Being diagnosed with Ehlers-Danlos Syndrome was kind of like a double edged sword - I mean, being told that you have a life-long illness destined to cause you pain and other symptoms doesn't exactly make your day. But then again, getting a diagnosis also gave me a massive sense of relief and hope. This mystery illness, constantly causing my joints to hurt and dislocate, finally had a name. After being told so many times that it was "all in my head", this diagnosis finally gave us the answer we were looking for.
Some people reading this might be wondering right now, "What is Ehlers-Danlos Syndrome"?
Ehlers Danlos Syndrome is a group of connective tissue disorders, meaning that a genetic mutation has caused the bodies connective tissue to act abnormally. This causes a multitude of symptoms such as joint hypermobility, unstable joints leading to dislocations, chronic pain and fatigue, gastrointestinal symptoms and heart abnormalities. Although many people with EDS live life to the full, the condition can lead to life-limiting and even life-threatening symptoms.
I personally have EDS type 3, also known as the hypermobility type. I get a lot of joint dislocations, especially in my shoulder, hands, knees and feet. I also get joint pain which I take daily pain relief for, and other health complications.
Ehlers-Danlos Syndrome is thought to affect 1 in 5,000 people although it could actually be a lot more common than that! Please share this post so that more people can become aware of this condition. Illness isn't always visible, and this is commonly the case in people with EDS.
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| Shoulder dislocation |
