Ehlers Danlos Syndrome (EDS) is a connective tissue disorder that affects skin and joints between bones. The most common type of EDS is hEDS or hypermobility EDS. People with hEDS are usually more flexible or bendy than the average person. Being able to do a split, being able to bend your thumb back so it touches your wrist, and stretchy skin are three common signs of joint hypermobility. On the surface, these symptoms don’t seem too problematic, but hEDS can cause widespread pain in the body and many other problems.
There is growing research on the link between hEDS and another condition called called Mast Cell Activation Syndrome (MCAS). One recent study done by Song et al. in 2020 identified that 24% of a group of EDS patients also had MCAS. This is a very exciting finding for EDS researchers because as of now, the genetic causes of EDS are unknown. Therefore, studying MCAS may provide an avenue for exploring the origins of EDS in the body.
Both of these conditions share many different symptoms including skin hives, skin flushing, itchy skin, nasal or sinus congestion, asthma, gastrointestinal disorders like irritable bowel disorder or celiac disease, and many more. Research connecting these two conditions is a new and exciting field for researchers trying to get to the bottom of the physiology of Ehler’s Danlos Syndrome.
If you know you have EDS or hypermobility, and also experience pain and allergy symptoms like hives, coughing, wheezing, or redness in the skin, it’s possible you also have Mast Cell Activation Syndrome.
Filed under: pain management
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