Busting Common EDS & MCAS Myths with Dr. Dacre Knight (Ep 195)

About this episode

Dr. Linda Bluestein and Dr. Dacre Knight debunk myths surrounding EDS, HSD, POTS, and MCAS, emphasizing the serious nature of these conditions.

In this "MythBusters" edition of the Bendy Bodies Podcast, Dr. Linda Bluestein and recurring co-host Dr. Dacre Knight tackle the persistent misconceptions surrounding Ehlers-Danlos syndromes (EDS), hypermobility spectrum disorders (HSD), and their frequent companions, Postural Orthostatic Tachycardia Syndrome (POTS) and Mast Cell Activation Syndrome (MCAS). Dr. Knight, Medical Director of the UVA Health EDS and Hypermobility Disorder Center, shares why hypermobile EDS (hEDS) is a serious condition even when not life-threatening, and why a negative genetic test doesn't rule out a diagnosis. The conversation dives deep into the "invisible" impact of these disorders on long-term disability and work ability, while offering hope through a better understanding of pain processing and nociplastic pain. From debunking the idea that POTS is merely deconditioning to navigating the controversial waters of MCAS, this episode empowers patients and clinicians with the knowledge needed to look past the surface and recognize the systemic reality of bendy bodies. Takeaways: EDS Severity: Hypermobile EDS and HSD are serious, chronic conditions that cause multi-system impairment and long-term…

People in this episode

Host: Dr. Linda Bluestein

Guest: Dr. Dacre Knight

Topics covered

• Ehlers-Danlos syndromes
• hypermobility spectrum disorders
• Postural Orthostatic Tachycardia Syndrome
• Mast Cell Activation Syndrome
• myth-busting
• chronic conditions
• pain processing

Keywords

• Ehlers-Danlos syndrome
• hypermobility
• POTS
• MCAS
• chronic pain
• genetic testing
• disability

Mentioned in this episode

Organizations: UVA Health EDS and Hypermobility Disorder Center

More episodes of Bendy Bodies with Dr. Linda Bluestein

• Hypermobility Then and Now | Episode 200 · June 11, 2026 · 1h 28m
• Fatigue, Pain, Poor Sleep? It Could Be Vitamin D. | Dr. Gregory Plotnikoff & Dr. Dacre Knight (Ep. 199) · June 4, 2026 · 1h 10m
• Why Lipedema Resists Diet and Exercise with the Lipedema Foundation (Ep 198) · May 28, 2026 · 1h 14m
• Why Everything You've Been Told About EDS Lifestyle Is Wrong with Dr. Dacre Knight (Ep 197) · May 21, 2026 · 1h 9m
• Too Flexible to Fix? Orthopedic Surgery and Hypermobility with Dr. Jocelyn Wittstein (Ep 196) · May 14, 2026 · 1h 10m
• Told You’re “Too Sensitive”? It Might Be ADHD, Autism, and Hypermobility with Jessica Eccles (Ep 194) · April 30, 2026 · 1h 19m