Chronic Pain Partners is excited to share a significant breakthrough from the Norris Lab regarding hypermobile Ehlers-Danlos Syndrome (hEDS). After a long wait, the research, spearheaded by Dr. Cortney Gensemer, identifying a genetic variant associated with hEDS has been published, pinpointing mutations in the Kallikrein gene family. 

In the summer of 2023, a study from the Indiana University School of Medicine was published. It discussed a new phenomenon in patients with Ehlers-Danlos syndrome (EDS): clinician-associated trauma. This concept is related to the post traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) suffered by people who have gone through a medical trauma. Clinician-associated trauma, on the other hand, describes the many, small interactions a patient may have with medical providers and the medical system that, over time, can add up to PTSD-like symptoms. This is more likely to happen to patients with EDS or other complex chronic illnesses who have many interactions with a medical system that is not built for them. 

This study quickly made its way around the EDS and chronic illness communities, with people shouting, “Finally! Someone put a name to what we’ve been struggling with!” Others chimed in that the paper should be required reading for all doctors, other medical providers, and medical students. 

Below are a series of articles by Chronic Pain Partners’ staff writer Kate Schultz explaining trauma concepts, discussing the clinician-associated trauma study, going deeper into the causes of clinician-associated trauma, and, lastly, suggesting efforts to help prevent and heal from clinician-associated trauma. As always, your comments are welcome.

Part 1: EDS & Psychological Medical Trauma: An Introduction
https://www.chronicpainpartners.com/eds-psychological-medical-trauma-an-introduction/

Part 2: HEDS Researchers Explain Clinician-Associated Trauma
https://www.chronicpainpartners.com/heds-researchers-explain-clinician-associated-trauma/

Part 3: Medical Gaslighting as a Source of Clinician-Associated Trauma
https://www.chronicpainpartners.com/medical-gaslighting-as-a-source-of-clinician-associated-trauma/

Part 4: The Rise of Clinician-Associated Trauma in the Doctor-Patient Relationship
https://www.chronicpainpartners.com/the-rise-of-clinician-associated-trauma-in-the-doctor-patient-relationship/

Part 5 and 6: Coming soon!