Cupping, Gua Sha, and Acupuncture: Can They Help with Arthritis and Chronic Pain?

Posted on May 17, 2018 by Arthritis Ashley • 1 Comment

Most of you know that I am a big fan of integrative medicine: a mix of natural or alternative methodologies and traditional pharmaceutical treatments. In fact, one of the first “real” published articles I wrote was in a local magazine (called South Fayette & Neighbors, now known as IN South Fayette,) in 2006, and it … Continue reading →

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Your Story Counts: Help Further Autoimmune Disease Research Today

Posted on October 12, 2017 by Arthritis Ashley • Leave a comment

Autoimmune diseases can be serious, and the following video includes just some of the faces of the millions of people who live with these often-invisible illnesses. Today is #WorldArthritisDay. I personally live with just one of many autoimmune forms of arthritis. But did you know that arthritis, and joint & muscle pain, are also common … Continue reading →

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When Stars Get Sick: Glamorizing Illness or Bringing Awareness?

Posted on September 18, 2017 by Arthritis Ashley • 2 Comments

It never fails to amaze me how fired up people on the Internet get about celebrities. Like, okay … I’ve been guilty of it to an extent. I’m an admitted fangirl. I’m proudly in the “fandoms” of Britney Spears, Lady Gaga, Justin Timberlake, Taylor Swift, Beyonce, Ed Sheeran, and Oprah. I’m a Grey’s Anatomy lifer. … Continue reading →

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My Joints Are 90 Years Old, But That’s OK

Posted on August 1, 2017 by Arthritis Ashley • 2 Comments

✨✨ Long post, but I promise it has a point. Please read to the end! (And please excuse typos.) ✨✨ In the past year, I have been told by orthopedic surgeons that my right knee looks like an 80-year-old’s. I was told that my right foot and ankle look like a 90-year-old. And yesterday, that my … Continue reading →

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#Longread: LEMONADE: Who Would I Be Without My Lemons?

Posted on February 12, 2017 by Arthritis Ashley • 10 Comments

“Oh, stars in her eyes, She fights and she sweats those sleepless nights, But she don’t mind, she loves the grind, She grinds from Monday to Friday, Works from Friday to Sunday…” – ‘6-Inch,’ Beyoncé, Lemonade. Beyonce and Lemonade The above quote is from a song off of Beyoncé’s album, Lemonade. You see, the Grammy Awards are tonight. Grammys … Continue reading →

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#Longread: The Emotions of Thinking and Talking About Illness

Posted on January 19, 2017 by Arthritis Ashley • 1 Comment

I’ve written and posted before about hiding our pain to spare the feelings of others, and many similar topics of conversation. I have also written about the emotions of guilt, resentment, and burden that can accompany a lifelong illness or disability. I decided to revisit the topic and reframe it in a couple of new ways. The first … Continue reading →

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All About the Autoimmune Registry

Posted on January 13, 2017 by Arthritis Ashley • Leave a comment

Guys, I’m really excited to be working with a great new 501c3 nonprofit called The Autoimmune Registry. We are in the process of creating a hub for research, statistics, and patient data on all autoimmune illnesses. We also aim to establish prevalence of these disease, as right now the estimates for autoimmune disease prevalence are all … Continue reading →

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The Problem with Negativity: And Why Being Positive Doesn’t Hurt

Posted on July 7, 2016 by Arthritis Ashley • Leave a comment

Let’s be honest: no one can be positive all the time. To do so simply wouldn’t be human. I highly doubt that there is one person on this earth who has never been unhappy or felt pessimistic, who is always happy and positive at all times, and without fail. If so, I would like to … Continue reading →

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Thoughts & Updates from Arthritis Ashley

Posted on June 30, 2016 by Arthritis Ashley • 3 Comments

I haven’t updated this Arthritis Ashley blog in a while (I barely find time to post to my main website abshuck.com and haven’t posted to my entertainment blog Glitzburgh in about a year. Eek!) However, I do want to share some thoughts and updates with all of you, my loyal readers! I’m glad that many … Continue reading →

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When Celebrities Do Good: Thank You, Taylor Swift, Lady Gaga, and Robin Roberts!

Posted on June 8, 2015 by Arthritis Ashley • 2 Comments

♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥ Lately, I’ve been thinking about celebrities who use their fame for good. Sure, there are tons of recent examples: Beyonce is aiming to start a vegan revolution, Paula Abdul has worked tirelessly for pain causes and lupus organizations, the Kardashian and Jenner families have opened the eyes of many to transgender issues, and actress … Continue reading →