For many across the rare disease community, not being understood can be as painful as the condition itself, impacting mental health and leaving people feeling invisible. This is why EURORDIS launched the EURORDIS Mental Health & Wellbeing Partnership Network. Both Alessandra Tolaccia and Rebecca T. Skarberg from OIFE have been part of the network. In…
In February I turned fifty. 50 years! When I see the number, I still cannot really grasp it. When I was younger, I felt fifty sounded really really old. And maybe it is? After all – I have probably lived more than half of my life. Have I accomplished everything I want? Do I still…
New PhD in OI: Experience of Chronic pain in adults with OI Interview with Rubén Muñoz Cortés My name is Rubén Muñoz Cortés and I work as a psychologist at Fundación AHUCE. I am specialized in clinical psychology, and my primary role involves offering psychological therapy to individuals with osteogenesis imperfecta (OI) or other dysplasias,…
By Alessandra Tolaccia, OIFE Volunteer I have been suffering from chronic pain for over 15 years now, and every time I have approached a new doctor looking for help, the answer has always been the same: pain in muscles/tendons has nothing to do with OI. But why doesn’t my pain go away with the common treatments…
Background Pain is reported to be the main challenge for people with OI besides fractures. More than 60 percent of people with OI have chronic pain, and the percentage and complexity increase with age. In spite of this, there is very little information about how you can manage pain as a child or adult with…
On January 25th 2022 we organized the kick-off of the Pain & OI project, which is a collaboration between the OIFE and the Osteogenesis Imperfecta Foundation (USA) and a group of dedicated professionals who have experience on pain management, pain research and/or pain & OI. We had 21 participants from 10 different countries at the…
Summary by Ingunn Westerheim, Dr Oliver Semler and Dr Lars Folkestad The OIF investigator Meeting is normally held in Chicago, but took place online on April 15th 2021. OIF Investigator Meeting The program chair this year was Dr Deborah Krakow who is Professor and Chair of the Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology at UCLA. This…
OIFE is interested in getting in touch with professionals (PTs, OTs, psychologists, medical doctors, researchers, pain specialists etc) who have experience/knowledge about pain & pain management in OI (or related bone diseases). We are considering a mini conference and/or project related to pain & OI and we are interested in getting in touch with people…
Interview with Rubén Muñoz Cortés, psychologist of Fundación AHUCE Who are you? I am Rubén Muñoz Cortés. I live in Valencia, Spain. I am a psychologist with a Master’s Degree in Clinical Psychology and Neuropsychology. I am a PhD candidate in Clinical and Health Psychology at the University of Valencia. Throughout my career, I have…
