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Because Digestive Health Matters |
International Foundation for Gastrointestinal Disorders September 2022 eNewsletter |
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Greetings!
September is Chronic Pain Awareness Month. Chronic pain affects an estimated 30 to 50 million Americans and is defined as continuous or intermittent pain lasting longer than six months. Many people experiencing functional gastrointestinal (GI) motility disorders experience chronic pain along with other symptoms.
Chronic pain often results in many personal and social complications. The social costs of disability and lost productivity total more than $100 billion annually.
This month, we will look at a few GI conditions commonly associated with pain, ways to manage or cope with pain, and how to best communicate your symptoms with your healthcare provider.
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Malnutrition Awareness Week is September 19-23, 2022.
Malnutrition Awareness Week is a time to help to educate healthcare prodivers on how to identify malnutrition early, bring awareness to the importance of nutrition on patient recovery, and express the importance of patients discussing nutrition with their healthcare providers.
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Malnutrition is a condition that develops when the body is in need of vitamins, minerals, and other nutrients to maintain healthy tissues and organ function. This occurs either as a result of a poor diet or problems absorbing nutrients from food.
Various GI disorders can lead to malnutrition, including short bowel syndrome. Short bowel syndrome is a group of problems related to poor absorption of nutrients experienced by those who have had half or more of their small intestine removed. Not enough bowel is left to absorb needed nutrition and fluid.
Click here to read more about short bowel syndrome and malnutrition. |
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IFFGD has compiled a library of publications, including brochures, articles, and over 300 patient-friendly fact sheets. They have been written and reviewed by leading healthcare providers in the GI field. We created this database of resources to help educate and inform patients and caregivers about gastrointestinal disorders and digestive health.
These resources cover various topics ranging from neurobiology and GI disorders to how to talk to your healthcare provider, and so much more. The publications in this library are free.
Click the button below to start exploring.
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Functional gastrointestinal (GI) and motility disorders have a wide range of symptoms among patients. Managing these disorders requires a lot of patient input and spending time with your healthcare provider. To make the most of these appointments, it is important to know how to effectively communicate with your healthcare provider.
The sensitivity of GI conditions can make it challenging to express how you feel in a way that your healthcare provider can understand. So, what are the ingredients that comprise successful provider-patient communication about functional GI disorders and pain?
Click the button below to learn more about how to describe your pain from Dr. Darren Brenner of Northwestern University.
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The 2022 Virtual Education and Advocacy Event is a free event hosted by IFFGD where we will educate the community about access to healthcare and treatment and how to best advocate for yourself in the medical field. Due to COVID-19 protocols, the event will be virtual and available as a YouTube Premiere on October 15th.
The educational event will cover a variety of advocacy topics including how to utilize patient assistance programs, understanding and navigating insurance for selecting the right plan, appeals processes and so much more.
In addition to the educational portion, IFFGD representatives will contact Congressional Representatives on Monday, October 3, 2022. Our goal is to show representatives the importance of removing barriers that restrict patient access to health care. We need your help to make sure that the voices of the GI patient community are heard. Consider submitting a personal story about how living with a chronic GI disorder has impacted your life. We will deliver these stories to your Congressional Representatives on Monday, October 3rd.
If you are interested in sharing your story, click here to get started. To ensure inclusion in the event, submit no later than Monday, September 26, 2022.
Click here to register for the virtual event link and tune in to our YouTube premiere on October 15th to learn how to advocate for yourself in health care. |
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With the start of school just around the corner, being back in person brings excitement and also anxiety for many families, especially those with children suffering from GI disorders.
Functional GI and motility disorders, such as irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) and centrally mediated abdominal pain syndrome (CAPS), are chronic conditions that affect people of all ages, including children and teens. Balancing school-related demands with one of these disorders can be challenging.
If your child has been diagnosed with a functional GI or motility disorder, click the link below for tips to help navigate this exciting yet challenging time.
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3 out of 10 people in the US have experienced chronic pain at one time or another. Pain is the number one problem that brings patients to healthcare providers.
Chronic pain is defined as continuous or intermittent pain lasting longer than 6 months. This pain disrupts daily activities, often negatively affecting personal, social, and professional relationships.
Chronic pain can lead to disability and extreme emotional suffering, preventing those affected from participating in personal and professional activities. It can be disheartening, but there are things you can do to help.
If you or a loved one is suffering from chronic pain, it is important to work with your healthcare provider to develop a pain management plan that works for you.
Click the button below to learn about 8 ways to manage chronic pain.
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Clinical trials and research studies help to improve our understanding of the underlying mechanisms of diseases and advance the development of new and better treatment options. By participating in a study, you can help further the advancement of research and learn more about your condition.
Here are 3 studies currently recruiting participants:
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Improving Diagnostic Standards in Dysphagia |
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Comparison of Surgery and Medicine on the Impact of Diverticulitis |
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Effects of Tradipitant on Satiation, Gastric Volume, Gastric Accommodation, and Gastric Emptying in Healthy Volunteers |
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Michele Harris McCorkle has over 34 years of experience in the Human Services Field. She is a retiree from Pitt County Department of Social Services, Greenville NC where she served the public for approximately 32 years.
Due to her leadership skills, the department successfully reorganized, created a new Division (Family Support Services), and named her as the Program Administrator. She served as the Program Administrator for the Family Support Services Division which consisted of Child Support, Child Care Subsidy, Work First Employment, Food and Nutrition Services Employment, Child Support Employment Services, Crisis Intervention and Non-Emergency Medicaid Transportation.
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Throughout Ms. McCorkle’s career she displayed the highest degree of professionalism through her honesty, commitment, and loyalty. Ms. McCorkle was well respected by her co-workers and citizens of Pitt County, NC. Under her leadership, Child Support Services received 2 state awards and recorded its highest collection year ever for FY 2020.
In addition to direct service provision as a caseworker and agent, Ms. McCorkle has over 22 years of experience in supervision, management, and leadership positions. She has been a member of the North Carolina Child Support Council since 1995 and served as a Board of Director from 2000- 2008, and also served on the Executive Board as Treasurer.
Prior to joining the child support unit, she worked as an income maintenance caseworker in the Aid to Families with Dependent Children and the Medicaid program. Ms. McCorkle served on a variety of committees with North Carolina Child Support Services including the Journey to Excellence Committee and Policy Modification and Liaison Committee. She previously served on the Pitt County NC Pre-K committee, the Pitt/Beaufort/Martin EIC, Inc. Policy Council Board and the Pitt Area Transit Advisory Board.
She holds a B.A. degree in Psychology from East Carolina University Greenville NC.
As a retiree she now continues her passion for serving others as a member of our IFFGD Board of Directors.
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IFFGD is a nonprofit organization. We rely on donor support to fund research and to provide reliable information and support to those affected by chronic gastrointestinal disorders.
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