Disabilities

What are disabilities?

A disability is any condition of your body or mind that makes it more difficult for you to do one or more major life activities and interact with the world around you.

There are many types of disabilities, such as those that can affect your:

• Vision
• Hearing
• Movement
• Thinking
• Remembering
• Learning
• Communicating
• Development
• Mental health
• Social relationships

More than 1 in 4 adults in the United States have some type of disability. Even though they all have disabilities, they can have a wide range of needs. For example, even people who have same type of disability can be affected in very different ways. Also, some disabilities are "visible" (easy to see), for example when someone is in a wheelchair. But other disabilities are "invisible" (hidden or not easy to see), such as problems with hearing, thinking, or learning.

Disabilities can have different causes. Some disabilities are present at birth, while others may happen later in life.

Causes of disabilities that are present at birth can include:

• Disorders in single genes, such as Duchenne muscular dystrophy
• Disorders of chromosomes, such as Down syndrome
• Exposures (before birth) to infections or substances, such as drugs, alcohol, or cigarettes

Causes of disabilities that happen later in life can include:

• Injuries, such as spinal cord injuries, traumatic brain injuries (TBIs), and back injuries
• Chronic (long-lasting) diseases, such as diabetes, heart disease, kidney disease, COPD, and arthritis
• Cancer
• Mental health problems
• Stroke
• Alzheimer's disease and other causes of dementia

Having a disability does not mean a person cannot be healthy. In fact, many people with disabilities report that their health as good or better. But they may have or be at risk of health problems related to their disability, called "secondary conditions." These conditions may include:

• Bowel or bladder problems
• Chronic pain
• Diabetes
• Fatigue
• Heart disease
• Injuries
• Mental health problems, including depression and substance use disorders
• Overweight and obesity
• Pressure sores or ulcers

Many of these conditions can be prevented, and there are treatments for them. It's also important for people with disabilities to get health care that meets their needs as a whole person, not just as a person with a disability.

Just like for people who don't have a disability, having a healthy lifestyle is important for people who do have a disability. A healthy lifestyle includes:

• Getting regular physical activity
• Eating healthy foods in healthy portions
• Limiting sun exposure and using sunscreen to prevent skin cancer
• Not smoking, and if needed, getting help to quit smoking
• Using medicines wisely
• Not drinking alcohol or drinking in moderation
• Getting help for any substance use or mental health problems
• Staying in touch with family and friends

Managing a disability can sometimes be challenging. There are resources that can help:

• Assistive devices and mobility aids can make daily tasks easier.
• Schools can develop plans around the specific needs of a child with a disability. The goal of the plans is to give the child an opportunity to perform at the same level as other children their age.
• Support networks, such as disability organizations, can help you learn more about resources for you and your family. Support groups can help you connect with other people who have the same disability. They can provide emotional and social support. They are also a place where people can share tips about how to deal with day-to-day challenges.
• Government programs may provide benefits, job training, employment resources, and protection against discrimination.

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention

Dry Mouth

What is saliva?

Saliva, or spit, is made by your salivary glands. It helps keep you and your mouth healthy. For example:

• It moistens and breaks down the foods you eat, which makes it easier for you to chew and swallow.
• It washes away small food pieces from your teeth and gums, which helps fight against tooth decay.
• It contains minerals such as calcium and phosphate, which can also help fight tooth decay.
• It contains antibodies that can fight against infections of the mouth and throat. Antibodies are proteins that your immune system makes to fight foreign substances such as viruses and bacteria.

Having dry mouth, also called xerostomia, means that you don't have enough saliva to keep your mouth wet. Everyone has a dry mouth once in a while, like when you are nervous or stressed. But if you have a dry mouth all or most of the time, it can be uncomfortable. It can make chewing, swallowing, and even talking difficult. It also raises your risk for tooth decay or infections in the mouth.

There are many possible causes of dry mouth, including:

• Side effects of certain medicines, such as some medicines for high blood pressure, depression, and bladder-control issues
• Diseases such as Sjogren's syndrome, HIV, salivary gland disorders, and diabetes
• Radiation therapy, which can damage your salivary glands if they are exposed to radiation during the treatment
• Chemotherapy, which can make your saliva thicker and cause your mouth to feel dry
• Nerve damage, when it involves the nerves that tell salivary glands to make saliva
• Breathing through your mouth
• Use of alcohol, tobacco, or other substances

The symptoms of dry mouth may include:

• A sticky, dry feeling in your mouth
• Trouble chewing, swallowing, tasting, or speaking
• A burning feeling in your mouth
• A dry feeling in your throat
• Cracked lips
• A dry, rough tongue
• Mouth sores
• An infection in your mouth
• Bad breath

If you have dry mouth, it's important to find out the cause. To do that, your health care provider or dentist will review your medical history, examine your mouth, and ask about any medicines you take. They may also suggest blood tests or a test that measures how much saliva you produce.

Treatment for dry mouth depends on the cause. For example, if a medicine is causing dry mouth, your provider or dentist may suggest adjusting the dosage or switching medicines. In some cases, they might give you artificial saliva or a medicine to help your salivary glands work better.

