Struggling to Teach with EDS: Any Tips?

I'm nowhere close to finishing my teaching degree (also in English) but I've found using my wheelchair when I'm giving instruction helps. My chair isn't custom, so I do have a cushion but even that has helped in terms of pain and fatigue.

@Aur4995 if you end up getting a pregnancy pillow and trying the set up, let me know how it goes!

@pricklypear okay got it! And yes I’m always taped up and I need to get new pads for my tens unit

@Aur4995 honestly i’ve found that it’s easy to sleep on either side. i have it worse on my right side but that’s the side i sleep on (that’s probably connected lol) but i have been sleeping on right anyway and it’s been fine so far. however if you have pain heavier on one side it could help to sleep on the “better” side

@Aur4995 another thing i would look into if you haven’t already is KT tape and a TENS machine. KT tape is just body tape that you pull and wrap certain ways. i used to use it on my shoulder when i was having a bad pain day and it would help. i’m not sure if you’re familiar with TENS, but they are little pads you stick on your shoulder on both sides (based on a chart they’ll give you) and then you connect wires to it and turn it on. you set the level wherever you want to, and it will send low electric currents through your shoulder to relieve soreness. if i were you i would take it to school in your bag and maybe do one session during your planning period and one during your lunch. although because you teach older kids, you could probably do it in class without them being scared of it

@pricklypear hmm I’ll have to try that I see what you’re saying. You sleep on the side opposite of the one that hurts most?

@Aur4995 me too, it is the worst. honestly once i found a comfortable way to sleep, it helped my shoulder a lot. If you find your shoulder hurting really bad after sleeping on it, i recommend this set up. get a pregnancy pillow!! i personally have an “L” shaped pillow. my head goes on the short horizontal bit and then the long vertical piece goes in front of my body and between my knees. I then put a firm pillow on top of the horizontal piece to make sure my head/neck is in a good position that doesn’t make me have a “crick” in my neck. Finally, I put another pillow (not a super thick one) under my ribs. THIS IS THE MOST IMPORTANT PART! When you have your head and your ribs up, it creates a little pocket for your shoulder and arm to fall into so that you’re not crushing it into your bed and hurting it. I started sleeping like this a couple weeks ago and I can actually wake up to my alarms and my shoulder doesn’t feel like it has been having subluxations all night. only thing that sucks with this setup is that if you do have a partner or pet that stays in the bed with you it might change y’all’s cuddle habits

@pricklypear I have hEDS. I have a lot of shoulder instability which is causing the worst of the issue

I am not personally a teacher, but my mom is. She doesn’t have EDS, but she does deal with chronic pain caused by MS. I think with her it’s been all about trying to just be “healthier”. She had to really make sure she was getting enough food in throughout the day (she now likes to snack high protein snacks periodically while at work) and it has help. Also she has increased her water intake and it has helped a lot. Obviously think in conjunction with medication helps her get through the work day. She still has some days but she says her energy has increased a lot and she feels better. Like I said though, she has MS, so it might be different for you because you have EDS. If you don’t mind me asking, what “strain” of EDS do you have e