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In the April 2011 issue of More magazine, Alice Lesch Kelly writes a brilliant article entitled “The Male-Female Pain Gap” which explores why men often receive better pain relief from their doctors than women. In her article, Kelly uncovers three disturbing statistics ... 1) Women are less likely to be treated for pain and or/pain disorders than men . Kelly gives several examples of studies which show that women are treated less often for pain than men. Kelly explains that one reason for this is that women tend to describe their pain with more emotion than men, which has led many doctors to believe, consciously or unconsciously, that women tend to exaggerate their pain. As a result, the myth that women make up pain that doesn't exist or that they experience pain that is only 'in their heads' continues to circulate within the medical community. These biases often mean that women are more likely to have their pain dismissed or ignored by medical professionals than men. 2) ...

While joint pain is the most common symptom associated with Hypermobility Syndrome (HMS), HMS can affect other systems in the body. As a result, many HMS patients suffer from digestive problems - constipation, heart burn, diarrhea, IBS (irritable bowel syndrome), nausea, vomiting, delayed stomach emptying, Hiatal hernias, early satiety, and severe abdominal pain. These problems are all related to the underlying collagen defect responsible for HMS. Collagen is an important building block for all soft-tissue, and your GI track is one of the longest stretches of soft tissue in your body, which is an invitation for trouble. Just like in your joints, this collagen defect makes the connective tissues in your stomach stretchier than they should be, which makes it harder for your stomach to pass food. As Dr. Brad Tinkle explains in his book, Joint Hypermobility Handbook, "the increased laxity of the connective tissue [in the stomach] results in more difficulty for the muscles to contract...

Hi everybody! I wanted to let you all know that I have really appreciated your comments, I love hearing your stories and suggestions for things you would like to see on the blog. I have, however, been having trouble accessing each poster's contact information, which means I have not been able to respond to many posts. If you have a question you would like answered, or just need some general advice, I would suggest contacting me directly via email at elsesmith@gmail.com. That way I can respond to you in a quicker, more personalized manner. I can't wait to hear from you! Love and Hope, Chelsea

Doctor Bradly Tinkle, author of two great books on Hypermobility Syndrome - Issues and Management of Joint Hypermobility, and Joint Hypermobility Handbook - has recently released an app on iTunes. The app is called 'JHDiagnosis' and can be found in the Utilities category in the app store - it is most easily found by simply searching for the word 'hypermobility' in iTunes. This app takes you step by step through the Beighton Criteria, the most authoritative test used to diagnose generalized joint hypermobility or laxity. The app features pictures of each movement tested, an explanation of how the Beighton Criteria is used, and narration by Dr. Brad Tinkle himself. The app also includes movements not included on the official Beighton criteria, but which are extremely useful when trying to diagnose HMS. I would highly recommend that every HMS patient download this app (compatible with iPhone and iPad and its free!) to learn a little bit more about the condition. Then, bri...

Below is a list of physical therapy clinics in North Carolina which are either knowledgeable about, or have experience treating patients with Hypermobility Syndrome. Physical therapy is by far the most effective way to treat HMS, however, it must be done properly. If you do exercises that are too strenuous, you can do more harm than good, but if you don’t do enough, then you won’t be able to effectively reduce pain. That’s why working with a PT who has experience with other HMS patients is great. If, however, you don’t live in North Carolina or are not near any of the clinics on this list, don’t worry – you don’t necessarily have to find a PT who is an expert at treating HMS (and honestly, there are only a few handful of those in the world), finding a therapist who will listen to your concerns and is willing to do some research about your condition can be just as good, if not better. When you start physical therapy, let your therapist know about your condition, and warn them that ...

The University of Michigan's Genetics department has recently teamed up with the Ehlers-Danlos National Foundation to create a 'comprehensive Hypermobility database.' To that affect, the University of Michigan is conducting a survey of Hypermobile patients now through March which focuses on 'their full range of symptoms, treatment efficacies, and experiences with the healthcare community.' This information is absolutely vital, as much of the scepticsm of the healthcare community towards HMS stems from a lack of sufficient data about how HMS impacts a patient's daily quality of life. The information collected in this survey will help to serve future generations of HMS patients, so please take the time to help out. Anyone with EDS type III/HEDS/HMS/BJHS is welcome to take the survey (you do NOT have to be a member of the EDNF), and please encourage your hypermobile friends and familymembers to participate as well. Under the 'diagnosis' column please select...

Hypermobility Hope was recently recognized by ThumbJointPain.net in their Blog Award section, and was the featured blog for the week of December 21st, receiving 4.5 out of 5 stars! Please check out their website where you can tons of great information about relieving muscle pain from thumbs to shoulders to hips! Love and Hope, Chelsea http://thumbjointpain.net/thumb_pain.php