There are also several things you can do to help relieve your symptoms:

• Drink plenty of water
• Avoid drinks with caffeine, which can dry out your mouth
• Chew sugarless gum or suck on sugarless hard candy to stimulate saliva flow
• Avoid spicy or salty foods because they can cause pain if your mouth is dry
• Avoid alcohol and tobacco
• Using a humidifier at night
• Use a mouthwash made for dry mouth

Since dry mouth can raise your risk of tooth decay, it's important to brush and floss your teeth regularly and see your dentist at least twice a year.

NIH: National Institute of Dental and Craniofacial Research

Evaluating Health Information

Why do I need to evaluate health information?

Health information is easy to find. But finding reliable health information takes a little effort. Some of the health information you get from newspapers, magazines, books, TV, the Internet, and social media is up to date and trustworthy. But some is not. That's why it's important to evaluate health information for yourself.

But how can you tell the good from the bad? There are two key steps:

• Ask questions before you trust what you read or hear.
• Discuss the information you find with your health care provider before you rely on it. You may have found good information, but your provider can tell you whether it's good for you.

Asking a few questions will help you decide if you can trust a website. You can usually find most of the answers on the site's "About Us" page. If you can't find information about who runs the website, the site may not be trustworthy, and their health information may be unreliable. Some questions to ask are:

• Who runs the site? Can you trust them to provide balanced, accurate information? Trustworthy sites provide a way to contact the owners with questions or feedback. In general, you'll find good health information on websites run by:
  • Federal government agencies.
  • Medical schools.
  • Large professional or nonprofit organizations. For example, the American College of Cardiology (a professional organization) and the American Heart Association (a nonprofit) and are both reliable sources of information on heart health.
• What's the purpose of the site? Is it to:
  • Inform the public?
  • Sell products or services?
  • Promote the opinions of a person or group?
  A trustworthy website has one goal: To give you good information.
• Who pays for the site?
  • If the site is funded by ads, they should be clearly marked as advertisements. Watch out for ads designed to look like neutral health information.
  • If a business pays for the site, the health information may favor that business and its products.
• Is the health information high quality? Good health information doesn't promote one treatment over another. It gives you balanced facts based on research. So, beware of dramatic writing, promises of cures, and claims that sound too good to be true. Those could be signs of a health fraud scam. To evaluate the quality of a website's information, ask:
  • How is the information selected and reviewed to make sure it's accurate? Check the "About Us" page to see if the site has:
    • An editorial board of health experts
    • A content review process
    • A selection policy for content
    • Information about their writers' qualifications, which may be listed at the bottom of the articles
  • Where does the information come from? The content pages should have links or references to the sources of the information.
  • Is the information up to date? Content pages should include dates when the information was written, reviewed, or updated.
• How does the website use your personal information? Look for a privacy policy section to see how your personal information will be used. Don't share information about yourself unless you're comfortable with any risks involved.

When you find a website that seems to be trustworthy, don't stop there. Look to see if other reliable sites have similar health information.

A social media post may come from someone you know, but that doesn't guarantee it's good information. Many of the questions you use to evaluate a website also work for social media too. Ask where the information comes from, why it exists, and if anyone is funding it.

If you're not sure whether the information you see on social media is trustworthy, don"t share it with others.

Some news stories about medical research may not include all the facts you need to know. Ask these questions:

• Does the story say whether the research involved people or animals?
• If it was people, how many people were in the study and who were they?
• How long was the study?
• What type of study was it?
• Who paid for the research?

If you learn a few tips for understanding medical research, you'll be able to decide if a news story may apply to your health. Then you can discuss the information with your provider.

To evaluate health information in books, ask:

• How old is the book?
• Is the author an expert on the subject?
• Does the book offer different points of view or just those of the author?
• Has the book been reviewed by other experts?
• Does the book list the sources of the content?

After you evaluate health information, talk with your provider before using it to make decisions that may affect your health.

NIH: National Library of Medicine

Female Infertility

Infertility means not being able to get pregnant after at least one year of trying (or 6 months if the woman is over age 35). If a woman keeps having miscarriages, it is also called infertility. Female infertility can result from age, physical problems, hormone problems, and lifestyle or environmental factors.

Most cases of infertility in women result from problems with producing eggs. In primary ovarian insufficiency, the ovaries stop functioning before natural menopause. In polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS), the ovaries may not release an egg regularly or they may not release a healthy egg.

About a third of the time, infertility is because of a problem with the woman. One third of the time, it is a problem with the man. Sometimes no cause can be found.

If you think you might be infertile, see your doctor. There are tests that may tell if you have fertility problems. When it is possible to find the cause, treatments may include medicines, surgery, or assisted reproductive technologies. Happily, many couples treated for infertility are able to have babies.

Dept. of Health and Human Services Office on Women's Health

Financial Assistance

Health care can be costly. If you have health insurance, it usually pays at least part of your medical costs. If you don't have insurance or need help with costs that aren't covered, financial assistance might be available. Certain government programs and nonprofit organizations can help. You can also discuss concerns about paying your medical bills with your health care provider, social worker or the business office of your clinic or hospital.