hypermobile EDS

When Pain Is Real but Tests Come Back Normal: New Research Sheds Light on the Nervous System in hEDS

  For many people living with hypermobile Ehlers-Danlos syndrome (hEDS), one of the most frustrating aspects of the condition is pain that feels impossible to explain — burning sensations, widespread sensitivity, symptoms that seem to involve the whole body rather than just the joints. Standard neurological tests often come back normal, leaving patients without answers […]

Overhead view of multiple blister packs containing different prescription medications and tablets beside medication bottles and a tissue on a white surface, representing the complexity and emotional burden of starting and managing medications with chronic illness.

The Fear No One Talks About: Starting a New Medication When Chronically Ill

  “What if it causes anaphylaxis?” “What if it makes me sick?” “What if it doesn’t work?” “Once I take it I can’t undo it.” For most people, starting a new prescription is routine – pick it up, get generic instructions from the pharmacist, take it, then report back to your doctor in a few […]

The Condition Medicine Forgot: Visceroptosis

This article explores the history and current research surrounding visceroptosis, a condition involving the downward displacement of internal organs. While some forms of organ prolapse, such as rectal and pelvic organ prolapse, are already recognized features of Hypermobile Ehlers-Danlos syndrome (hEDS), the possibility that connective tissue laxity may also affect organs higher in the abdomen […]

Amy Wang-Hiller seated in a wheelchair, holding a violin and bow, wearing a black dress and smiling at the camera.

An Interview with Amy Wang-Hiller: Music, Disability, and Advocacy

This month, we spoke with Amy Wang-Hiller, a violinist living with quadriplegia, hypermobile Ehlers-Danlos syndrome (hEDS), and related complex neuro-connective tissue conditions. As a violin instructor, Amy works with intermediate and advanced musicians navigating changes that affect performance, such as complex neurological disorders. She is also a disability advocate, founder of the InclusiVibe Foundation, and […]

Things People Have Done That Made Me Feel More Comfortable as Someone with Chronic Illness

Chronic illness can be isolating in ways that are hard to articulate, even to the people who love you most. It’s not just the physical reality but also the guilt of canceling plans, the exhaustion of explaining yourself, and the fear that your illness is impacting your relationships. I have found great value in people […]

Soft sketch-style illustration of an upright MRI machine with a dark-haired patient seated inside wearing MRI-safe clothing. A female MRI technologist stands beside the machine, speaking with the patient and adjusting the controls. The image depicts a weight-bearing upright MRI in a calm clinical setting.

Seeing the Spine in Motion: Exploring the Potential Benefits of Upright MRI in EDS

This article explores whether upright MRI may be a useful tool for evaluating EDS-related spinal instability. Understanding the limitations of standard MRI and what positional imaging could offer instead, may help patients, clinicians, researchers, advocates, and healthcare providers better navigate the complex neurosurgical landscape of EDS.   Why Supine MRI May Miss the Problem Cervical […]

Illustrated watercolor-style scene of a woman viewed from behind walking along a sunny garden path while holding a cream-colored sun umbrella with thin brown pinstripes. She has long wavy brown hair, wears a light short-sleeved blouse and blue jeans, and carries an orange tote bag over her shoulder. Trees, flowering shrubs, and a bright sun create a warm summer atmosphere, while the umbrella provides shade from the heat.

Why a Sun Umbrella May Deserve a Spot in Your Dysautonomia Toolkit This Summer

If you are among the many people with Ehlers-Danlos syndrome (EDS) who also have dysautonomia, summer can feel less like a season to enjoy and more like something to survive. Research suggests that dysautonomia affects approximately 80% of people with hypermobile EDS, making it one of the most common comorbidities associated with the condition. For […]

Tayler sits on white stairs wearing a green sleeveless top and ripped jeans, with an ostomy pouch visible at her waist. Small white flowers are tucked into the waistband of her jeans around the ostomy pouch. She looks toward the camera with a calm, confident expression, portraying everyday life with an ostomy.

My Ostomy Saved My Life

Celebrating My Two-Year Stoma-Versary I used to feel like I couldn’t say, “my ostomy bag saved my life,” because I didn’t get my ostomy bag for the same reasons a lot of people do. Some of the most common reasons people need ostomies are for inflammatory bowel disease (IBD), acute infections like diverticulitis, or colon […]