Aware of Rare

NEUROLOGICAL: Transverse Myelitis (ft. Elise's Story)

A big thank you to Elise for sharing her story for this episode! In this episode of Aware of Rare, I am discussing transverse myelitis, a very rare neurological condition with ~1,400 cases in the United States each year. Transverse myelitis occurs when one or more areas of the spinal cord become damaged or inflamed, typically due to parasites, viruses, or vaccines. The myelin sheaths of neurons in the inflamed areas becomes damage, affecting the way electrical impulses are sent through nerves. This can cause symptoms such as joint pain, weakness, paralysis, bladder control dysfunction, constipation, sensitivity to light touching or temperatures, and more. Learn more about causes, symptoms, diagnosis, and treatment in this episode! Pictures and resources for this episode can be found on the podcast Instagram page (@awareofrare).

VASCULAR COMPRESSION: Nutcracker Syndrome (ft. Grace Moseley's Story)

Nutcracker Syndrome is a rare vascular compression that occurs when the left renal vein is compressed, most commonly between the superior mesenteric artery and the abdominal aorta. It is unknown how many people suffer from Nutcracker Syndrome, but it is rare and hard to find appropriate medical care for. In this episode of Aware of Rare, I discuss symptoms, causes, diagnostic process, and potential treatment of Nutcracker Syndrome.  Thank you to Grace Moseley for allowing me to share her story for today's episode! If you'd like to learn more about Grace and her story, you can follow her on Instagram (@everydayhopeandgrace).  All pictures I refer to in this episode can be found currently on my Nutcracker Syndrome Instagram post found @awareofrare. A website with show notes should be coming soon for upcoming episodes. If you would like to suggest a condition for me to research and create a podcast episode about, go to @awareofrare on Instagram and click the Google Form in my bio. Please note that there are already a lot of recommendations so there's no guarantee that your suggested condition will be covered soon. Suggestions are always appreciated!

Welcome to Aware of Rare!

Hello and welcome to Aware of Rare! My name is Ashley Hewitt and the purpose behind this podcast is to spread awareness for rare conditions or those that don’t get enough awareness. I’m so excited to learn more about these conditions and I hope you are too! Would you like to request a disease for me to cover? For now, head over to my main Instagram (@autoimmunewithashley) and click on the link in my bio.