Natalie’s Ehlers–Danlos syndrome caused additional pain - her connective tissues were weak and her joints would easily dislocate. POTS is a disorder of the autonomic nervous system in which blood pressure, heart rate, blood vessel and pupil diameter, peristaltic movements of the digestive tract and body temperature are affected. A few months later, at age 15, Natalie’s life changed forever when she was diagnosed with POTS and Ehlers–Danlos syndrome, neither of which is curable or easily managed medically. She visited a series of doctors in search of relief. Seemingly overnight, she transformed from a vivacious teenager at the top of her eighth-grade class to being virtually bedridden with fatigue, dizziness and chest pain. Such was the case for Natalie (case study used with permission). Lack of understanding can lead to feelings of alienation and hopelessness for those suffering from these disorders. These disorders disproportionately affect women and are not well understood by the health care establishment or the general community. Examples include chronic fatigue syndrome/myalgic encephalomyelitis, Ehlers–Danlos syndrome, fibromyalgia, lupus, Lyme disease, multiple sclerosis, myasthenia gravis, postural orthostatic tachycardia syndrome (POTS), regional complex pain syndrome and Sjogren’s syndrome. Some of these illnesses are debilitating, preventing participation in the normal activities of daily living. A variety of invisible illnesses can greatly impact both the physical and mental health of individuals.
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