WE’RE ON A MISSION TO DRASTICALLY REDUCE THE TIME TO
Receive your EDS diagnosis
You’ve waited long enough. It’s time to finally get the answers — and care — you deserve.
Currently licensed in: NH, MA, VT, ME and CA.
Currently licensed in: NH, MA, VT, ME and CA.
LET’S OFFICIALLY DIAGNOSE YOUR EDS SYMPTOMS
So you can start alleviating them ASAP
There’s a reason you haven’t been diagnosed with Ehlers–Danlos Syndrome yet. Many doctors don’t even know what it is, let alone how to determine if you have it. Some may be downright dismissive of your symptoms.
But if you’re here, you know something’s wrong — and you suspect EDS is the cause.
Chances are, you’re right.
If that’s the first time you’ve heard those words from a medical provider, welcome. You’re in the right place.
We’re here to help you get the quick, accurate, compassionate EDS diagnosis you deserve.
Why choose Connective Wellness for your EDS diagnosis?
SHORT TIMELINE
Receive your clinical EDS diagnosis in as little as 6-10 weeks from the time of booking (compared with the average time to diagnosis of 10–14 years!).
THOROUGH ASSESSMENT
Get the most comprehensive diagnosis possible, using your health history, traditional EDS diagnostic criteria, and our proprietary Prince–Cole Scale™.
support after your diagnosis
Your nurse practitioner gives you recommendations. Our patient advocate helps you find the resources and providers to act on them, and our mental health coaches help you process it all.
“I’ve been struggling for as long as I can remember…”
“I’m very new to even knowing this condition exists, but a few months ago, I connected the dots specifically and have been trying to get answers. Lo and behold, I found Connective Wellness. THERE IS HOPE. People are learning and want to help."
–Emily Holmes
What is the Prince–Cole Scale™?
the Prince–Cole Scale™ evaluates your full-body health to provide the most thorough, data-driven EDS diagnosis possible.
Until now, providers have used the basic Beighton Scale and 2017 Diagnostic Criteria to measure Hypermobile Ehlers-Danlos Syndrome (hEDS). While this scale is useful, it’s also incomplete. It doesn’t assess systemic involvement, comorbidities, or the severity of your symptoms beyond hypermobility. That means you could have debilitating hEDS symptoms, yet not get diagnosed for it simply because you score low on the Beighton Scale.
That’s why we developed the Prince–Cole Scale™.
Instead of looking only at hypermobility, the Prince–Cole Scale™ evaluates your full-body health to provide the most thorough, data-driven EDS diagnosis possible.
Your results also flag whether your symptoms suggest you should pursue genetic testing, a rare but important marker that most evaluations won’t catch.
The Prince–Cole Scale™ looks at ALL your symptoms to provide an accurate diagnosis…
⟣ Joint hypermobility
(beyond Beighton Score)
⟣ Neurological and autonomic symptoms
⟣ Autoimmune symptoms
⟣ Pain levels and chronic pain syndromes
⟣ Cardiovascular symptoms (including POTS)
⟣ Familial medical history
⟣ Gastrointestinal dysfunction
⟣ Mast cell activation disorder symptoms
⟣ Impact on daily life and disability severity
“Working with Christina has been the most fulfilling experience I have ever had in regard to my health.”
After years of seeking support for symptoms dismissed by my primary care provider, I sought out support through functional medicine. Christina truly took the time to hear me and honored my instincts.
–Sarah M.
What happens next?
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Call our clinic to book your intake appointment. A $500 deposit is required to book. The remaining $1,395 is due at the time of your diagnostic evaluation. HSA/FSA funds and CareCredit are accepted.
Your intake is a 30-minute virtual call with one of our nurse practitioners or our patient advocate. It’s an introduction to the diagnostics process, not a medical appointment. You’ll learn what to expect, share a little about yourself, and ask any questions you have.
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After your intake, you’ll receive an email with instructions for submitting your pre-assessment questionnaire (our Prince-Cole Scale Diagnostic Tool™), along with any prior labs and medical records.
Need help? Your package includes up to an hour of virtual support with our patient advocate to help you gather and submit everything.
Once you’ve finished, a Patient Coordinator will reach out to schedule your diagnostic evaluation, typically within 4 to 8 weeks, so your nurse practitioner has time to review your materials.
