- On Tuesday’s episode of The Talk, Carrie Ann Inaba talked about her struggles with autoimmune d.
- The show’s co-host shared that she feels “so much shame” and is currently battling a fibromyalgia flare.
- Despite the challenge of sharing this information, Carrie Ann wants to encourage others to not be embarrassed.
On Tuesday, Carrie Ann Inaba, 51, opened up to the audience of The Talk—and the world—about her health, revealing that she suffers from “all of these autoimmune conditions.”
“I feel so much shame when I go through these things, because I want to be what people see. And people see a healthy person, from the outside,” Carrie Ann explained. “I look healthy—and I am really healthy, all things considered—but then I have these incredible sharp pains like today [the hairstylist] was doing my hair and he barely touched me but I thought he burnt me with a curling iron because my body is in a fibromyalgia flare.”
Carrie Ann referred to her fibromyalgia as an “invisible illness” because it’s not evident to the naked eye. But for the patient, the condition’s presence is undeniable, causing widespread pain, sleep problems, and often emotional and mental distress, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).
Despite her suffering and distress, the Dancing With the Stars judge knows that she’s not alone. In fact, fibromyalgia affects 4 million American adults, one being Lady Gaga, which is exactly why Carrie Ann pushed through the challenge of opening up: “I want to encourage people because even though I feel shame, I know that at the same time I shouldn’t feel shame about it because it’s something that I’m just going through. And like I actually want to talk more about it and I’m grateful to have a platform.”
Happy Tuesday! Today we talked about #invisibleillness and how debilitating it can be. I shared my story and my current struggle with my invisible Illnesses. I have a few autoimmune syndromes and I’m currently in a pretty bad flare.😕. The pain has been very challenging this time… for those of you who know – flares come in all different shapes and sizes. I’ve been good at finding solutions that work for me and at managing the pain and difficulties of my previous flare ups but this one has been tougher than usual. And it has humbled me once again. Most Autoimmune syndromes come with friends. I have Sjögren’s syndrome, Fibromyalgia, and Rheumatoid Arthritis with markers for APL syndrome. And I share this so that others will not feel so alone with their own menu of conditions. You probably would not guess that behind that smile, I’m in a lot of pain. But I know my fellow #warriors out there understand… and I will not give up trying to heal myself and find solutions. I will also not stop smiling because that is something I can do despite the pain. It’s a never ending rollercoaster, this journey, but it’s mine and I have also learned beautiful things from it. I am so grateful I have an amazing support system of friends and family and the beautiful ladies of @thetalkcbs who touched my heart deeply with their love and support today. It makes the journey so much better. Feeling grateful. 🙏 May we all keep lifting each other up by sharing our stories so that we can find healing and share it with each other. #autoimmunedisease #fibromyalgia #sjogrenssyndrome #rheumatoidarthritis #pain #invisibleillness #warriors #carrieannconversations #thetalk #gratitude #lifelessons #life #healthandwellness
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This isn’t Carrie Ann’s first time talking about her health. In an interview with People in January, she described her struggles with chronic pain as exhausting.
For Carrie Ann, pain is a “life stealer” and has been challenging her since 2007, when she was diagnosed with spinal stenosis, a narrowing of the spinal canal that can cause pain and numbness, according to the U.S. National Library of Medicine (NLM).
Six years later, in 2013, the dancer-turned-TV personality faced another diagnosis. This time, Sjogren’s syndrome, another autoimmune disease in which the body attacks the glands that make tears and saliva, leading to dryness, per the NLM.
At first, these medical hurdles forced her to stay in bed several days per week and do quite a lot of “soul searching,” as she said. “I learned about who I am besides being a sexy dancer chick. And ironically, as I let all that go, I found my way back to feeling vibrant and radiant again,” Carrie Ann told People.
Also helping her cope with the pain and diagnoses’ up’s and down’s? Craniosacral therapy (a type of bodywork that focuses on the head and neck area, per the Cleveland Clinic), acupuncture, yoga, Pilates and Reiki—and after Tuesday’s big reveal, a new-found strength in sharing with others.
Carrie Ann has clearly been through a lot—but props to her for giving others with her conditions a much-needed voice.
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