"How does it hurt that bad?" " What is the pathophysiology?" " What is my differential diagnosis?"
These are questions that occur to a family physician when evaluating a patient with problems that include excruciating pain. With a big push to prescribe fewer to no opiates for pain, physicians are shying away from patients who hurt. We seem to be developing an aversion to pain and suffering, a surprising paradox for a profession that was invented to prevent and/or treat pain and suffering.
The updated categorization of connective tissue disorders by our genetic friends offers hope (and confusion) to those who want to better diagnose and treat disorders that include a pain component. International Classification of EDS and HSD
The Ehlers Danlos Society does an excellent job of staying on top of and communicating about Ehlers Danlos Syndrome (EDS). They have quickly updated to inform their members and interested others about the new definitions and diagnostic criteria for EDS and Hypermobile Spectrum Disorders (HSD). What is HSD?
How might we assess joints for hyermobility? Assessing Joint Hypermobility
What does this mean to patients and family physicians?
More later in this series about EDS and HSD