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Your nurse practitioner will personally review your questionnaire, labs, and medical records before your visit.
You’ll then meet for your Integrative Diagnostic Evaluation (IDE), a visit of up to 90 minutes with one of our nurse practitioners. They’ll go over their findings, answer your questions, and discuss your diagnosis. If your symptoms suggest it, they’ll also talk with you about genetic testing.
The remaining $1,395 is due at this visit.
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Your package includes support to help you make sense of what comes next, including:
One hour with our Mental Health Coach, Nicole, to help you navigate your new diagnosis.
One hour with our Patient Advocate, Veronica, to help you find care in your area, share your diagnosis with your doctors, and follow up on your nurse practitioner’s recommendations.
Both sessions are virtual, so they’re available wherever you live.
Your chart notes will be available to you, typically within 10 days of your visit, so you can share them with your other providers.
If you’d like ongoing care, we offer EDS-informed services both in person at our Amherst, NH clinic and virtually, so geography doesn’t have to get in the way. We’re here for you, from diagnosis to beyond.
investment
Diagnostic Pathway — $1895 total
$500 deposit to book your intake
$1,395 due at your diagnostic evaluation
FAQs about EDS diagnosis
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It depends on what you’re looking for.
If you already have a diagnosis but still feel lost, dismissed, or unsupported, our process can help by:
Taking a fresh look. A nurse practitioner who knows hEDS reviews your history, labs, and records, and can confirm or clarify your diagnosis.
Looking at what else may be going on. Conditions that often come with hEDS, like POTS, MCAS, or GI issues, are easy to miss, and your NP will consider them.
Telling you where to start. You’ll get recommendations for next steps, plus support from our Patient Advocate to help you find the right care.
For many patients, getting a diagnosis was only the first step. Our goal is to help you move forward, not just hand you a label.
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If you don’t meet the diagnostic criteria, that doesn’t mean we stop helping you!
We will:
Thoroughly explain your results and why you may or may not fit the criteria.
Identify other possible explanations for your symptoms, such as:
Connective tissue disorders with a different genetic basis.
Neurological or autonomic dysfunction that needs targeted care.
Chronic pain conditions that need specialized treatment.
Provide next steps and referrals based on your specific concerns.
You won’t be left without answers—we will help you determine what to do next, even if your symptoms don’t fit hEDS/HSD.
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Yes. We offer virtual diagnostic evaluations for patients who can’t come to our Amherst, NH clinic. We’re currently licensed to see diagnostic patients in New Hampshire, Massachusetts, Maine California, and Vermont, with more states in progress.
You can complete everything remotely, from your intake call to your evaluation.
We may ask for extra information, like videos, images, or previous test results, to support your assessment.
You’ll receive the same follow-up as in-person patients: your NP’s recommendations, your chart notes, and your hour each with our Patient Advocate and Chronic Illness Coach, which are always virtual.
If you need in-person care after your evaluation, our Patient Advocate can help you find local providers and work out next steps.
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Because genetic research has significant emerging understanding of the complex nature of hEDS, in particular, as a condition that is not monogenic in nature, we highly recommend that everyone we see pursue genetic testing. Specifically, we recommend Ambry Genetics for their Patient for Life™ program. Your exome will be sequenced now, and will continue to be revisited as new data and research emerges for the duration of your life.
While you can elect not to pursue genetic testing, or to pursue testing through another laboratory, we strongly recommend completing this process as part of your full diagnostic picture. -
hEDS and other connective tissue disorders can run in families, so it’s a fair question. Our diagnostic evaluations are currently available to adults 18 and over, so we can’t evaluate children at this time.
If you’re concerned about your child, talk with their pediatrician about your family history, and let us know at your evaluation. We’re happy to share what we’ve learned that may help you advocate for them.
We’re working toward offering pediatric care, and we’ll share updates as that changes.
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Possibly. hEDS often affects more than one body system, so many patients benefit from additional specialists. You won’t have to work out who on your own.
After your evaluation:
Your nurse practitioner will share recommendations based on your symptoms, including what to look into next.
Our Patient Advocate can help you find care near you, including providers who understand hypermobility, and help you share your diagnosis with them.
