Emilia Clarke has revealed that she was diagnosed with a rare connective tissue disorder as a result of her brain injury. The Game of Thrones star, 39, suffered two brain aneurysms in 2011 and 2013, requiring major surgery while filming the early seasons of the HBO fantasy series.
New Health Revelation
In a recent interview on the How to Fail with Elizabeth Day podcast, Clarke shared that she has Ehlers-Danlos Syndrome (EDS) and Mast Cell Activation Syndrome (MCAS). She explained that these conditions are repercussions of her brain injury and have caused chronic inflammation.
“I get my brain checked all the time and it’s completely fine. But there were other things that I now know [that] I’ve lived with as the result of a brain injury that only this year have I properly fixed, which is crazy,” Clarke said.
What Are Ehlers-Danlos Syndrome and MCAS?
Ehlers-Danlos syndromes are a group of rare inherited conditions that affect connective tissues, providing support in skin, tendons, ligaments, blood vessels, internal organs, and bones. Mast Cell Activation Syndrome involves the frequent or abundant release of mast cell mediators, leading to symptoms affecting multiple body parts.
Clarke credited her “remarkable doctor in America” with helping her manage these conditions. “I feel great in a way that I didn’t realise I could feel great,” she added.
History of Health Struggles
Clarke’s first brain aneurysm occurred between filming season one and its release, when she experienced an “unbearable headache” at the gym. She was rushed to hospital and later did press for the first season, fearing she would be fired if her condition was known.
In 2013, a routine scan revealed a growth in her brain that had doubled in size. During surgery, she endured a “massive bleed,” and surgeons had to open her skull for an immediate operation to save her life. “The recovery was even more painful than it had been after the first surgery,” she recalled.
Since then, Clarke has launched the brain injury recovery charity SameYou and has been vocal about her experiences.
