How Can I Manage My Low Vision?

Updated on Jun 30, 2022 | Your Health


Visual impairment is a common condition that affects more than 12 million adults over age 40 in the United States. But low vision—a condition that affects one in six adults throughout the nation—is different. People with low vision have reduced visual acuity (the common clinical measure of eye function) that cannot be corrected by standard glasses, contacts, medication, or surgery.

Leannza Tang, OD, an optometrist and Director of Low Vision Services at New York Eye and Ear Infirmary of Mount Sinai, explains low vision rehabilitation and what patients can do to seek care.

What causes low vision? What are the symptoms?

Low vision can be caused by many different eye conditions. Some of the more common include glaucoma, macular degeneration, and diabetic retinopathy, but there are other  conditions that can lead to vision loss as well.

The most common symptom is blurry vision that cannot be corrected or improved with standard eyeglasses, contact lenses, or eye surgeries. This usually translates to difficulty seeing small print. Patients may have difficulty reading a book; seeing a sign from a distance that they used to be able to; or even watching television.

Some people have distorted or missing spots in their central vision. This might make seeing people’s faces a lot more difficult. Other times, patients report side vision loss, which is what we typically see in glaucoma patients. When someone has severe side vision loss, this can affect their mobility.  Walking around as well as navigating stairs and curbs can be very difficult. These patients are prone to bump or trip over things.

Leannza Tang, OD

Are all low vision patients considered legally blind?

This is a common misconception about low vision patients that may not be true. Legal blindness is defined as someone with a visual acuity of 20/200 or poorer and/or has a visual field of no more than 20 degrees in their better seeing eye. Therefore, not all low vision patients are considered legally blind.

Eye care providers can clarify if you meet the criteria for legal blindness during your eye exam.

What is the difference between a low vision exam and a routine eye exam?

My low vision exams can be very different from a routine eye exam. One of the first things I tell patients is that I’m focused more on how they’re functioning day-to-day. Typically, the results of different scans, side vision tests, eye pressure tests, and dilations are all being managed by their ophthalmologist or optometrist so therefore, it is still very important to follow up with them as instructed.

I am interested in finding out what the patient’s goals or complaints are in relation to their vision. Are they having difficulty reading small print? Are the issues apparent when looking at price and medication labels or when reading a book and watching television? Do they have problems seeing street signs or bus numbers? The list goes on. I typically meet with patients for about one hour in which we discuss how to manage the condition and what devices might make navigating day-to-day life easier.

How do I manage low vision? Will the condition get worse?

I recommend seeing a low vision specialist. Many people think that you need to wait until you have severe vision loss before seeing a specialist but that is not true. Low vision physicians see a range of patients, from profound to more mild vision loss.

Low vision specialists can discuss any additional services that may benefit a patient. This includes orientation and mobility training for those who are having difficulty walking around or traveling independently because of their vision loss. There is training for household tasks like cooking, doing laundry, housework, and so on. There is also training to more efficiently use your personal devices including computers, smartphones, and laptops. If patients already have these devices, a specialist can teach them how to use built in accessibility and other features that might benefit them.

I also show low vision devices to see if they’re suitable to help a patient with their day-to-day tasks. This includes:

  • A hand magnifier is probably the most common and familiar low vision device. Hand magnifiers make text bigger and are mostly for spot reading tasks like reading price labels or medication labels. Stand magnifiers are best for if you want to sit down and read a book for an extended period of time. To use it, you slide the device over your reading material while sitting at a desk or table. They come in different magnification powers, so I recommend a low vision evaluation to make sure that you are using the most appropriate device and power.
  • Digital magnifiers operate very similar to stand magnifiers. These magnifiers allow you to adjust how big you want the words to appear as well as the color of the text for ease of viewing and reading.
  • If patients are having issues seeing objects at a distance, like bus numbers or street signs, we can prescribe telescopes. We can do in-office training so that patients are able to use the device efficiently and comfortably.

It is very difficult to say whether someone’s vision will or will not get worse over time. It really depends on the person’s underlying condition that is causing their low vision. I will stress that it is important to follow up with the provider who is managing your eye condition and continue to take your prescribed medications and eye drops as instructed.

What resources are available for people with low vision?

Dealing with vision loss, whether sudden or gradual, can be very difficult. Some patients express feelings of sadness, frustration or anxiousness. A referral for behavioral health resources can be made to ensure a patient has the support they need.

