The reality is when you have a syndrome such as Ehlers-Danlos syndrome it is common to have multiple diagnosis such as the ones I live with listed below. More in-depth information is provided on EDS under the ‘Information’ tab but to briefly explain now, EDS is a genetic connective tissue disorder which in essence causes the biology of collagen in the body (the most abundant being protein) to alter. When you think about the body and how connective tissue exists in almost every system in addition to the muscular-skeletal, majority of the body inside and out can be affected therefore making it a multi-systemic disorder with multiple diagnoses. But of course, EDS is very individual meaning no two people are going to have the same exact issues. So the conditions I currently have can be very different than the ones another EDSer is coping with.
There are aspects of EDS that make multiple conditions a reality. First, an illness or condition can be the direct result of having EDS. Second, EDS exacerbates other conditions and illnesses as well as impact the healing process from an injury. Third, EDS and related conditions are ever changing. For example, puberty and pregnancy are times when there is a surge of hormones resulting in an increase of laxticity which causes more complications and pain.
It is important to know that some of you are reading this list and may be thinking “Well, I have some of these so does that mean I have EDS?” The answer is probably not because you could have these conditions without having EDS. As many of you know these conditions are just as disabling and painful all on their own. But for people like me who have EDS or other chronic illness often have multiple diagnosis.
As I mentioned in my welcome paragraph you don’t have to have EDS to get something out of this blog because many of you are living with ‘something’. It does help all us understand how having EDS or having children with it becomes life-altering often disabling. While we may have some other illnesses and conditions under control another rears it’s ugly head. It is a constant battle.
My current conditions and diagnoses are as follows:
- Abdominal Muscle Spasms
- Basal arthritis
- Bursitis
- Carpal tunnel syndrome in both hands
- Cervical
- Arthritis
- Bulging Disc
- Stenosis
- Chronic Migraines (Silent & Ocular)
- Chronic Swelling
- Costochondritis
- Depression
- Dysautonomia (caused by Chronic Migraines)
- Flatfooted (pronate)
- Generalized Anxiety Disorder
- Glucose Intolerance
- Heart murmur & palpitations
- Hypermobile Ehlers-Danlos syndrome (hEDS)
- Hypothermia (caused by dysautonomia, set off by reactive hypoglycemia)
- Lumbar
- Bulging discs
- Central canal narrowing
- Facet degenerative changes
- Mitochondrial disorder
- Pelvic instability/sacral pain
- Plantar fasciitis
- Polycystic Ovary Syndrome (PCOS)
- Reactive Hypoglycemia
- Symphysis pubis dysfunction
- Tachycardia
- Tendonitis
- Thoracic Inlet Syndrome
- Thoracic Outlet Syndrome
- Thoracic rotations with paraspinal tightness (rotations in cervical cause regular migraines)
- TMJ dysfunction
As time goes I will continue to provide information on all of them including any treatment options and resources, but for now you will find additional information on the following: Chronic Migraines (Silent & Ocular), Costochondritis, Dysautonomia (caused by Chronic Migraines) and Hypermobility Ehlers-Danlos syndrome (hEDS).