Articles

Human body illustration with x-ray view showing the skeleton and organs, focused on the lower back area highlighted in red, suggesting pain. Next to this, there is a vertical row of emoji faces showing a range of emotions from sad and tense to dizzy, as well as two faces (one sad, one content) in the bottom left. Along the bottom, there's a large pain scale gauge with green, yellow, orange, and red zones. The needle is pointing toward the red section, indicating severe pain. The text reads

September is Pain Awareness Month

September is recognized internationally as Pain Awareness Month. (Look for hashtags #PainAwarenessMonth and #ThisIsPain on social media). Most types of Ehlers-Danlos Syndrome and Hypermobility Spectrum Disorder unfortunately cause varying amounts of pain for most patients, so Chronic Pain Partners/EDS Awareness is joining the chorus to raise awareness. It’s in our name, after all!

Digital graphic with a dark blue DNA helix and bold text reading ‘Update on gene linked to hypermobile EDS’ on a light blue background

Update On Gene Linked to Hypermobile EDS

A new study, led by Dr. Cortney Gensemer, marks a genetic breakthrough in hEDS research. The KLK15 variant (p.Gly226Asp) has been identified as a direct disease-causing gene in hypermobile EDS, causing connective tissue dysfunction and immune system dysregulation.

Cerebral Venous Outflow Disorders: What it is and Why EDS Patients Should Know About it

Cerebral venous outflow disorders describes a spectrum of conditions related to issues with how fluid drains from the brain.Experts are observing a connection between connective tissue disorders (like hypermobile EDS) and cerebral venous outflow disorders. Cerebral venous outflow disorders can cause pressure headaches (that often worsen when lying flat), dizziness, pulsatile tinnitus (a rare vascular form of tinnitus), neck pain, tenderness at the base of skull, vision disturbances, ‘brain fog’, and cognitive dysfunction. Cerebral venous outflow disorder may look different when it presents in individuals with connective tissue disorders than in individuals without, creating diagnostic challenges.

Book cover of The Chemistry Test, which shows a woman in a yellow dress who sits in a wheelchair with a cat on her lap. Next to her is a person with short brown hair sitting on a chair looking her in the eyes

Interview with Georgina Frankie: Author of “The Chemistry Test”

After the “Fourth Wing” book series, Chronic Pain Partners became aware of a new romance novel, “The Chemistry Test”, written by Georgina Frankie, which features a character with Ehlers-Danlos syndrome (EDS). In a genre where disabled characters are often either absent or reduced to stereotypes, Frankie brings a refreshing perspective: a love story that embraces […]

A view through some glass objects in a laboratory. In the background a person is pipetting things at a lab desk.

From Diagnosis Odyssey to Scientific Vision: A New Genetics EDS Lab in Norway Opens Its Doors

Most people living with Ehlers-Danlos syndrome (EDS) are used to a long and straining path to diagnosis, full of prejudice and gaslighting. Davina Brigant knows this journey all too well. “As far as I remember, during my childhood, I always had some problems. I was very flexible. People always told me that about myself, because […]

CHristie, a woman with long dark blonde hair bound to a pony tale sits in a corner of her room on a gymnastic ball with her arms spread out widely. She smiles. Next to her, on a zebra-colored chair, is a black and white cat napping. In front of her is a small desk with another black and white cat looking straight into the camera.

AWOL Zebra Podcast: Building Community (and Laughs) Around EDS

When host CHristie was not able to walk and talk in 2021, she lost the career she had built as a radio DJ. What began as a personal way to process those changes—recording short reflections on living with Ehlers-Danlos syndrome—has since grown into AWOL Zebra, a daily podcast that has reached listeners across countries. AWOL […]

A patient and a doctor sitting on opposite sites of the table. The doctor examines the patient's eyes with a large machine.

Building a Supportive and Caring Medical Team No Matter Where You Live

Guest post by Jon Rodis, President of the Connective Tissue Coalition   Finding respectful, knowledgeable care can be difficult, especially for those living with complex or chronic conditions. After years of what I call “the doctor shuffle,” I discovered strategies that helped me strengthen my care and build a supportive medical team. Here are the […]

A woman with long blond hair in an aquamarine-colored top sits on a bed with a laptop between her legs. A small brown and white dog sits next to her.

Can I Pet It?: Understanding Animal Helpers

You hear a cat meowing as you walk past your neighbor’s apartment. Your lease says you can’t have any animals—she’s going to be in big trouble if the property manager finds out. You visit your grandmother in the rehab hospital, and she’s holding a bunny rabbit and smiling widely. At dinner that night with your […]