Mount Sinai has excellent low vision resources. To learn more about low vision services at New York Eye and Ear Infirmary of Mount Sinai, please speak to your eye care provider or visit our website.

Learn more about low vision services at New York Eye and Ear Infirmary of Mount Sinai

What Are Sensory Processing Differences and How Do They Relate to Autism?

Updated on Dec 17, 2024 | Seaver Autism Center, Your Health


Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is a developmental disorder. It often appears in the first three years of life and affects social communication and behavior.

Several different signs can prompt someone to seek out an autism evaluation. In this Q&A, Paige Siper, PhD, Chief Psychologist of the Seaver Autism Center for Research and Treatment at Mount Sinai, explains when you might want to seek an assessment, what that involves, and what a recent focus on sensory processing differences means.

What signs might prompt an evaluation for autism spectrum disorder (ASD)? 

Several signs may prompt an autism evaluation. Concerns are commonly raised by a parent, family member, pediatrician, or teacher. Autism-specific screening should occur at the 18- and 24- or 30-month well visits and whenever a concern is expressed.

Autism is a constellation of difficulties with communication and reciprocal social interaction as well as repetitive and restricted behaviors and interests. Early signs may include delays in language or motor skills, although some individuals with autism achieve milestones on time.

Social communication signs include limited use of nonverbal communication such as eye contact, facial expression, pointing and other gestures and limited social interaction; for example, lack of showing objects of interest, minimal interest in peers or lack of shared enjoyment with others. Difficulty with imitation and pretend play are also common early signs. Repetitive behavior signs include repetitive speech, an intense focus on certain topics or parts of objects, insistence on sameness, lining up objects or toys, motor mannerisms such as hand flapping or body rocking, and unusual sensory behaviors.

Paige Siper, PhD

What are sensory processing differences?

In 2013 when the fifth edition of the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM-5) came out, it was the first time sensory reactivity was included within the diagnostic criteria for autism. The DSM-5 describes three categories of sensory differences:

  • Sensory hyperreacitivty is an overresponsiveness to sensory stimuli that may take the form of individuals covering their ears in response to sounds, squinting or avoiding the sight of certain objects, resisting the feel of certain textures or discomfort when touched by others.
  • Sensory hyporeactivity is an underresponsiveness to sensory stimuli, which can result in significant safety concerns. For example, an individual who is hyporeactive may not respond to the sound of an alarm, the feel of pain or temperature, or the sight of a car passing by.
  • Sensory seeking is an excessive interest in sensory stimuli. Individuals who are sensory seeking may repeatedly seek out the sight, feel or sound of certain objects.

Each of these examples can affect daily living and quality of life. Research suggests up to 90 percent of individuals with autism display sensory differences compared with people who do not have autism.

How do I know if my child needs a sensory assessment and what is involved?

If your child is displaying sensory hyperreactivities, hyporeactivities, or seeking behaviors that are affecting their daily functioning, a sensory assessment may be warranted. The goal of a sensory assessment is to identify personal sensory preferences. We all have our own sensory preferences, and by determining those preferences we can modify environments accordingly.

Over the past several years, the Seaver Autism Center at Mount Sinai developed a novel sensory assessment called the Sensory Assessment for Neurodevelopmental Disorders (SAND). The SAND combines a semi-structured, clinician-administered observation and a corresponding caregiver interview. We want to see, within an exam setting, how a child responds to stimuli that prompt sensory responses, and we also want to capture information from caregivers about their child’s daily experiences.

Following an assessment, parents will learn about their child’s unique sensory preferences and sensitivities, and then an individualized treatment plan can be developed and implemented. Adjustments in an individual’s sensory experiences can have a profound impact on adaptive behavior, social engagement, and learning.

Since autism is a lifelong diagnosis, how can parents and caregivers support their child as they develop?

Parents are their child’s greatest advocate and the true experts. Parents can support their children by helping them develop the skills necessary to become as independent as possible. A variety of interventions are commonly used to help individuals on the autism spectrum gain skills. These include:

  • Applied behavior analysis, often referred to as ABA therapy, is one evidence-based treatment for core features of autism.
  • Speech and language therapy is important to develop both functional and pragmatic communication skills.
  • Occupational therapy can focus on sensory reactivity, fine motor skills, and activities of daily living.
  • Physical therapy can target challenges such as low muscle tone, which is commonly observed in autistic individuals.

It is important for each child to have a personalized treatment plan that is reviewed and updated regularly to ensure individuals reach their optimal potential.

What programs and services does Mount Sinai offer at the Seaver Autism Center?  

