What is Ehlers-Danlos syndrome (EDS)?

EDS is a group of genetic disorders affecting collagen, impacting skin, bones, and blood vessels, leading to symptoms like joint hypermobility and chronic pain.

What are the symptoms of Chiari malformation?

Chiari malformation causes severe headaches, neck pain, vision problems, and other neurological issues due to the brain descending into the spinal canal.

Why was Ciera Buzzell's pain initially dismissed by doctors?

Doctors initially attributed Ciera Buzzell's severe pain and symptoms to psychological factors like depression and stress, failing to recognize underlying physical conditions.

Home / Health / Pain Ignored for 20 Years, Then a Deadly Diagnosis

Pain Ignored for 20 Years, Then a Deadly Diagnosis

16 Jan

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Summary

Suffered debilitating headaches and joint pain for two decades.
Doctors initially dismissed her severe symptoms as psychological.
Diagnosed with Ehlers-Danlos syndrome and Chiari malformation in 2022.

Pain Ignored for 20 Years, Then a Deadly Diagnosis

For two decades, Ciera Buzzell lived with excruciating pain, her symptoms including severe headaches and dislocating joints. Doctors consistently dismissed her suffering, attributing it to psychological factors like stress, depression, and PTSD, leaving her feeling invalidated and hopeless.

Her medical journey took a critical turn in 2022 when she was diagnosed with Ehlers-Danlos syndrome (EDS), a genetic connective tissue disorder, and Chiari malformation, a serious neurological condition. These diagnoses finally explained the widespread pain and other debilitating symptoms she had endured for years.

Buzzell, who served in the Marine Corps, now faces the prospect of paralysis as her condition worsens. A GoFundMe campaign is underway to raise $70,000 for a crucial surgery to stabilize her spine and prevent further debilitating progression.