Navigating Diagnosis Without Biomarkers

This chapter discusses the lack of biomarkers for ME-CFS and hypermobile EDS, highlighting the difficulties this creates in diagnosis. The focus is on the balance between necessary laboratory tests and the importance of clinical assessments for effective patient care.

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What if the fatigue you feel isn’t just “tiredness”—but the result of an entirely different physiological state? In this riveting episode, Dr. Linda Bluestein sits down with Dr. Brayden P. Yellman of the Bateman Horne Center to explore ME/CFS (myalgic encephalomyelitis/chronic fatigue syndrome)—a misunderstood condition that masquerades as general exhaustion but goes much deeper.

Together, they unravel the hidden markers of post-exertional malaise, explain how upright posture can quietly sabotage your day, and discuss the mysterious collapse of energy systems that no blood test can catch. With no known biomarker, diagnosis is a clinical puzzle—and one too often dismissed.

Dr. Yellman also explores emerging theories around brainstem tension, tethered cord syndrome, mast cell activation, and how some surgeries may reset the body in unexpected ways. If you've been chasing answers for fatigue, brain fog, or unexplained crashes, this episode may finally connect the dots you didn’t know existed.

Note: You may notice a few choppy moments in this video due to our guest’s frame rate, but the conversation is so valuable, we knew we had to share it with you. Thanks for your understanding!

Takeaways:

Fatigue might not be what you think—and your body may be operating in a totally different mode.
Your upright posture could be silently draining your energy every hour of the day.
A “normal” MRI doesn’t mean your nervous system is functioning normally.
Could your symptoms be the result of your brainstem being pulled—literally?
The most revealing test? It might be one you do at home... and it doesn’t involve a lab.

YouTube video mentioned in the episode: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=00f6Yx9ab3I

Find the episode transcript here.

Connect with YOUR Hypermobility Specialist, Dr. Linda Bluestein, MD at https://www.hypermobilitymd.com/.

Thank YOU so much for tuning in. We hope you found this episode informative, inspiring, useful, validating, and enjoyable. Join us on the next episode for YOUR time to level up your knowledge about hypermobility disorders and the people who have them.

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Learn about Dr. Brayden P. Yellman

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Website: https://batemanhornecenter.org/

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