The Seaver Autism Center is a multidisciplinary program with a large research focus ranging from natural history studies that track change over time to clinical trials that test new treatments. All individuals participating in research at the Center receive an autism-focused research evaluation. We also offer neuropsychological and psychoeducational evaluations, individual psychotherapy for those on the autism spectrum and their siblings, parent training, and medication management through Mount Sinai’s Faculty Practice Associates. The Seaver Autism Center has a large community outreach program that offers social skills groups and training for both families and professionals. We have a variety of collaborations with local cultural institutions such as the American Museum of Natural History and the Guggenheim Museum. Finally, our training program is committed to training the next generation of autism experts.

What is the Seaver Autism Center at Mount Sinai doing to support patients’ sensory needs?  

Over the past year, we made it a priority to improve care and better support individuals on the autism spectrum’s sensory needs within the Mount Sinai community. We developed Sensory Toolkits that are now available within our pediatric emergency departments. We are starting to disseminate the toolkits to other specialized practices within and outside of the Health System with the goal of improving the patient experience. Each kit has several sensory tools, as well as an information sheet that explains the intended use of each tool to satisfy sensory needs and ultimately to make each person’s experience more comfortable. Families get to take the kits home with them to continue using beyond their visit to Mount Sinai.  Our team also developed a learning module, now available across the Mount Sinai Health System, to train physicians, clinicians, and staff members within different disciplines on how to best support neurodiverse patients. We are actively collecting data on both of these initiatives to ensure these new programs are serving their intended purpose. Finally, we are surveying caregivers of children on the autism spectrum to determine which sensory interventions and supports have and have not worked for their child. You can learn more here.

Read more about the Seaver Autism Center for Research and Treatment at Mount Sinai

Center of Excellence for Pancreatic Cancer Multidisciplinary Team at Mount Sinai West Provides Customized and Comprehensive Treatment Plan in One Day

Updated on Jun 30, 2022 | Mount Sinai West, Your Health

Members of Mount Sinai’s Center of Excellence for Pancreatic Cancer Multidisciplinary Team, from left: Deirdre Cohen, MD, Aimee Lucas, MD, Daniel M. Labow, MD, and Karyn A. Goodman, MD.

A diagnosis of pancreatic cancer can be scary and overwhelming. And, it can be daunting and time-consuming for patients to figure out which physicians to see and arrange for all the needed diagnostic testing.

Mount Sinai’s Center of Excellence for Pancreatic Cancer Multidisciplinary Team is a “one-stop shop” that can help patients get everything they need, from expert opinions on cancer treatments to advice on nutrition. Located at Mount Sinai West, the team provides a comprehensive workup by a multidisciplinary team of leading experts, all in one day.

The full-day assessment includes any necessary diagnostic tests, physical exams, and consultations in one place—a comfortable, patient-centered setting. At the end of the day, patients receive a personalized treatment plan and understand the prescribed course of action.

“At the end of their visits, patients walk out with an easy-to-understand-and-follow treatment plan, put together by some of the best minds for treating and researching pancreatic cancer,” said Karyn A. Goodman, MD, Professor and Vice Chair for Research and Quality in the Department of Radiation Oncology at the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, and Associate Director for Clinical Research at The Tisch Cancer Institute. “It can take several weeks for a patient to get a treatment plan for a complicated cancer. We do it in one day.”

“Our team is available to all patients whether they are newly diagnosed, looking for a second opinion, or about to begin treatment,” Dr. Goodman added.

Patients benefit from the expertise of a full array of pancreatic cancer specialists including medical oncologists, radiation oncologists, surgical oncologists, gastroenterologists, pathologists, radiologists, genetics counselors, oncology nurse practitioners, and pain management specialists.

Patients also have access to social workers, nutritionists, exercise therapists, and palliative care specialists. A nurse practitioner coordinates the care prescribed in the treatment plan and educates each patient about what to expect.

“Our multidisciplinary group reviews all of the patient’s information from examination and diagnostic testing,” said Deirdre Cohen, MD, Associate Professor, Icahn School of Medicine and Director of GI Oncology Program at Mount Sinai. “This close collaboration among specialists helps ensure that all elements of each patient’s treatment plan will work in harmony for optimal outcomes. It is an ideal setting where we can assess eligibility for clinical trials— we offer the latest treatment options to every patient we see, and we also make sure that every patient is treated as a whole person, taking into account each unique individual’s needs and preferences.”

