September highlights a few important health observances. Pain Awareness Month highlights the general aches and pains that affect the daily lives of millions. Helping patients solve these aches and pains by getting to the root of the problem is a key focus of the team at Integracare.
This month also highlights Leukemia Awareness Month and National Cholesterol Education.
Learn about September’s national health observances so you can get important reminders, and interesting facts, and make small changes for your health this month!
Pain Awareness Month
A staggering 100 million Americans are estimated to be living with some form of chronic pain. Pain is among the most common reasons someone makes an appointment at our office (for family practice, chiropractic, or physical therapy).
Pain Awareness Month highlights that we are all in this together as we work to understand, prevent, and treat our chronic pain. Learn about some of the most common forms of chronic pain.
Leukemia Awareness Month
Highlighting all blood-related cancers, Leukemia Awareness Month shines a spotlight on the need for blood donations for patients treated for blood-based cancer.
Leukemia occurs when “blood cells acquire DNA mutations that cause the number of the body’s white blood cells to radically increase, crowding out the red blood cells and platelets the body needs to remain healthy” as described by the National Cancer Center.
Patients with leukemia or other blood-related cancers rely on blood transfusions to help replace their red cells, platelets, and other blood components. There is a year-round need for blood donations because the amount of time blood can be stored after being donated is finite.
By donating blood, you can make a difference for patients with leukemia or other blood-related cancers.
National Cholesterol Education Month
September also raises awareness for cholesterol, the waxy substance found in your blood. Your liver makes cholesterol that your body needs, but you can also increase your cholesterol by eating fatty foods.
There are two types of cholesterol, LDL, which is the cholesterol you can have too much of circulating in your body can increase your risk of heart disease and stroke.
The other is HDL, which is considered the “good cholesterol” because it helps move bad cholesterol to your liver where it can be flushed out of your body.
Take time this month to learn about cholesterol and consider having your cholesterol checked through a blood test.