If you’d like ongoing care with us, we’ll talk through what’s available.
Many patients are handed a diagnosis and left to figure out the rest. Here, you’ll know what to do next and have someone to help you do it.
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Yes. Your package includes an hour with our Patient Advocate, who can help you:
Look for providers near you who understand hypermobility and complex chronic illness.
Share your diagnosis with your other doctors.
Follow up on your nurse practitioner’s recommendations.
You’ll also receive your chart notes, typically within 10 days of your visit, to bring to new providers. If you’d like ongoing support from us, we can talk with you about virtual options available in your state.
Finding knowledgeable providers is hard, and you don’t have to do it alone.
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If you’ve been diagnosed with hEDS, HSD, or another connective tissue disorder and still feel lost, we can help.
Our process isn’t only about naming the condition. Here’s what it looks like:
A closer look at how your symptoms fit together, including pain, GI issues, and autonomic symptoms, from a nurse practitioner who knows hEDS.
Recommendations for where to start, including things that may have been overlooked.
Help acting on them. Our Patient Advocate can help you find care and follow up with your other providers.
A diagnosis is the first step. We help you figure out the next one.
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Absolutely! Many patients find it helpful to have a support person with them, especially if:
They need help remembering details.
They want someone to advocate for them.
They are overwhelmed with medical experiences.
We encourage bringing a trusted person to help you feel comfortable and supported.
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We are a hypermobility-friendly, disability-inclusive practice.
Let us know if you need:
Seating accommodations for pain management.
Low-stimulation environments (quiet rooms, dimmed lights).
Breaks during long discussions to manage fatigue.
Virtual options if in-person visits are too challenging.
We believe in making healthcare accessible and comfortable for all patients.
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Rheumatologists and geneticists play an important role, and some patients need them. We’re not a replacement. Here’s what’s different about our approach:
A focus on hEDS. Our nurse practitioners look at how hEDS affects your whole body, not just your joints.
Attention to what often comes with it, like POTS, MCAS, GI issues, and pain.
Support after your diagnosis. Many patients leave a specialist’s office with a label and no direction. Here, you’ll get recommendations and a Patient Advocate to help you act on them.
Some types of EDS, like vascular and classical, require genetic testing to confirm, and we don’t diagnose those. If your symptoms suggest one, we’ll flag it and point you to a geneticist.
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While your underlying connective tissue disorder won’t change, symptoms can fluctuate with:
Aging
Hormonal shifts
Stress levels
Injury or illness
This is why ongoing support and symptom management are key. We help you adjust your care plan as your needs evolve.
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Yes! While hEDS and HSD are our primary focus, our diagnostic process can also flag:
Other types of EDS (vascular EDS, classical EDS, etc.)
Marfan syndrome
Loeys-Dietz syndrome
Stickler syndrome
Other hypermobility-related conditions
If we suspect a rarer disorder, we will refer you for genetic testing to confirm the diagnosis.
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We completely understand. Many of our patients have been gaslit or dismissed by doctors who don’t understand hEDS and its comorbidities. That’s exactly why Connective Wellness was created—by people who have been through this themselves.
Our team is hypermobility-literate and trauma-informed, meaning we:
Validate your lived experience.
Listen without judgment—we won’t dismiss your pain or symptoms.
Use data-driven tools like the Prince-Cole Scale™ to ensure your experience is quantified and recognized.
Approach care with collaboration, not skepticism.
Every person who walks through our doors deserves to be heard, believed, and given real answers—and that’s exactly what we do.
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You’re not imagining your symptoms, and they’re not “just anxiety.” Many of our patients have heard that before, and it’s frustrating and harmful.
Here’s how we approach it differently:
We know what hEDS can look like. Many hEDS symptoms overlap with autonomic dysfunction, nervous system dysregulation, and mast cell issues. They can feel like anxiety, but they often have physical causes.
We take your symptoms seriously. Fatigue, dizziness, pain, GI issues, and brain fog are investigated as real medical concerns, not brushed off.
We look at the whole picture. Your nurse practitioner reviews your questionnaire, labs, and medical records to provide an evidence-based diagnosis.
You deserve to be believed, and that’s how we treat every patient.