“Pancreatic cancer is complex. It requires the integration of specialists from many medical and surgical disciplines,” said Daniel M. Labow, MD, Professor of Surgery at Icahn Mount Sinai. “Our approach allows us to quickly and efficiently design a personalized treatment plan for each pancreatic cancer patient.”

He added, “Importantly, we make time for patients to be heard—we listen, answer questions, and provide support. We make the overwhelming and daunting manageable.”

 

Learn more about the Pancreatic Multidisciplinary Team

Expert Advice on Diagnosing and Treating Aphasia

Updated on Jun 30, 2022 | Featured, Your Health

Aphasia is loss of the ability to understand or express spoken or written language. It commonly occurs after strokes or traumatic brain injuries. It can also occur in people with brain tumors or degenerative diseases that affect the language areas of the brain.

According to the National Aphasia Association, this disorder affects about two million people in the United States, and is more common than Parkinson’s disease, cerebral palsy, or muscular dystrophy, yet most people have never heard about it. That changed after the family of actor Bruce Willis announced he will step away from acting following a recent diagnosis of aphasia.

Laura Stein, MD, MPH

In this Q&A, Laura Stein, MD, MPH, Assistant Professor of Neurology at the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai and attending physician at the Mount Sinai and Mount Sinai Queens Stroke Centers, discusses how aphasia is diagnosed, the potential burdens for families and caregivers, and some treatment options, notably treatments by speech-language pathologists.

What is aphasia?

Aphasia is a term doctors use to describe the loss of one’s ability to use their language function, or communicate with the world around them. It’s due to damage in the brain. It’s easy to lose sight of how all-encompassing language function is. It’s what we say with our words. It’s understanding others. It’s our ability to read, our ability to write, our ability to do everything in between. We have to remember that aphasia represents a symptom that patients experience or a sign doctors look for on their exams. It’s really just a term describing these problems with language and communication. It tells us nothing about why someone is having problems with their language and communication. I also want to acknowledge that aphasia can be profoundly difficult and frustrating for patients and their families. Our ability to communicate with the world around us is paramount to the human experience.

What are the signs and symptoms of aphasia?

The signs and symptoms of aphasia are actually quite varied, depending on the individual. Aphasia can be so mild that someone talking to an individual with an aphasia might not even know that they have it. In such a case, someone with a mild aphasia might have trouble coming up with words or the names of objects. At times, their speech may sound broken and fragmented, but they may still be able to communicate what they want to communicate and understand what people are saying, what they’re reading around them. Unfortunately, aphasia can be very debilitating at times, and some people have a difficult time making their needs known or understanding what’s going on around them. These can be very troubling and frustrating symptoms for patients and their families to live with.

How is aphasia diagnosed?

Aphasia is diagnosed with a detailed examination of one’s language function, and might be performed by a neurologist like myself, or a speech-language pathologist. It’s really important to assess every component of language function. We listen to what somebody says, whether spontaneously or with various prompts. We assess what they understand when they’re spoken to. We assess their ability to read, their ability to write, their ability to name everyday objects around them, their ability to repeat sentences that are spoken to them.

What causes aphasia?

The causes of aphasia can be quite varied. Anytime language function is abnormal, we worry about damage to specific locations of the brain where the language centers are located. In a majority of people, the language centers are on the left side of the brain, but in a small minority they may be on the right. Aphasia is more common in older individuals, and stroke is the most common cause  because of how many people have strokes in our society at older ages. However, there are many causes, like a degenerative disease that might cause dementia, a tumor, infection, or head trauma. But it’s really all about figuring out what part of the brain is not working normally, and why

What are the types of aphasia, and how do they differ?

There are multiple types of aphasia. The networks that underlie language function are complicated and interconnected. We’ll break it down in broad senses: There are expressive and receptive aphasias. With expressive aphasia, an individual has difficulty expressing themselves—speaking in sentences, coming up with words, writing; their speech may sound broken and fragmented. With receptive aphasia, an individual has more trouble understanding language, what people are saying, what they are reading. Someone may have a mixed aphasia, with expressive and receptive components. The most profound aphasia is a global aphasia, where all aspects of language function are impaired, and it is incredibly difficult to communicate with the world around you.

How is aphasia treated?

First and foremost, we have to understand what the cause of the aphasia is. Once we identify a cause, such as a stroke, we can think about treatments and if we can prevent the aphasia from getting worse. Beyond that, we think about how can we help the individual rehabilitate. We have outstanding speech-language pathologists who are specially trained in optimizing one’s language function and their ability to communicate with the world around them, despite their aphasia.

