Latest news with #Rasouli
BBC News
20-05-2025
- Health
- BBC News
'We can't stay silent over endometriosis struggle'
A woman who struggled with undiagnosed endometriosis for 10 years has urged fellow sufferers not to suppress their health needs in the designer Roya Rasouli, 27, made a promise to herself on her hospital bed to share her story after finally being given a diagnosis for the condition in said she vowed to speak up as part of her personal mission to help others, calling for better workplace support."It feels heartbreaking that women are left to go and deal with it behind closed doors," she said. Endometriosis is the name given to the condition where cells similar to those in the lining of the womb grow in other parts of the body, leading to severe Rasouli, from Manchester, said she was passed from doctor to doctor for a decade before getting her diagnosis and undergoing surgery. "I had seen around 30 specialist gynaecologists and no-one ever found out what it was," she said."Every single person had a different point of view because all my scans and MRI results were clear."At one point I started doubting myself and I started to think maybe it's just me."I just felt extremely alien and isolated, all alone and like no-one gets me." One area of her life that has been impacted is her Rasouli said workplaces had not always understood or supported her condition."Some people just don't get it and it is quite hard when a workplace is not diverse, open and inclusive," she said. Ginisha Vekaria, workplace menstrual wellbeing programme manager at Endometriosis UK, said: "Around one in six may think about giving up their work."It's not because they can't do their job, it may just be that they might be in pain and missing out on work so again it goes back to that knowledge and goes back to that support."The Employment Rights Bill is currently moving through parliament, which will mean large employers will be required to produce support plans for reproductive in the meantime, Ms Rasouli hopes her work will make some has since created FemWear, a fashion brand aimed at providing comfortable clothes for women with gynaecological health and gut wanted to share her story to show other women "that it is possible to succeed" despite the health challenges. "Since 2019 on the hospital bed, I vowed that I cannot be silent for the sake of 200 million women worldwide," she said."We have to lift each other and be open and say 'it's ok, life sucks, life's painful', there's no cure for it as of yet but we cannot stop living."We have to apply for the jobs of our dreams and give credit to ourselves."Endometriosis does not define me and does not define your skillset." Listen to the best of BBC Radio Manchester on Sounds and follow BBC Manchester on Facebook, X, and Instagram. You can also send story ideas via Whatsapp to 0808 100 2230.
Arab Times
15-04-2025
- Health
- Arab Times
Could we soon 'delete' traumatic memories? New methods show promise
LONDON, April 15: Could science fiction soon become reality? In the 2004 film Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind, Jim Carrey's character undergoes a memory-erasing procedure to forget his ex. While this concept seemed far-fetched at the time, advancements in technology are bringing us closer to the possibility of erasing or at least diminishing painful memories. Dr. Jonathan Rasouli, a neurosurgeon at Northwell Staten Island University Hospital, points to three cutting-edge methods that are already being used to help people suffering from depression and PTSD by 'muting' or 'dampening' traumatic memories. Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation (TMS) 'TMS is like wireless jumper cables for your brain — but a lot more precise,' Dr. Rasouli explained. TMS is a noninvasive treatment that uses magnetic fields (similar to those in an MRI) to stimulate specific parts of the brain, primarily targeting areas involved in mood regulation. The treatment involves placing a magnetic coil on the patient's scalp, sending pulses to specific areas of the brain. 'It is mainly used for treatment-resistant depression, but researchers are also exploring its effects on memory recall, emotional processing, and addiction,' Rasouli said. While the theory is still in its early stages of testing, the goal is to target certain brain circuits to change the way people access their memories. In the future, it could potentially help individuals reshape memory associations—though, for now, this is expected to be limited to clinical settings rather than offering DIY memory deletion kits. Deep Brain Stimulation (DBS) Deep Brain Stimulation (DBS) functions as a 'brain pacemaker' and is currently used to treat conditions like Parkinson's disease, dystonia, epilepsy, obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD), and major depression. Small electrodes are implanted directly into specific areas of the brain, sending electrical impulses to regulate movement and mood. 'Some studies show that DBS can influence emotional memory, reward processing, and even reduce traumatic recall,' Rasouli shared. However, he emphasized that this research is still in its infancy. In theory, DBS could eventually be used to 'mute' traumatic memories, but since it's an invasive procedure, it's unlikely to become a common outpatient treatment. Propranolol Therapy Propranolol, a beta-blocker medication typically prescribed for high blood pressure, has also shown potential in therapeutic settings. Researchers have found that it can 'dampen the emotional 'punch' of memories,' making it useful for conditions like PTSD. 'This is probably the closest real-world counterpart to the Eternal Sunshine concept, but it doesn't actually delete memories,' Rasouli clarified. Instead of erasing memories entirely, propranolol makes them feel less vivid or emotionally distressing. 'When taken before recalling a traumatic event, propranolol reduces the intensity of the emotional response, essentially 'reconsolidating' the memory with less emotional weight,' Rasouli explained. It has been used in experimental treatments for PTSD, anxiety, and phobias, offering a potential solution for those seeking relief from the emotional intensity of certain memories. While none of these methods provide a way to completely erase memories like in science fiction, they represent real advancements in how we may one day be able to manage and reduce the emotional impact of painful memories.
