<img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="alignright wp-image-16207 size-medium" src="http://35.88.189.111/wp-content/uploads/2012/10/23andMe-David-047-210x300.jpeg" alt="" width="210" height="300" srcset="https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/10/23andMe-David-047-210x300.jpeg 210w, https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/10/23andMe-David-047.jpeg 508w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 210px) 100vw, 210px" />Research <a href="https://www.nature.com/ng/journal/vaop/ncurrent/full/ng.2686.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">published online</a> this week in Nature Genetics, has found <a href="https://mediacenter.23andme.com/press-releases/allergies_2013" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">new genetic associations for asthma and allergies</a>.
<a href="https://dx.doi.org/10.1038/ng.2686" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">The study</a> – done by scientists here at 23andMe and researchers at the University of Bristol’s<a href="http://www.bristol.ac.uk/alspac/"> Avon Longitudinal Study of Parents and Children (ALSPAC)</a> in the UK – is the largest genome-wide association study ever conducted on common allergies with data from more than 53,000 people.
“Although environmental factors certainly play a role, our study reinforces the genetic link between common allergens and a person’s susceptibility to experiencing an allergic reaction,” said David Hinds, Ph.D., author and 23andMe principal scientist.
Asthma and allergies, which are strongly linked to each other, are among the most common diseases in the industrialized world.
The last two decades has seen a surge in the number of people with asthma and allergies. There are many theories offered to explain this including the “<a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2841828/">hygiene hypothesis</a>,” which suggests that an increasingly sanitized environment inhibits the development of the immune system.   Another theory is that increasing exposure to chemicals and pollutants are the culprit.
<div style="float: right; text-align: justified; width: 300px; background-color: #eee; padding: 15px; margin-left: 10px;">Allergies of a Feather Flock Together 
People with allergies tend to be allergic to multiple things.Sometimes this makes sense – being allergic to cats and dogs for instance – other times the groupings make you scratch your head. Based on our research survey data, we found that if you are allergic to one insect’s sting, it is more likely that you’ll be allergic to another. But food allergies do not appear to be associated with other kinds of allergies.You can learn more about these associations<a href="https://www.23andme.com/about/factoid/factoid_allergies/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer"> here</a>.</div>
But whatever the environmental factors,<a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3151648/"> genetics plays a very important role</a> in whether or not an individual develops asthma or allergies. So understanding the genetic underpinnings of both conditions can offer insight not just in who may develop asthma or allergies but also into the biological pathways for the conditions. This can help in identifying potential new treatments for the conditions.
This study looked at common allergies, including allergies to pollen, dust-mites and cats. The researchers found 16 new genetic associations with allergies, eight of which have also been associated with asthma. While the link between the development of allergies and asthma is well established, these new genetic variants add to our understanding of the connection between these conditions.
To do the study, 23andMe selected self-reported data on allergies for pollen, dust-mites and cats. The Avon Longitudinal Study of Parents and Children had comparable data.   The researchers then used this combined data as part of the genome-wide association meta-analysis.
“Allergy is an important component of many diseases, including asthma, eczema and hay fever, which together account for a huge burden on patients and the health services.” said professor John Henderson of ALSPAC.   “This is a very exciting time for allergy research. Genetic discoveries have identified specific pathways of allergy development that are not shared with allergic diseases like asthma. Understanding these pathways could lead to eventual development of drugs that cure or prevent allergy rather than just suppressing its symptoms.”