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This is one of the biggest myths in medicine! While some genetically confirmed EDS subtypes are rare, hEDS and HSD are NOT.
hEDS and HSD are far more common than previously believed—they’ve simply been underdiagnosed.
Many healthcare providers were never trained to recognize them, leading to years of misdiagnosis or dismissal.
You don’t have to “look” a certain way to have hEDS. We assess symptoms holistically and scientifically, not based on outdated assumptions.
If your symptoms fit, you deserve a thorough evaluation, no matter what you’ve been told in the past.
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No. A diagnosis here isn’t the end. It’s the beginning.
Instead of “You have EDS, good luck,” you’ll get:
A clear answer. A diagnosis, if your evaluation supports one, from a nurse practitioner who knows hEDS.
Recommendations for what to do next. Your NP will tell you what they recommend and where to start.
Help acting on them. Our patient advocate helps you find the care and resources to follow through, wherever you live, and our coach helps you process it all.
You won’t be sent off on your own to figure out what’s next.
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Some primary care doctors do diagnose hEDS, but most haven’t been trained to recognize it or to look at everything that often comes with it.
Here’s what we do differently:
A nurse practitioner who knows hEDS. They review your questionnaire, labs, and medical records, and take the time to understand your full history.
The Prince-Cole Scale™. It looks beyond hypermobility to your full-body health, and flags whether your symptoms suggest genetic testing.
Recommendations built around you. Your NP tells you what they suggest and where to start, and our patient advocate helps you find the care to follow through.
Most primary care visits are short, and hEDS takes more time than a standard appointment allows. That’s why so many patients go years without answers.
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Yes! The Beighton Score is outdated as a sole diagnostic tool, and we do not rely on it alone.
Many people with hEDS don’t meet the Beighton criteria but still have significant symptoms—which is why we use a much broader evaluation method.
Hypermobility decreases with age, meaning many adults don’t score as high as they would have in childhood.
We look at joint instability, pain, comorbidities, and functional impact—not just how far your joints bend.
If you don’t fit the Beighton Score but have other clear signs of hEDS or HSD, we will still take your case seriously.
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We completely understand—many of our patients have been let down before. That’s exactly why we built a diagnostic process that we would have wanted for ourselves.
At Connective Wellness, we:
Believe you. Your symptoms are real, and we will never dismiss them.
Are experts in hypermobility and complex care. This isn’t a side specialty—it’s our primary focus.
Offer more than just a diagnosis. We provide a clear path forward, so you don’t feel lost after your appointment.
Use cutting-edge tools (like the Prince-Cole Scale™) to ensure every detail is considered and validated.
We know how exhausting it is to fight to be heard. That’s why, at Connective Wellness, you don’t have to fight anymore.
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Your nurse practitioner will share their recommendations and where to start. From there, you’ll have support to act on them:
Your chart notes, typically available within 10 days, to share with your other providers.
An hour with our Patient Advocate to help you find care in your area and follow up on your NP’s recommendations.
An hour with our Chronic Illness Coach to help you make sense of your new diagnosis.
Both sessions are virtual, so they’re available wherever you live. If you’d like ongoing care, we’ll talk with you about what’s available.
You won’t be left wondering what to do next.
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A formal diagnosis can be an important step toward workplace, school, or disability accommodations, but every situation is different, and we can’t guarantee any outcome.
Here’s what we can do:
Give you your chart notes, typically within 10 days of your visit, to share with employers, schools, or agencies.
Point you in the right direction with our Patient Advocate, who can help you understand what documentation you may need for accommodations, IEPs, or disability applications.
If accommodations are part of your goal, tell us at your evaluation so we can keep it in mind.
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At this time, we are an out-of-network provider, meaning insurance does not directly cover the diagnostic process.
However, you may be able to:
Submit a superbill for potential reimbursement from your insurance.
Use HSA or FSA funds to cover your appointment.
Apply for financing options through CareCredit
We are fully transparent about costs upfront and will work with you to ensure you get the care you need without surprises.
GET RESULTS IN AS LITTLE AS 6-10 WEEKS!
Ready to finally receive your EDS diagnosis?
Let’s put you on the path to healing. Reach out to book your diagnostic intake appointment, so we can start giving you the personal, attentive care you’ve been missing.