Man Who Inspired ALS Ice Bucket Challenge Dies at Age 46

This article originally appeared on Time.com.

Anthony Senerchia Jr., who was an inspiration for the viral ALS Ice Bucket Challenge, died on Saturday at the age of 46, ending a 14-year battle with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis.

“He worked tirelessly to raise awareness for ALS and was directly responsible for the world-renowned Ice bucket challenge,” his obituary said, calling him “a fireball who tried everything in life.”

Senerchia was diagnosed with ALS, commonly known as Lou Gehrig’s disease, in 2003.

“It’s a difficult disease and tough when you’re losing,” his wife, Jeanette, told the Journal News Media Group. “Your body is failing you. But he was a fighter… He was our light. He made our life better.”

The ALS Ice Bucket Challenge went viral and raised $115 million during two months in 2014 — money that went largely to fund research. And Anthony Senerchia played a significant role in getting it started.

When Jeanette Senerchia’s cousin, golfer Chris Kennedy, was nominated early on to participate in the challenge, it was not yet specifically connected to ALS. But when Kennedy passed along the challenge to others, he chose the ALS Association as a beneficiary because of Anthony Senerchia’s battle with the disease. It took off from there.

“What started out as a small gesture to put a smile on Anthony’s face and bring some awareness to this terrible disease has turned into a national phenomenon,” Kennedy told TIME in 2014, “and it is something we never could have dreamed of.”

from Tinnitus Treatment http://ift.tt/2AHS9lq via redirected here
from Tumblr http://ift.tt/2AKCwK4

4 Signs You Should See Another Doctor for a Second Opinion

[brightcove:5476567384001 default]

You leave your doctor’s office with a gnawing doubt. She’s the one with the MD, of course. But something’s not right. Should you get a second opinion? Yes, say experts, and don’t think twice. A fresh perspective can make all the difference for your health. Here, a few good reasons to schedule another appointment.

1. There’s been no mention of a specific diagnosis. Even before your doc IDs your ailment, she should be able to tell you what’s likely going on—or at least the range of possibilities, says Leana Wen, MD, author of When Doctors Don’t Listen ($13; amazon.com). “If she doesn’t, that’s a big red flag,” she says.

2. Your own research doesn’t match up. Once you have a diagnosis—and you’ve Googled the heck out of it—don’t be afraid to question your doc’s conclusion. “Does it really explain how you’re feeling?” says Dr. Wen. Do your symptoms align with the descriptions on reputable health sites? “If not, talk to your doc— and if you still have concerns, see someone else.”

3. You’re hearing about only one possible treatment. “In nearly every case, there is more than one treatment option,” says Dr. Wen. “And sometimes a viable option is watchful waiting.” Your provider should present multiple alternatives, along with their pros and cons, so you can decide what’s best for you.

4. You just don’t trust your doctor. If you don’t think she’s taking you seriously, or if you have any doubts about her competence, find a different expert, says Health medical editor Roshini Rajapaksa, MD. “It’s your body, so follow your instincts,” she says. “It never hurts to get a second opinion.”

from Tinnitus Treatment http://ift.tt/2hVMWyD via redirected here
from Tumblr http://ift.tt/2BcXsWZ

This Model Has Embraced Her Belly Rolls in the Most Playful Way

Empowering 'Don't Label Me' Project Helps Women Stand Up to Body Shaming

Aaron Hernandez's Brain Suffered Severe Damage From CTE, Doctor Says

This article originally appeared on Time.com.

(BOSTON) — Former New England Patriots player Aaron Hernandez suffered severe damage to parts of the brain that play an important role in memory, impulse control and behavior, a researcher who studied his brain said Thursday.

Dr. Ann McKee, director of the CTE Center at Boston University, said she could not “connect the dots” between Hernandez’s severe case of chronic traumatic encephalopathy, which is linked to repeated blows to the head, and his behavior. The 27-year-old hanged himself in April, while serving life in prison for murder.

But McKee said she says Hernandez experienced substantial damage to key parts of the brain, including the hippocampus — which is important to memory — and the frontal lobe, which is involved in problem solving, judgment and behavior.