23andMe Blog

23andMe Blog Team

New Genetic Associations Found For Allergies and Asthma

<img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="alignright size-medium wp-image-6586" src="https://blog-api.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/05/23andMe_Logo_blog-300x300.jpg" alt="23andMe_Logo_blog" width="300" height="300" srcset="https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/05/23andMe_Logo_blog-300x300.jpg 300w, https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/05/23andMe_Logo_blog-150x150.jpg 150w, https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/05/23andMe_Logo_blog-271x271.jpg 271w, https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/05/23andMe_Logo_blog.jpg 350w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 300px) 100vw, 300px" />You might know them as bloggers, but several of our main contributors are Health Content Scientists here at 23andMe.
Their day-to-day work touches on nearly every aspect of what 23andMe does. While they do a lot, their main job is finding the most important, scientifically valid and actionable genetic health information and getting that information to customers in the most understandable way possible.
“Being a health scientist at 23andMe gives you a unique opportunity &#8212; the chance to change the way people see genetics and their health,” said Emily Chang, who is part of the team.
Emily and her fellow Health Content Scientists are responsible for all the health content created by 23andMe, and they’ve been integral in developing many of the features and tools you see on the site.
To do it right, the work requires that they each draw on all their years of scientific experience to sort through the reams of genetic research that continues to flow from universities and labs. Finding interesting research isn’t hard, but finding information that has been validated and meets our strict standards takes patience and careful analysis. To then take that research and translate it into something that makes sense and is useful for the average person can also be a challenging problem –  but one that our Health Content Scientists view as equally important.
One of 23andMe’s core missions is to be the world’s most trusted source of genetic information. To do that our team stays on top of the latest research and also digs deep to unearth results that could have a big impact on customers.
So when they&#8217;re not blogging, our Health Content Scientists are busy making sure 23andMe customers have the latest most important and actionable health information available.

23andMe’s Health Content Scientists

<img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="wp-image-10321 size-full alignright" src="http://35.88.189.111/wp-content/uploads/2011/11/mosquitona.jpg" alt="" width="350" height="260" srcset="https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/11/mosquitona.jpg 350w, https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/11/mosquitona-300x223.jpg 300w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 350px) 100vw, 350px" />Some of us get mosquito bites that look more like marble-sized welts while others get bites that barely leave a mark.
It turns out that our genetics plays a role in those different reactions, according to recent data compiled by 23andMe researchers.
When a mosquito bites – it’s only the female that sips our blood – it leaves behind saliva that triggers an immune response in people. For some the bite triggers an immediate reaction, for others it takes a few days, but the results are often the same kind of itching, swelling and redness.
23andMe researchers found an association between an individual’s genetics and the severity of the reaction to the bite.
There are a lot of reasons to study our response to mosquito bites. For one, mosquitoes transmit diseases, such as Dengue fever, West Nile Virus and malaria. (Malaria is spread by anopheles mosquito, which have largely been <a href="https://www.cdc.gov/malaria/about/us_transmission.html">eradicated from the United States</a>.) So knowing how people respond to bites as well as why some people may be more susceptible to getting bit, could help in efforts to stop the spread of the disease.
But just as 23andMe’s researchers have done in looking at other traits, the different ways people respond to getting bit also gives researchers a better understanding of the genetic differences among people. It can also give us more insight into the biological processes involved in of traits and conditions.

Bug Bite Genetics

<img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="aligncenter wp-image-18488 size-full" src="http://35.88.189.111/wp-content/uploads/2013/06/Thelma-Jim1.jpg" alt="" width="1280" height="720" srcset="https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/06/Thelma-Jim1.jpg 1280w, https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/06/Thelma-Jim1-300x169.jpg 300w, https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/06/Thelma-Jim1-768x432.jpg 768w, https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/06/Thelma-Jim1-1024x576.jpg 1024w, https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/06/Thelma-Jim1-880x495.jpg 880w, https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/06/Thelma-Jim1-1180x664.jpg 1180w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 1280px) 100vw, 1280px" />There are a lot of reasons why Thelma Ackley signed up for 23andMe – she’s fascinated by her ancestry and she&#8217;s curious about her health – but the main reason is her husband and her six grandchildren.
A few years ago her husband Jim, a former engineer, developed Parkinson’s disease. The neurodegenerative disease is slowly taking away his control over his muscles. It makes it harder for him to walk and do the kind of handyman work he so enjoyed.
He&#8217;s still able to do a lot and is spry and happy, but for the things he can&#8217;t do, Thelma now is there. She keeps Jim as active as possible. The couple walk together up to a mile a day, and Thelma makes sure Jim does regular physical therapy.
<iframe loading="lazy" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/XG_2zj3I4gU?rel=0" width="560" height="315" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen"></iframe>
“I want to keep him around for as long as I can,” she said.
But of all the things she has done for Jim, the easiest was signing up for 23andMe and consenting to research. Although 23andMe has research communities where patients with conditions like <a href="https://www.23andme.com/pd/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Parkinson&#8217;s Disease,</a> <a href="https://www.23andme.com/sarcoma/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Sarcoma</a> and <a href="https://www.23andme.com/mpn/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">MPN</a> can join for free, any 23andMe customer can participate and help out simply by <a href="https://www.23andme.com/research/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">consenting to research</a> when they enroll.
<img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="aligncenter wp-image-18489 size-full" src="http://35.88.189.111/wp-content/uploads/2013/06/Thelma-Smiling.jpg" alt="" width="1280" height="720" srcset="https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/06/Thelma-Smiling.jpg 1280w, https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/06/Thelma-Smiling-300x169.jpg 300w, https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/06/Thelma-Smiling-768x432.jpg 768w, https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/06/Thelma-Smiling-1024x576.jpg 1024w, https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/06/Thelma-Smiling-880x495.jpg 880w, https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/06/Thelma-Smiling-1180x664.jpg 1180w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 1280px) 100vw, 1280px" />
“We’ve conquered so many diseases like Polio and all it takes is people working hard on it and one thing I can do to help is this,” she said.
That doesn&#8217;t mean we&#8217;re going to cure Parkinson&#8217;s overnight, but participating in research may help scientists find the causes and treatments for the disease. Thelma said she doesn’t know why someone wouldn’t participate.
“I have six grandchildren from ages 21 to 30 and I don’t want this to befall them,” she said. “This is something I can do for them as well.”

