Health case study: Living with rheumatoid arthritis - skin care equipment

As you once knew, getting a diagnosis of rheumatoid arthritis (RA) does not mean the end of life.
A busy Ms. Naas is proof.
Sinead Gallagher was only 18 years old when her mother died of cancer.
Nevertheless, the brave Dublin girl persisted and became a nurse at St. Vincent's Hospital.
She stayed there for several years before she hit the road.
After a long trip, she came to Australia where she found a nursing job.
She remembered that time with deep affection.
"I could have stayed at home with my family after my mom died, but I think it's my nature to go to Australia.
"I really found myself and my independence there," she said . ".
When she finally returned to St. Vincent, she was 26 years old, but soon after, she decided to continue her career in the business world.
"Care seems much easier in Australia.
There you don't have to do the night shift for a few weeks
This is not the way we are in Ireland.
"So she found a job as a sales representative at a medical company specializing in wound treatment --Treatment products.
This sparked interest in skin health, which led Sinead to do an HDip in wound management and tissue vitality.
Five years later, she moved to another company that sells aesthetics.
Surgical equipment such as lasers and peeling machines have aroused her interest in how skin health works and slowing down the aging process.
A few years ago, Sinead was friendly with Jeanette Dunne, another student nurse at St. Vincent.
They were all ambitious, so they completed a course on how to start a business.
Years later, when they started the Renew aesthetic clinic, the knowledge was good for them.
"We 've always been keen to have our own company, so, eight years ago, we opened our first clinic in Hatcher Street," Sinead said . ".
"We started before everything went well, and while sometimes it was a struggle, we did a good job and now we see bright light at the end of the tunnel.
However, Sinead began experiencing mysterious health problems about 20 months ago.
"I don't feel very good after my last child was born --
"It was generally uncomfortable," she recalled . "
"I feel tired and painful --
I'm not myself.
I attribute it to my busy life, the children and the fact that I have recently given birth to a child.
A few months later, when she was sitting on the sofa with her husband, she realized that she could not move and she was startled.
Finally, with his help, she went upstairs to sleep.
She took painkillers and woke up the next day feeling much better, but was shocked and confused by what happened.
Still, she kept the episode in her mind and continued her busy life.
However, over time, the pain in her joints, especially in her hips, became so severe that she could not lift the baby from her baby bed
Especially in the morning.
So she went to the doctor and had a blood test.
These indicate some form of arthritis.
"I was referred to a rheumatism and after several appointments I was diagnosed with rheumatoid arthritis.
He prescribed the medicine for me and now I am under regular monitoring. ” Sinead says.
Although she is a fully qualified nurse, she is still shocked by the diagnosis.
"I thought you would only get RA if you were much older," she said . ".
"I linked arthritis to swelling in the smaller joints of my hands and fingers.
But it also affects the larger joints.
This is my shoulder and hip for me.
In her case, she said, there was some confusion about the origin of her problem, because 10 years ago she was diagnosed as a dairy.
"It's actually an inflammatory disease in the gut that means I have to eat gluten --free diet.
"It also means that I tend to other inflammatory diseases," she explains . ".
Two months ago, she was also found to have Sjogren syndrome, which causes inflammation of a specific gland, causing dry eyes and mouth.
"They don't know what my main situation is --
Whether it's Sjogren or RA, "explains Sinead.
No matter what the root of her problem is, Sinead feels much better.
"Since I started taking the medicine, my fatigue has been reduced and the joint pain has been almost reduced," she said . ".
She is also very careful about what to eat and she makes sure to exercise regularly.
RA often happens to relatively young people, she said.
Irish arthritis spokesman Stephen O'Farrell agrees: "[RA] is a serious lifelong disease in which the body's immune system attacks joints, causing inflammation, untreated, permanent joint deformity.
"But through the combination of medical and technical, such as pain management, exercise and a healthy diet, people with RA can adapt well to the situation.
"In Ireland, there are about 915,000 people with arthritis, including 1,100 children.
"There are more than 100 types of arthritis, but the most common forms are arthritis [OA], arthritis [also known as rheumatism arthritis] and fibromyalgia," he said . ".
Sinead urges all people who experience pain to conduct a medical survey of their problems because early diagnosis means better long-term treatmentterm outlook.
"This drug helps slow the progress of the disease.
I will have it for the rest of my life
It won't go away, but, with the medicine, it can be managed, "she said.
A year ago, a second updated beauty clinic was opened in Naas, close to where Sinead lives with her husband and their four children, aged from 6 to 20
"At the clinic, we focus on skin care.
"In order to slow down the aging process, you need to use the right products, eat a healthy diet, exercise regularly and have a positive outlook," Sinead said . ".
"Today, the focus of the industry is to improve the quality of the skin, tighten the skin, and carve the face --
This is for your age to look good, not to look much younger.
As for RA, she concluded by saying, "it is important to keep healthy and as healthy as possible --
Having an RA doesn't stop me from doing anything.