By Anna Corbett-Neal, Co-Editor-In-Chief
As a 22-year-old woman, I am often asked one question: “If you are so young, why are you always in pain?” And then I have to explain my story.
I have always had pain in my joints that, when I was younger, was often attributed to growing pains. But when I stopped growing, there was no longer that explanation to fall back on, so I was left with one question: Why am I in so much pain?
After 10 years of unexplained back pain that often left me in tears and unable to breathe without the twinge of agony, I decided enough was enough. I had been scrolling through TikTok one day, searching up my symptoms in hopes that anyone could give me answers (because that is such a great idea and totally advisable.)
I had come across a girl who had shown off her hypermobility and shared her diagnosis: Hypermobile Ehlers-Danlos Syndrome (hEDS). She had all the same symptoms I had been dealing with for years. I decided I should bring this up with my doctor at my next appointment.
Initially, my family doctor dismissed me, saying that the condition was rare and that I probably didn't have it, which caused me to succumb to the depressing thoughts that had been eating away at me for years. I felt like I would never find an answer and that I would be trapped in this agony forever without knowing what was causing it.
When I became a college athlete, the symptoms worsened to the point that I had ended up in the ER with such severe back pain that I couldn't breathe. I scheduled an appointment with the doctors brought in by Newman for athletes and decided I should bring up hEDS again. When I mentioned it, I was met with a much different response.
Dr. Andrew Porter took into consideration my previous medical history of unexplained pain and constant instability and decided to test my theory. At the end, he concluded that I did in fact have the condition and wanted to start a treatment plan.
That plan has evolved over the past two years, but I am currently treated with Prolotherapy injections in my back (about 12-14 of them monthly) and osteopathic manipulation medicine (OMM), which is adjacent to what chiropractors do but is safer for my body.
I’m not sharing my story to receive sympathy but rather to empower others to advocate for themselves. I knew something wasn't right, and pushed for my care. Personal advocacy is the key to a successful life on all fronts, and if you can't advocate for yourself, find a support system, like I had with my husband and my family, that will help guide you through the struggles. I'll always be grateful to them, as well as to Dr. Porter, for helping me find a love for living again.
PHOTO: Courtesy, Unsplash