People Powered Research at 23andMe

<img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="alignright wp-image-18480 size-medium" src="http://35.88.189.111/wp-content/uploads/2013/06/AA-Menarche--300x232.jpg" alt="" width="300" height="232" srcset="https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/06/AA-Menarche--300x232.jpg 300w, https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/06/AA-Menarche--768x593.jpg 768w, https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/06/AA-Menarche--1024x791.jpg 1024w, https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/06/AA-Menarche--880x680.jpg 880w, https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/06/AA-Menarche--1180x912.jpg 1180w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 300px) 100vw, 300px" />Several studies have shown that certain girls, particularly <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/16356426">African-American girls</a>, experience puberty earlier than others, but there’s an ongoing debate about what that might mean.
There are several reasons why some girls begin puberty earlier than others. Heavier girls tend to enter puberty earlier than thinner girls, while there are also disorders that can trigger “<a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Precocious_puberty">precocious puberty</a>”– or puberty before age eight. <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/23348069">Environmental factors</a>, such as nutrition and certain chemicals, also can play a role.  Understanding the genetic components that influence when a girl begins menstruating – also known as her age at menarche (“men-AR-kee”) – could also help scientists better understand the genetic factors behind diseases associated with early puberty, including <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2842205/">type 2 diabetes</a> and <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3488186/">breast cancer</a>.
But to date, the scientific community has overlooked a core population that is perhaps most at risk. Today, African-American women tend to begin menstruating four to six months earlier than girls of European descent. Later in life, African-American women also have a higher risk for obesity, hypertension, and metabolic disorders, including diabetes. These two trends could be related, and genetic factors could be a common denominator.
A <a href="http://hmg.oxfordjournals.org/content/early/2013/05/01/hmg.ddt181.full.pdf">new study</a> of African-American women looked explicitly at genetic variations contributing to age at menarche. The research, done by a multi-institutional team of scientists, crunched data from 15 studies, including information from over 18,000 women.
Their findings indicate differences in DNA that could help scientists better understand the genetics of menarche timing in all women and the development of diseases associated with early menarche.
We’ve written before about the importance of considering ancestry when analyzing trends in disease. Certain diseases are more prevalent in specific populations. For instance, African-American men are more likely to develop and die from<a href="https://blog.23andme.com/23andme-research/ethnicity-matters-in-research-a-case-study-in-prostate-cancer/"> prostate cancer</a> than people of European descent.  African Americans also tend to be at higher risk for type 2 diabetes, while people of European descent are at higher risk of the heart rhythm disorder atrial fibrillation.
Given the difference in risk, it seems imperative that researchers investigate a diversity of populations to better understand the genetic factors behind these diseases. Yet research on populations with non-European ancestry continues to lag.
In this case study, the researchers performed a meta-analysis of existing research to search for DNA variants associated with earlier menarche in African-American women. Then they compared their results to data from women of European descent. The variants, called SNPs (or single-nucleotide polymorphisms), can account for some of the differences in biological traits, in this case, early menarche, between two individuals. These variants, in turn, can help scientists identify the genes and biological mechanisms controlling menarche timing.
Out of 42 SNPs associated with age at menarche in European women, 25 were also associated with the trait in African-American women, bolstering the evidence that these genes&#8217; genetic variants are tied to menarche timing. However, they also found variants in eight genome regions that were more strongly associated with age at menarche in African-American women than in European-American women. Many of these regions contain genes influencing obesity, underscoring the link between body fat and early menarche. Other areas include genes associated with breast and other cancers.
Although this is the largest and most comprehensive study, the total number of data samples of African-American women available to the researchers was still fewer than are now available for European-American women. And yet, the study demonstrates an important fact: by studying diverse ethnicities, scientists can refine their understanding of the role genes play in all populations.

