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DESCRIPTION:
Ehlers-Danlos Syndrome (EDS) is also known as joint hypermobility syndrome (JHS) and is a hereditary and quite rare connective tissue disorder characterized by unusually flexible joints, very elastic skin and fragile tissues. The connective tissue of individuals with this syndrome neither forms nor heals properly.
How does Ehlers-Danlos Syndrome or Joint Hypermobility Syndrome develop?
Variations of this syndrome usually result from abnormalities in the different genes that create connective tissue. Many children experience this flexibility in the joints but without other symptoms. Over time the flexibility decreases. Arthritis may eventually develop, and the joints may degenerate beyond repair.
What are the symptoms of Ehlers-Danlos Syndrome?
With this syndrome, the skin and joints are extremely flexible; the skin can be stretched to unusual levels. Wide scars often develop on the elbows, knees and shins. Small, round, hard lumps may also appear under the skin. While in general there is a tendency to bleed easily, a small wound may turn into a large gaping wound that might not bleed much at all. The hypermobility can be documented by the Breighton criteria which involves objective measurement of the hyperextensibility of various joints. While the major presenting complaint for these patients is typically pain in multiple joints, if the hypermobility is left unchecked, joint dislocations and degeneration may result.
Surgeries may be risky due to very sensitive inner organs as well as an inclination to sprains and dislocations. One fourth of all children afflicted with this disease may develop a hunchback and kyphoscoliosis, an abnormal curve of the spine, and many develop flat feet. Hernias are also common. Pregnant women may deliver prematurely due to the extreme flexibility of body tissues. In addition, the membranes containing the fetus may rupture early if the fetus has the syndrome.
Conventional medical treatments may help relieve the symptoms of Ehlers-Danlos Syndrome, but they do not address the root of the problem. By strengthening structural weaknesses in the body, as treatments like Prolotherapy, the problems associated with Ehlers-Danlos Syndrome may be alleviated permanently.
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