The month of May is recognized as Myositis Awareness Month. The ultimate goal is to help spread awareness and educate both the general public and the healthcare field about myositis, a group of rare conditions that cause muscle inflammation and swelling. Ultimately, improving awareness means improving outcomes for patients. The Myositis Association (TMA) says that it takes an average of three and a half years for patients with autoimmune diseases like myositis to get the correct diagnosis. In this time span, patients are suffering and seeing their disease progress.
About Myositis
Myositis, strictly defined, means a condition of swelling and inflammation affecting muscle. There are a variety of causes, such as infections and injuries. It is also a documented side effect of lipid-lowering therapies such as statins. However, when myositis appears on its own, it is typically the result of an autoimmune disorder, in which the body’s immune system mistakenly attacks healthy tissue. There are many different forms of myositis. Symptoms of myositis vary depending on the type and which muscles are affected, but can include muscle weakness, swelling, muscle pain, rash, thickened skin on the hands, problems with breathing, problems with swallowing, and falls. Treatment can vary depending on the cause; myositis caused by drugs can be addressed by halting the treatment and myositis from infections can resolve by treating the underlying infection. When it is the result of an autoimmune disorder, immunosuppressants such as prednisone, methotrexate, and azathioprine may be used. To learn more about myositis, click here.
TMA has several different ways that people can get involved:
- Check your TV: If you have Roku, Apple TV, or Amazon Fire Stick, find the Talk Business app and search myositis to find the association’s two minute Services Video.
- Share your story: Are you a myositis patient? Talk to friends, family, coworkers, about your experience and talk about it on your social media platforms. Check out these patient stories here to get inspired.
- Start a fundraiser: TMA has resources and starter guide about how to raise money for research. Learn more about it here.
- Donate to the TMA: The organization is supporting critical research that aims to improve outcomes for patients living with the disease. Click here to give.
- Spread the world on social media: Use TMA’s awareness guide (found here) to learn how to maximize your impact using social media.
- Talk to physicians: Too many physicians are still in the dark about this disease. Email your doctor TMA’s physician’s guide (found here) to help them get informed.
- Join an event: The TMA is hosting several online events throughout the month:
For more information and resources, click here.
