Welcome Snow,
I too have Hypermobility Type Ehlers-Danlos syndrome.
Finding the joy in each moment and my mantra “Keep moving forward” are at the top of my list of how to cope with the torturous pain. In some ways aging has made it worse and in others I think aging makes it better.
As I age (I’m over 50) I’m less fearful and less guarded so the muscles are less frequently subjected to tensing due to stress or fear which I believe leads to a more relaxed (but not too relaxed or I’ll collapse into a puddle of a person – you know how it is) approach.
Walking, gardening and a couple of hours of specific exercises each day keep the muscles toned just enough to hold me up. Also in the mix are kinesio tape, TENS unit, diet management, sleep management, distraction, cuddles with my beagle, love from friends and family, writing, acupuncture, massage, epsom salt baths, heat/ice therapy, modified yoga, modified pilates, acceptance, cane/wheelchair/walker, splints… to name a few things in my pain management toolbox.
Welcome to PainCommunity.org!
I look forward to getting to know you and learning about what you grow in your garden.
FF