the same basic tests and came up empty. The hospital finally referred Shekita to a neurologist, who was certain that she had vertigo, a benign condition of periodic dizziness. Shekita tried her best to live with her symptoms despite the eye twitches and balance problems that periodically caused her to fall. Then, seven years after her first symptoms appeared, her legs started to go numb and the vomiting resumed; she dropped 20 pounds in two weeks.
Shekita knew she was suffering from something more serious than vertigo. Doctors "kept thinking I was overreacting, but I was so desperate for a diagnosis," she says. During her fifth hospital visit, Shekita was finally given an MRI. That test, along with bloodwork and spinal fluid analysis, led to the correct conclusion: Shekita had the rare autoimmune disease neuromyelitis optica spectrum disorder (NMOSD). Physical therapy and medication now help keep her symptoms in check, but her bladder and bowels have been severely damaged and she needs a wheelchair to get around. Shekita is convinced that her disability wouldn't be as bad had doctors looked more closely early on. "If I had been properly diagnosed when they saw obvious signs of neurological effects, I would have gotten on a preventive medication and wouldn't be where I am now," she says.
Bu hikaye Prevention US dergisinin November 2022 sayısından alınmıştır.
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Bu hikaye Prevention US dergisinin November 2022 sayısından alınmıştır.
Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 9,000+ magazines and newspapers.
Already a subscriber? Giriş Yap
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Prevention's loyal readers are walking superfans, so we know you're aware of the boundless benefits of walking a regular routine keeps you fit and helps you maintain muscle strength (crucial during later-life years), and walking is fantastic for flexibility and balance. Yet here's one win from walking that you might not know as much about: It's a proven pain reducer.
A Solo Trip at 55 Boosted My Confidence - When I retired, a big, beautiful world opened up to me.
I had never taken a solo vacation before, and when I arrived in St. Maarten two years ago, the fact that I was traveling alone really hit me. I was 55 and divorced, and very apprehensive and self-conscious: With whom would I have dinner? With whom would I sit at the bar? But I put on my big-girl pants the first night and told myself I would grab a bite to eat and then head back to my room and read a book.It didn't turn out that way. I met a fabulous group of other retired women and men, and we talked and danced and drank and laughed all night. We hung out periodically throughout the week, whether at the pool or joining one another for dinner or drinks.
Hormones, ADHD, and the Midlife Balancing Act - Being in perimenopause is all kinds of challenging. Now more women are discovering that their brain fog, lack of impulse control, and constant feeling of distraction may be a clue to something else entirely.
Being in perimenopause is all kinds of challenging. Now more women are discovering that their brain fog, lack of impulse control, and constant feeling of distraction may be a clue to something else entirely. Melanie Hutchinson had always been messy, but in 2020, as she entered her 50s, her home became overrun with clutter. A mountain of laundry overtook her bedroom and piles of paper and junk accumulated everywhere. Before Zoom meetings, she'd hurriedly throw things into laundry baskets and stash them in the basement to avoid an embarrassing background.
Ease Your Allergies - These holistic remedies may provide relief from seasonal symptoms.
For people with seasonal allergies, sniffling and sneezing are just the tip of the drippy, itchy iceberg. And symptoms can range from mildly annoying to truly debilitating.Seasonal allergies, also known as hay fever, are allergic reactions to airborne allergens like pollen and mold spores, says Katie Marks-Cogan, M.D., an allergist at Clear Allergy in Culver City, CA. Normally harmless, certain allergens can prompt an immune response in some people, leading to itchy, watery eyes; sneezing; runny nose; congestion; coughing; and shortness of breath.
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5 Myths About Arthritis- Creaky joints are a pain, but some facts” about them are pretty twisted.
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What's Up With...Smelly Gas - You can blame it on the dog, but it happens to everyone.
The average person toots around 14 times a day-it's how your body releases the extra gas that accumulates when you swallow air and digest food, says Shilpa Ravella, M.D., author of A Silent Fire: The Story of Inflammation, Diet, and Disease. If you chew gum or smoke, you'll have even more gas buildup, she adds.
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YOU KNOW THAT EATING MORE CALORIES THAN YOU BURN can cause your body to accumulate fat.