“In any individual we can’t take the pathology and explain the behavior,” said McKee, who has studied hundreds of brains from football players, college athletes and even younger players, donated after their deaths. “But we can say collectively, in our collective experience, individuals with CTE — and CTE of this severity — have difficulty with impulse control, decision-making, inhibition of impulses or aggression, often emotional volatility and rage behaviors,” she said.

Hernandez hanged himself in prison days after he was acquitted in the 2012 drive-by shootings of two men in Boston and just hours before his former teammates visited the White House to celebrate their latest Super Bowl victory.

Prosecutors claimed he gunned the two men down after one accidentally spilled a drink on him in a nightclub — and then got a tattoo of a handgun and the words “God Forgives” to commemorate the crime.

He had been serving a life sentence without parole in the 2013 killing of semi-professional football player Odin Lloyd when he killed himself in April.

Hernandez, who said he was innocent, did not raise CTE in his defense at either trial.

But after his death and September CTE diagnosis, his attorneys filed a lawsuit against the NFL and football helmet maker Riddell, accusing them of failing to warn Hernandez about the dangers of football. The lawsuit, which seeks damages for Hernandez’s young daughter, said he experienced a “chaotic and horrendous existence” because of his disease.

Hernandez inherited a genetic profile that may have made him more susceptible to developing the disease, McKee said. She said Hernandez had the most severe case of CTE they’ve seen in someone his age. Hernandez was diagnosed with Stage 3, out of 4, of the disease.

While the outside of Hernandez’s brain appeared normal, the inside showed evidence of previous small hemorrhages, which experts associate with head impacts. Other parts of his brain had begun to shrink and show large holes in the membrane, McKee said.

“Individuals with similar gross findings at autopsy were at least 46 years old at the time of death,” McKee said.

from Tinnitus Treatment http://ift.tt/2ztpKhY via redirected here
from Tumblr http://ift.tt/2ypCLFM

What Is Alopecia?

Alopecia is an umbrella term for many types of hair loss. Watch the video to learn what exactly alopecia is.

from Tinnitus Treatment http://ift.tt/2jhDV3k via redirected here

from Tumblr http://ift.tt/2AAwQz6

Olympic Gymnast Aly Raisman Reveals Sexual Abuse By Team Doctor Larry Nassar

[brightcove:5637174475001 default]

This article originally appeared on Time.com.

Aly Raisman, a six-time Olympic medalist and one of the most accomplished gymnasts in U.S. history, says she was sexually abused by Dr. Larry Nassar, who worked as the women’s gymnastics national team doctor for decades.

Raisman is the second member of the gold medal-winning 2012 Olympic women’s team to accuse Nassar of abuse. In October, her teammate McKayla Maroney tweeted that Nassar molested her for years, beginning when she was 13. Raisman disclosed the abuse in an interview scheduled to air Sunday on CBS’ 60 Minutes, as well as in her new book, Fierce.

Nassar, who worked as a volunteer doctor for USA Gymnastics, is currently in jail awaiting sentencing after pleading guilty to child pornography charges in Michigan. He is also named in more than 100 lawsuits filed by gymnasts and athletes he treated while working with USA Gymnastics and at Michigan State University. Those suits claim he sexually abused athletes under the guise of medical treatment. Nassar resigned from USA Gymnastics in the summer of 2015.

In the interview, Raisman says she spoke to FBI investigators about Nassar after competing at the Olympic Games in Rio de Janiero in 2016, after an investigation by the Indianapolis Star revealed that USA Gymnastics had a policy of not reporting sexual abuse reports unless they were filed by the victims or a parent.

Raisman, who competed on the 2012 and 2016 Olympic teams and is the nation’s second most decorated female Olympic gymnast, is pushing for change at USA Gymnastics, which governs the sport and oversees the selection of world and Olympic teams.

“I am angry,” she said in the 60 Minutes interview. “I just want to create change so [that young girls] never, ever have to go through this.”

In a statement to the program, USA Gymnastics said it has adopted new policies that require “mandatory reporting” of any potential abuse. “USA Gymnastics is very sorry that any athlete has been harmed…we want to work with Aly and all interested athletes to keep athletes safe.”

from Tinnitus Treatment http://ift.tt/2zMod7j via redirected here
from Tumblr http://ift.tt/2ypCItA