This is a serious subject that’s near and dear to my heart because someone I know personally suffers from trigeminal neuralgia, also known as the "Suicide Disease." NBC News says, "Approximately 45,000 people are affected in the U.S. alone," and yet, doctors currently know little — to absolutely nothing — about it.
For many patients, this nerve disease goes undiagnosed for years, and what’s worse, it’s improperly treated. Mostly, teeth are removed in an effort to alleviate the pain, but that’s not the root of the cause.
And if we don’t act fast, more people will succumb to the absolute agony that this disease forces upon them.
"I have a fear that I am not going to be able to teach forever," says Amanda Young, a 39-year-old fitness coach suffering from trigeminal neuralgia. She’s been hosting an annual awareness campaign in the hope of finding a cure and raised over $40,000 last year.
Like Alzheimer's, another disease we know so little about, more people are working hard to raise awareness by sharing their experiences. All too often, we don’t talk about how we’re feeling with others, and that can make it all the more difficult to relate. But small projects have begun to change all of that.
Perhaps by sharing this and spreading the word, not only can we promote finding a cure, but we can help others research more information regarding a disease they didn’t otherwise realize they had.
Information is power, and Young is doing everything she can to raise awareness about trigeminal neuralgia!
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