Changing patterns have mystified me about the sources of my pain
Lately I haven't been able to rely on what I thought I knew about my EDS
Every time I think that maybe I’ve figured some things out with my Ehlers-Danlos syndrome (EDS), it’s like my body says, Nope! Just kidding. Let me do something completely different!
Since EDS generally isn’t progressive and varies for each person who has it, we can have trouble knowing how best to stay on top of its management. One of my ways is to notice new patterns so that maybe I can figure out what’s possibly triggering a problem.
Recently, however, I seem to be having some different areas of pain even though I haven’t changed anything about my routine or what I’m doing physically.
What’s happening now
One area where I’ve particularly noticed a different sort of discomfort is my upper shoulder and neck. While my right shoulder is badly damaged — I had a rotational fall in a soccer game as a teenager, before my EDS diagnosis, resulting in a broken clavicle and damage to numerous muscles, tendons, and ligaments in the area — I’ve learned many patterns that reveal what tends to bother it most.
Some worrisome movements include work above my head or away from my body, lying on my right side, and repetitive motions or exercises. If I do any of those things, I’m pretty much guaranteed to have a pain problem, so naturally I try my best to avoid them. Yet despite no change in my routine, work, or activities, I’ve been experiencing more neck and shoulder pain and more frequent subluxation (partial dislocation) than I have in years.
The other place I’ve been noticing more pain is my right hip. It just feels achy and somewhat stuck, as if it’s just not sitting quite right. I don’t notice it too much until I lean over, and then I feel like the joint isn’t moving smoothly. It doesn’t limit my range of motion, though. And despite an old hip flexor injury, my hip has historically been a place that only bothers me if I do something specific to aggravate it, like getting stuck in the mud. But recently, it’s been bothering me without any trigger.
That’s frustrating because if I can’t figure out what’s causing something to happen, it’s hard for me to prevent it.
I try to be as proactive as possible with my EDS because preventing a pain flare is always better than trying to rein one back in (for obvious reasons)! Recently, however, it simply seems like my joints are becoming irritated for no apparent reason whatsoever, and even my regular massages don’t seem to have as much staying power as they usually do.
It appears that some of my long-standing patterns may be changing; whether temporarily or long term, I’m not yet sure. And I’ve yet to figure out what the new patterns might be, either.
For now, I’ll keep taking mental notes on what I’ve been doing and how I’ve been feeling to see if any connections arise in the coming weeks and months — that is, if these new patterns continue. If they do, that’ll give me more information to help me feel the best I can each day.
Note: Ehlers-Danlos News is strictly a news and information website about the disease. It does not provide medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. This content is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always seek the advice of your physician or another qualified health provider with any questions you may have regarding a medical condition. Never disregard professional medical advice or delay in seeking it because of something you have read on this website. The opinions expressed in this column are not those of Ehlers-Danlos News or its parent company, Bionews, and are intended to spark discussion about issues pertaining to Ehlers-Danlos.
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