Genetics, Puberty and African American Girls

<img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="alignright size-medium wp-image-18448" src="https://blog-api.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/06/unlocking-the-code-logo-300x248.jpg" alt="unlocking the code logo" width="300" height="248" srcset="https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/06/unlocking-the-code-logo-300x248.jpg 300w, https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/06/unlocking-the-code-logo.jpg 326w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 300px) 100vw, 300px" />Sixty years after Crick and Watson showed us the double helix structure of DNA, the Smithsonian opens the exhibition<a href="http://unlockinglifescode.org/"> “Genome: Unlocking Life’s Code,”</a> showing us all how the genetic revolution continues to change our lives, our health and our understanding of the human story.
The exhibition – just opened at the Smithsonian National Museum of Natural History – includes a rich collection of exhibits that explain the basics of genetics, as well as offer insight into the genetic secrets being unlocked by scientists now.
“Most people won’t know what ‘genome’ means when they walk into the building, but they will when they leave,” said<a href="https://www.genome.gov/">  National Human Genome Project,</a> Director Dr. Eric Green.
Back in April in comments he made on DNA Day, Green said that the exhibition would trigger curiosity about genetics and inspire people to think and ask questions about the science, ethics and societal implications surrounding what many have dubbed the era of the “genetic revolution.”
The exhibition, which is presented in collaboration with the National Human Genome Research Institute as well as with contributions from other private foundations and companies, including 23andMe, also looks at the impact genetic science has on individuals. One of the exhibits includes a collection of stories from 23andMe customers.
<div id="attachment_9522" style="width: 210px" class="wp-caption alignright"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-9522" class="size-medium wp-image-9522" src="https://blog-api.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/08/neil-s.-200x300.jpg" alt="Neil Schwartzman" width="200" height="300" srcset="https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/08/neil-s.-200x300.jpg 200w, https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/08/neil-s.-768x1152.jpg 768w, https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/08/neil-s.-683x1024.jpg 683w, https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/08/neil-s.-587x880.jpg 587w, https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/08/neil-s.-787x1180.jpg 787w, https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/08/neil-s..jpg 900w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 200px) 100vw, 200px" />Neil Schwartzman</div>
“I’m pleased as punch,” said Neil Schwartzman, who found his biological sister, mother, father and half brother using 23andMe. “I just wish my adoptive parents were alive so that they could come and see it.”
<a href="https://www.23andme.com/stories/2/">Neil’s story</a> –as well as the stories of eight other 23andMe customers – is included in a portion of the exhibit that looks at how individuals have used DNA to discover something new about their ancestry and where in the world they can trace their roots. Researchers working with the Smithsonian also interviewed each of the individuals to learn more not just about what they discovered but what those insights meant to their own sense of self.
Neil, who was adopted, spent years trying to find out about his family. It wasn’t until he tested with 23andMe and found his sister Jolie that he got answers. The testing also informed him about his Ashkenazi Jewish ancestry, as well as ancestry that he can trace back to Scotland and parts of Eastern and Northern Europe.
For Miguel Aguilera, another 23andMe customer, it was hard to top having his own story included in a Smithsonian exhibit.
“It’s really exciting,” said Miguel, who plans to travel to D.C. and attend an opening ceremony.
“I think this is probably the closest I’ll come to ever being famous.”
Miguel, along with several other 23andMe customers, will attended an opening ceremony this week.
Miguel’s story is familiar to many immigrants. He came to the U.S. from Mexico, and his ancestry reflects the rich mix of cultures there. When he tested with 23andMe, he was able to see a visualization of the vivid mix of his own ancestry: European, Native American and African. He expected to find Native American ancestry, and ancestry traced to Spain and France, but Miguel said he was surprised to also learn that he had a smattering of ancestry from Africa, Sardinia and Ashkenazi Jewish ancestry.
“I was surprised by that,” he said.
23andMe customer Monica De Armond, also participated.
She too has a rich mix of ancestry. Her mother is Mexican-American and her father is African American. She wanted to explore her DNA mostly out of curiosity.
For Monica, the experience showed her the<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&amp;v=wZpox7_7k1c#%21"> surprising interconnections</a> between people of different ancestry, blurring some of the lines that sometimes divide people.
“It really opens up your notion of identity,” she said.
This Smithsonian exhibition was developed and produced through a partnership between the Smithsonian National Museum of Natural History and the National Institutes of Health National Human Genome Research Institute, a part of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.
The plan is to have the exhibition run through September 1, 2014, followed by a traveling exhibition over the next four years.
The rapid advancement in the science has outpaced many people’s understanding of genetics.
The exhibition is meant to help people understand how the DNA inside every living thing on earth holds a complete set of instructions needed for that organism to grow and function. The intent of the exhibition is to explain that most basic kind of information as well as illustrate how scientists have identified thousands of genetic variants that contribute to disease, including different cancers and rare illnesses. The exhibit will show how the science is making health treatment more personalized and offering more insight into the human story – how our ancestors’ came out of Africa and populated the world.
For more information visit <a href="http://unlockinglifescode.org/">http://unlockinglifescode.org/</a>.
23andMe is intended for research and educational purposes only.  23andMe’s services are not a substitute for professional medical or diagnostic advice.