Learn more about speech-language pathology services at Mount Sinai
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When Should Adolescent Congenital Heart Patients Transition to Adult Care?

Mar 31, 2022 | Adolescent Health, Heart Health, Your Health

Decades of advances in pediatric cardiology has allowed for children with congenital heart conditions to thrive, growing into adolescents and then adults capable of starting families of their own. However, this does not mean that these adult congenital heart patients should stop seeing their physician.

In this Q&A, Ali N. Zaidi, MD, Director for Adult Congenital Heart Disease at Mount Sinai Heart and Associate Professor of Medicine (Cardiology) and Pediatrics at the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, discusses the importance of transitioning to an adult cardiologist and continuing care to ensure that patients can lead long, healthy lives.

What are the different types of congenital heart disease?

Congenital heart disease is a condition that children are born with and can range from the very simple to the very complex. Sometimes children need immediate interventions or operations, and for others, we may simply monitor their condition.

On the simple side, there is an atrial/ventricular septal defect, often called “a hole in the heart,” which is a defect in the wall between the right and left chambers of the heart. These are very common defects and may or may not warrant treatment. More complex congenital heart conditions include a condition called Tetralogy of Fallot, which is four different heart defects, and often does require that the infant or child undergo surgery. Other more complex conditions include transposition of the great arteries, a condition in which the large blood vessels of a child’s heart may need to be rerouted.

What treatments are available?

Sometimes infants or children born with congenital heart disease need an intervention that’s minimally invasive. An example would be a catheterization in which a tube is guided into the heart through the blood vessels for diagnosis or treatment. If there is a major problem, a child may need an open-heart procedure.

Depending on what the congenital heart defect is, these children will need to receive long term evaluation and treatment. This may continue as the child grows, throughout their teenage years, and into adulthood. Almost 90 to 95 percent of children who are born with congenital heart disease survive into adulthood. It’s very important to understand that the treatments we now have are tremendously successful—and these children can grow up and lead typical adult lives. It is now estimated that there are more adults with congenital heart disease than children living with the condition in the United States.

When should an adolescent with a congenital heart condition transition from their pediatric cardiologist to an adult congenital cardiologist?

It’s very important that children and adolescents who are born with congenital heart disease continue to seek appropriate care. Transition of care is a process which often should begin in the teenage years. Sometimes, it takes multiple visits to have an adolescent patient appropriately transitioned to adult-based health care. Transfer of care, however, is a different process in which a patient’s care is “transferred” to an adult congenital heart specialist; this should happen when they are older. There is no hard and fast rule, but by the time a patient is 21 years old, they should be receiving care from an adult congenital cardiologist.

What kind of care should an adult congenital heart patient expect?

Often, patients go for many years without the need for any intervention. But adult congenital heart care often does require interdisciplinary care. There may be kidney, liver, or lung issues that come up as a result of the patient’s underlying condition or as they get older, patients tend to acquire adult-based health conditions like hypertension, diabetes, or coronary artery disease. It is also possible that there may never be a problem, but it is best to follow patients with congenital heart disease on a regular basis.

We also have to think about the social fabric of their lives. Patients grow up and get jobs. They often move to another city or country, they get married, and want to have kids of their own. In doing so, they may pass the condition down to their own children. Young women with congenital heart disease may need to consult with a maternal fetal medicine specialist since some of these patients are considered higher-risk pregnancies. At the Mount Sinai Adult Congenital Heart Disease Center, we bring in this multi-faceted, multi-disciplinary approach to meet the ongoing needs of patients as their lives change, including young women with the condition who are pregnant or are considering pregnancy.

Are there lifestyle considerations that these patients should be aware of?

We always encourage our patients with congenital heart disease to try to have as normal a life as they can. When I see patients who are in their 20s and 30s, and they are doing well, I encourage them to enjoy life and have fun—within measure and with regular follow-ups.. Life should be no different than what it is for somebody without congenital heart disease. We want these young patients to go out there and live full lives, have careers and when able, their own families. We will be there, if and when they need us.

What services does Mount Sinai provide for adult congenital heart patients?

Our adult congenital heart disease program at Mount Sinai is one of the few programs in New York that has been accredited through the Adult Congenital Heart Association. This accreditation confirms that we are providing comprehensive, multidisciplinary care to adolescent and adult patients with all forms of the condition.

What does accreditation mean?

