Brendan, Author at Manhattan Pain Medicine

EDS, POTS, and MCAS. Why These Symptoms Often Show Up Together

Patients with Ehlers-Danlos syndrome, POTS, and mast cell activation symptoms are often sent to different specialists for different parts of the same pattern. Cardiology may focus on racing heart or dizziness. Allergy or immunology may focus on hives, flushing, food reactions, or medication sensitivity. Orthopedics or rheumatology may focus on joint pain, instability, or widespread […]
Why Ehlers-Danlos Syndrome Takes So Long to Diagnose. And What Patients Are Often Told Instead

For many patients with Ehlers-Danlos syndrome, the path to diagnosis is long and frustrating. Symptoms may begin in childhood or early adulthood, but the diagnosis may not come for years, sometimes decades. This delay happens because EDS is not limited to one body part. It can affect joints, muscles, nerves, blood vessels, digestion, the autonomic […]
What Hypermobility Actually Does to the Body. Beyond Being Flexible

Hypermobility is often misunderstood as simply being flexible or “double-jointed.” In reality, it can reflect a deeper problem with connective tissue support. Ligaments and joint capsules are meant to help hold the skeleton securely together. When these structures are too lax, the body has to find other ways to create stability. Over time, that can […]
Why Hip Pain May Not Be Coming From the Hip. The Pelvis, Spine, and Nerve Connection

Many patients develop deep hip, groin, or outer hip pain and are told they have a labral tear, trochanteric bursitis, or IT band problem. They may try physical therapy, steroid injections, or even hip surgery, yet the pain continues. That can happen when the painful area is not the true source of the problem. The […]
Sacroiliac Joint Dysfunction. Why SI Joint Pain Is So Often Misdiagnosed

Many patients with sacroiliac joint dysfunction spend years being treated for other problems. They may be told they have a herniated disc, piriformis syndrome, hip pain, pelvic floor dysfunction, or sciatica. The sacroiliac joint, or SI joint, connects the sacrum at the base of the spine to the pelvis. It is designed to be stable, […]
Spinal Stenosis Symptoms. Why Walking, Standing, or Sitting Can Change the Pain

Many patients with lumbar spinal stenosis describe a very specific pattern. They can stand or walk for only a few minutes before burning, cramping, heaviness, or pain travels into the buttocks or legs. Then, after sitting or leaning forward, the symptoms improve. This pattern is often called neurogenic claudication. It happens when the nerves in […]
Herniated Disc vs. Pinched Nerve. Why the MRI Is Only Part of the Story

Many patients arrive with an MRI report showing a “mild disc bulge,” yet the pain is severe. Others have large disc herniations on imaging and very little discomfort. This is why an MRI alone cannot explain the full pain story. A herniated disc and a pinched nerve are related, but they are not the same […]
Sciatica vs. Piriformis Syndrome. Why the Source of Leg Pain Matters

Many patients arrive with radiating, burning, or electric pain traveling down the leg. They are often told they have either sciatica or piriformis syndrome. After that, the treatment path may become repetitive: stretching, muscle relaxers, trigger point injections, steroid injections, or physical therapy focused only on the tight muscle. Sometimes symptoms improve briefly, then return. […]
What Causes Sciatica And Why Leg Pain Is Often Misdiagnosed

Sciatica, or Lumbar Radiculopathy, is commonly used to describe pain that travels from the low back, buttock, or hip down the leg. It is often caused by irritation or compression of the sciatic nerve or the nerve roots that help form it. The challenge is that not all radiating leg pain comes from the same […]
Why Back Pain Keeps Coming Back

Many patients with back pain know the cycle well. Severe low back pain appears, an MRI shows a disc herniation or facet arthritis, an epidural steroid injection provides temporary relief, and then the pain returns. This does not mean the treatment failed or that surgery is the only remaining option. It often means the underlying […]