The Smithsonian Opens New Genetics Exhibit

<img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="alignright size-medium wp-image-18433" alt="23andMe Portraits" src="https://blog-api.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/06/23andMe-Andy-0011-210x300.jpg" width="210" height="300" srcset="https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/06/23andMe-Andy-0011-210x300.jpg 210w, https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/06/23andMe-Andy-0011-768x1097.jpg 768w, https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/06/23andMe-Andy-0011-717x1024.jpg 717w, https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/06/23andMe-Andy-0011-616x880.jpg 616w, https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/06/23andMe-Andy-0011-826x1180.jpg 826w, https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/06/23andMe-Andy-0011.jpg 1434w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 210px) 100vw, 210px" />Earlier this week 23andMe<a href="https://mediacenter.23andme.com/?p=1182"> appointed</a> Andy Page as company president.
Andy brings to the job incredible business experience as well as a long history with 23andMe. He has watched the company closely since its founding and he has served on the board of directors since 2012. &nbsp;During that time Andy has seen 23andMe grow and articulate its business model. He is both very familiar with what 23andMe does and what it needs to do to continue to be a leader &nbsp;in the personal genomics sector.
He also jumps on board just as 23andMe has hit a period of rapid growth. As president of 23andMe Andy will oversee not just our business strategy, but also our operations. He will report to CEO and Co-Founder Anne Wojcicki, who will lead 23andMe’s research organization and continue to shape the long-term vision of the company.
After talking to employees earlier this week, Anne put Andy’s new position into perspective in a press release.
“Today’s announcement broadens the management team and reflects both our extraordinary growth and future ambitions,” Anne said this week. “Several months ago, we announced a goal of attracting one million customers by the end of 2013. I believe this goal is a stepping-stone for empowering even more individuals to take greater control of their health through personal genetics. Looking to 2014 and beyond, I see the need to focus on this vision for the future as well as our business strategy to ensure the company scales effectively.”
For his part, Andy sees a lot of potential for the business.
“This company can be transformative on a global scale, making personalized medicine and real-time research a reality,” Andy said. “The company has made significant progress in achieving its potential, and working with Anne and the rest of the 23andMe team I look forward to building a successful company that improves health care and &nbsp; advances the understanding of the human genome.”
Check out our press release<a href="https://mediacenter.23andme.com/?p=1182"> here</a> for more about Andy.

