Wednesday, January 11, 2012

Body Ailments

Every one's body has some quirks... we are all different and that's what make us and life interesting.  So I thought I would share some of my body quirks... just to preface before I get into it, none of these are gross or distributing, so if you're anything like me and don't like hearing about how the body works and the nitty gritty details of that - well, this post is NOT about that... it's about some other things that are not gross in the slightest... so fear not reading ahead!

I've googled some of those things that I've experienced but didn't really know what it was all about... except the first one... that one I've known about for awhile.

Restless Legs Syndrome
I've always had this issue, but only figured out what it was in maybe the last 5-7 years when those commercials would come on advertising medicine for it... then it was like oh yeah, that's totally what I have!  As the name pretty much states - my legs are restless.  While the article explains - if can effect other parts of the body, mine is most always in my legs.  I am actually experiencing this right now which is what inspired this post.  I basically get a sensation in my leg... it's a bit painful but mostly super uncomfortable.  I get some relief by shaking my leg, but as soon as I stop the sensation comes back.  It also says that the symptoms usually occur at night or when relaxing... which is very true.  I don't normally get it during the day, but today it's happening!  This line resonated with me "In addition, most individuals with RLS have limb jerking during sleep, which is an objective physiologic marker of the disorder and is associated with sleep disruption."  I am a very jerky sleeper and will toss and turn most of the night trying to get comfortable.  This goes past nights that I have RLS.  Luckily for me it doesn't happen all that often - but when it does it's just super duper annoying!!

Keratosis pilaris
This is a skin condition that causes small red bumps on my skin.  I mostly have it on my upper legs but it pops up in other locations.  There's a picture at that link - most often than not mine are not that red.  The article points out that this resembles goose bumps.  It sounds like it effects pretty many people... I didn't really realize it was anything until I typed it into google a month or so ago.  From what I can tell, there's not much I can do about it.  They don't really bother me, but I would have nicer legs if they went away... that and they were tanned.

Oral Allergy Syndrome
This one is a weird one, that I've sense realized effects a lot of people.  It's what I call a fresh fruit allergy.  Anytime I eat specific fresh fruit my mouth gets all itchy feeling and a bit swollen (although you can't necessary see any visual symptoms.)  Certain fruit effects me more than others - apples are especially bad as are fresh cherries.  It's gotten worse in the last couple of years.  I feel like nearly all fruit (and some veggies) do it to a certain extent.  What that article explains is it's related to hay fever and how the fruit is pollinated.  This allergy isn't life threatening, but it's certainly annoying and I don't eat a lot of fresh fruit because of it.  If I cook the fruit or is in a dish - it usually doesn't bother me.  It's taken me awhile to figure out what this is (although Dr. Google found in in like .03 seconds so why I didn't google is beyond me.)  At first I think people thought I was crazy.  Then I thought it had something to do with fruit not being washed properly or something the farmers sprayed (insecticides maybe?).  Then someone told me it was related to the skin of the fruit.  That one actually made sense for awhile... When it was getting worse and it was a slow day at work I googled it and came across this.  It's nice to have a label for it... but still sucks that fresh fruit may bother me forver... ho-hum.

As with all of these articles... it's nice to read something and realize that's what I have.  Especially with OAS - I was reading my symptoms to a T.  Everything made perfect sense.  I really don't try Dr. Google a lot because it's an easy way to just freak yourself out.  But with these minor conditions - it's nice to know what's going on.

Do any of these sound familiar to you?  Have you ever heard of OAS?

1 comment:

Anonymous said...

Hi Jenn... Thought I would post a comment on the OAS while I am making new files at work... I hadn't heard of that, but know that Karly has this same sensation with peaches and pineapple. I'll have to tell her this evening...

Love your posts -- always brings a smile to my face...

Have a great day...

Love,

Pat