It means that we offer all facets of care when it comes to adult congenital heart disease. At Mount Sinai Heart, we provide state-of-the-art care for all forms of congenial heart disease from adolescents to older adults. We can enlist the Mount Sinai Health System’s world-class physicians to provide multi-disciplinary care be it for pregnant women with the condition, evaluations for transplantation, or cardiac interventions either in the catheterization lab or surgical room. We also provide pulmonary hypertension evaluation and treatment, which is an important part of adult congenital heart disease care. We have a specialized cardiac imaging team here at Mount Sinai exclusively for congenital heart disease providing exceptional multi-modality imaging for our patients. We provide 360-degree care—complete and comprehensive with excellent outcomes.

Is there anything else that patients should know?

I urge adult congenital heart patients to find the right provider and stay in care—that is very important. I see many patients in their 20s and 30s and often they feel fine. At that stage, it is easy to fall out of care and not seek appropriate long term care with an adult congenital heart disease cardiologist. But congenital heart disease is a condition that needs to be followed throughout your life. Find the right adult congenital heart disease program and make sure to follow your physician’s instructions. You’ve got a full life ahead of you and our job is to take you all the way.

Learn more about the Adult Congenital Heart Disease program at Mount Sinai
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Could My Hair Loss Be Alopecia?

Mar 29, 2022 | Skin Health, Your Health


Hair loss—called alopecia areata—can be upsetting. If it affects you, you may feel as if you’re the only one, but it’s more common than you think. About seven million Americans have alopecia areata, including men, women, and children of all ethnic groups.

In this Q&A, Emma Guttman-Yassky, MD, PhD, Waldman Professor and Health System Chair of Dermatology at the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount in New York and Director of the Alopecia Areata Center of Excellence at Mount Sinai, explains the condition, its risk factors, and who to contact for treatment.

What is alopecia areata?

Alopecia areata is an autoimmune disease that causes you to lose your hair, mostly on the scalp. An autoimmune condition means your body’s own immune system is attacking a certain part of your body. In this case, the system attacks healthy hair follicles. Alopecia areata often starts with one or more circular patches about the size of a quarter. Hair may disappear suddenly, over just a few days, or it may fall out slowly, over weeks or months. This condition can spread to other parts of the body, such as the eyebrows, eyelashes, beard, and extremities. The condition is not linked to food. There’s nothing you should eat—or avoid—to prevent it. If you are an alopecia patient, you can eat whatever you want.

What causes the condition? Who is most at risk?

This condition does not discriminate. It affects people of all ages, genders, and backgrounds. It often starts in childhood or adolescence but can affect those well into adulthood.

Alopecia areata can be triggered by a significant event, such as an illness or trauma, or it can arise due to genetics or a family history of eczema or another allergy. We see more alopecia areata in families of patients who have had the condition. We also see it in families that have eczema. While some people think it can be caused by stress, there is no scientific data to back that up. Alopecia is not contagious.

Can hair loss affect you emotionally?

If you’re feeling anxious or depressed over your hair loss, that’s not unusual. Hair can be an important part of our identity. And baldness—in patches or all over your head—can be devastating. It can make you feel self-conscious and unhappy about your appearance. According to the National Institute of Mental Health, people with long-term alopecia areata are at a higher risk of depression. So, if you’re feeling sad or uncomfortable about the condition, you are not alone.

Should I see a doctor if I think I have alopecia?

You should see a doctor as soon as you notice a problem. Some mild forms of the disease improve on their own, but most people need medical intervention. I recommend seeing a specialist, because many primary care physicians don’t know how to treat alopecia. At the Alopecia Areata Center of Excellence at Mount Sinai, we have special expertise in diagnosing and treating alopecia areata and cicatricial alopecia.

We have found that patients with alopecia have more systemic inflammation than patients with other skin conditions, such as psoriasis or eczema. Over a long period,  inflammation that is systemic—affecting many or all parts of the body—can cause a number of problems including heart disease, arthritis, Alzheimer’s disease, and cancer. Getting treatment early can help prevent alopecia from developing into these conditions.

How is the condition treated?

The first step is to evaluate your symptoms and the type of cells that are causing the inflammation. Dermatologists will then use a variety of treatments, including systemic (oral or biologic), topical, and injected anti-inflammatory medications. In addition, at Mount Sinai’s Alopecia Areata Center of Excellence, we are researching new treatments for the conditions, so we may be able to include you in a clinical trial.

Learn more about the Alopecia Areata Center of Excellence at Mount Sinai

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