23andMe Appoints Andy Page President

<img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-18384" src="https://blog-api.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/05/Vulvodynia-Graphic.jpg" alt="Vulvodynia Graphic" width="704" height="457" srcset="https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/05/Vulvodynia-Graphic.jpg 704w, https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/05/Vulvodynia-Graphic-300x195.jpg 300w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 704px) 100vw, 704px" />For the live-updated, fully-labelled, interactive version of this graphic, <a href="http://curetogether.com/vulvodynia/ig/treatment-effectiveness-vs-popularity" target="_blank" rel="noopener">click here</a>.
By Alexandra Carmichael, Co-Founder of CureTogether
Nearly two years ago, CureTogether released a <a href="http://curetogether.com/blog/2011/07/26/9-most-effective-vulvodynia-treatments/">list of the top patient-rated treatments for vulvodynia</a>, a common form of female reproductive pain that makes regular activities like wearing jeans or having sex extremely painful.
A staggering 20 percent of women will experience vulvodynia at some point in their lives, so we at <a href="http://curetogether.com/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">CureTogether</a> decided it would be helpful to repeat the analysis and release an updated list of treatments rated by women living with the condition.
People in the study said they found that non-drug interventions like physical therapy, ice and wearing loose-fitting clothes were effective treatments. Conversely, those in the study said some treatments like NuvaRing, Replens, Capsaicin cream, and Lanacane actually made the condition worse.
These are all treatments suggested and reported by patients, so some redundancy in the terms used is to be expected. In addition, the term “treatment” in this study refers to anything patients describe using to help them feel better whether it is an officially prescribed medical treatment or not. 

<div style="float: right; text-align: justified; width: 200px; background-color: #eee; padding: 15px; margin-left: 10px;">
Most Effective Rated Treatments for Women with Vulvodynia 
1. Wear loose-fitting clothes 
2. Ice 
3. No underwear 
4. Physical therapy 
5. Avoid sex 
6. Rinse with water after urination 
7. Trigger point therapy 
8. Mysofascial release 
9. Avoid bicycling 
10. Osteopathic manipulation
</div>
<a href="http://curetogether.com/vulvodynia/symptoms/">Vulvodynia</a>  is a very common kind of female pain, but it is rarely talked about because many women are embarrassed by it. CureTogether is a free resource owned by 23andMe, and it allows people to share information about their health and treatments. In turn they can learn from others dealing with the same conditions.
CureTogether’s study compiled responses   over four years from 1,969 people with vulvodynia, who rated the effectiveness of 120 different treatments. We’d like to thank those who participated. And just as they shared their experience with treatments, we’re freely and openly sharing the results of the vulvodynia study. We hope this will help raise awareness and let people feel like they’re not alone.
This is part of a regular series of CureTogether <a href="http://curetogether.com/blog/category/research-findings/">research findings</a>. CureTogether’s research findings are different than <a href="https://www.23andme.com/about/factoids/">those made by 23andMe</a>, which look at genetic associations with illness, traits and drug response. But as we continue our work with the CureTogether community, 23andMe hopes to incorporate more of this kind of self-reported information into our own research. CureTogether present its findings just as they are – patient-reported data – to stimulate discussion and generate new insights for further research.
Please tweet, blog, or pass this along to anyone who can benefit or is interested in vulvodynia. Thank you!

Alexandra Carmichael

What Patients Say Works for Vulvodynia

<img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="alignright size-medium wp-image-18413" alt="labtechs" src="https://blog-api.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/06/labtechs1-300x208.png" width="300" height="208" srcset="https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/06/labtechs1-300x208.png 300w, https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/06/labtechs1.png 455w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 300px) 100vw, 300px" />
Curiosity. The desire to be informed and healthier. The need to know ourselves and our histories better.
Whatever your reason is for joining 23andMe, we make it pretty simple. Order a kit, create an account, spit in a tube, and mail it back.
In just a few weeks, you log on to the website and learn what your DNA says about your health, ancestry, and traits. But how do we get all of that information from just a little bit of spit?
A lot goes on at the lab to turn the contents of that tube into the genetic data you see on the screen. Technicians inspect your tube to check for obvious problems like leaks. Then they extract the DNA out of cells in the saliva and make sure there’s enough DNA to analyze. (If there isn’t, you’re given another kit to spit again.)
Once the DNA is out, it’s broken up and “amplified” &#8212; a little bit of DNA becomes a lot of DNA. That DNA is then spread onto a custom chip that allows us to read out your genetic data at hundreds of thousands of places in the genome, places that contain information about our <a href="https://www.23andme.com/dna-health-ancestry/">health and ancestry</a>.
For a behind the scenes look at what happens at the lab, check out our video:
<iframe loading="lazy" width="560" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/6cYGPlQCeLA" frameborder="0"></iframe>

Latest Posts — Page 136