Today I was inspired by stellar human being @ohyoustrangegirl to #take5forfibro. Taking just 5 minutes to learn more about a disease can mean a better understanding of what folks with that disease live with. With fibro being the 2nd most common rheumatic disorder (a medical condition that impairs joints and/or soft tissues & causes chronic pain), affecting around 5 million Americans (80-90% of which are women), chances are someone you know is living with fibro. In spite of that, there is still no clear understanding of what causes fibro. Though it's not fatal and doesn't damage joints, folks with this disease experience chronic pain and fatigue that can get better with time or last a lifetime. With an unclear understanding of why fibro manifests and only 3 FDA-aporoved fibro-specific treatments available, treatment often requires a team approach, and folks often struggle to assemble a team with both the knowledge and empathy to provide the care they need. I learned all this in 5 minutes. What could you learn if you took 5?
