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Hypermobility & seemingly unrelated symptoms – could it be EDS?
Do you find yourself unusually flexible, able to bend your joints in ways that amaze—or sometimes alarm—your friends and family? Perhaps you’ve always been the person who could touch their thumb to their wrist, hyperextend their knees, or perform party tricks with impossibly bendy fingers. While this flexibility (hypermobility) might seem like a harmless quirk, it could be the key to understanding a vast assortment of seemingly unrelated symptoms of health issues that you’ve been experiencing, such as fatigue, digestive problems, bruising, food sensitivities and heart palpitations, because you may have Ehlers-Danlos Syndrome (EDS).
Quick self-assessment: could your symptoms be connected?
Count the yesses that apply to you:
- Can you bend your thumb back to touch your wrist?
- Do your joints frequently dislocate or feel unstable?
- Do you bruise very easily from minor bumps?
- Have you experienced chronic unexplained digestive issues (bloating, nausea, IBS-like symptoms)?
- Do you have persistent fatigue that rest doesn’t improve?
- Do you sometimes have heart palpitations or dizziness when standing?
- Can you hyperextend your knees or elbows beyond straight?
- Have you developed multiple food sensitivities over time?
- Do your cuts and wounds heal slowly or leave unusual scars?
- Do you feel like your various symptoms are dismissed by doctors?
If you’ve answered 4 or more yesses, particularly including joint flexibility items, there may be an underlying connection between your symptoms that deserves investigation.
At Breakspear Medical, we frequently see patients who arrive with exactly this puzzling array of symptoms that other healthcare providers have struggled to connect. The common thread? Joint hypermobility—and the complex condition that often underlies it.
When flexibility becomes a health concern
Joint hypermobility affects far more people than most realise; it affects potentially 1 in 5,000 individuals. What many don’t understand is that this increased flexibility often signals a deeper issue with the body’s connective tissue system, specifically involving a protein called collagen.
If you’ve been told you’re “double-jointed” or exceptionally flexible, you might also have noticed other symptoms that many think are separate, unrelated issues:
- frequent joint dislocations or subluxations
- chronic unexplained fatigue
- digestive problems that don’t respond to conventional treatments
- easy bruising and slow wound healing
- stretchy, fragile skin
- recurring hernias or prolapse issues
- mysterious food sensitivities
- heart palpitations or blood pressure irregularities
The frustrating reality is that many healthcare providers treat these symptoms in isolation, missing the underlying connection that ties them all together.
The missing piece: Ehlers-Danlos Syndrome
Ehlers-Danlos Syndrome (EDS) is a genetic condition that affects the body’s ability to produce healthy collagen, which is the protein that provides structure and strength to skin, joints, blood vessels, and organs throughout the body. When collagen production is impaired, it creates a domino effect of symptoms across multiple body systems.
The most recognisable form, Hypermobility EDS, is characterised primarily by joint hypermobility, chronic pain, and frequent dislocations. This is the most common type and often goes undiagnosed for years because its symptoms can be subtle and are frequently attributed to other causes.
However, EDS encompasses six distinct types, each with its own pattern of symptoms:
Classical EDS combines joint flexibility with highly extensible skin, distinctive scarring, and pronounced bruising.
Vascular EDS is the most serious form, featuring thin skin and risks of arterial or organ rupture.
Kyphoscoliosis EDS involves muscle weakness, spinal curvature, and eye complications.
Arthrochalasia EDS presents with severe joint instability and spinal issues.
Dermatosparaxis EDS primarily affects skin integrity, causing severe fragility and looseness.
The diagnostic challenge that leaves patients struggling
One of the most frustrating aspects of EDS is that there are currently no blood tests, scans or laboratory markers that can definitively diagnose the condition. Diagnosis relies entirely on clinical observation and specialised assessment tools, such as the Beighton score and Brighton criteria, which are evaluations that many general practitioners aren’t familiar with.
This diagnostic gap means that countless individuals spend years seeking answers, often being told their symptoms are all in their head or receiving piecemeal treatments that address individual symptoms without tackling the root cause.
The surprising connections
Recent research has revealed links between joint hypermobility and seemingly unrelated health issues that might finally explain your mysterious symptoms.
Gastrointestinal problems: do you suffer from unexplained abdominal pain, bloating, nausea, reflux, constipation, or diarrhoea? Studies show that patients with these “functional” GI symptoms (those without clear pathological findings) frequently present with joint hypermobility features. The connection lies in collagen’s role in maintaining the structural integrity of the digestive tract.
Chronic fatigue: a significant proportion of people with EDS meet the diagnostic criteria for Chronic Fatigue Syndrome (CFS). If you’re experiencing persistent, unexplained fatigue alongside joint problems, the connection might be more direct than you think.
Food sensitivities: The increased gut permeability associated with hypermobility-type EDS can allow larger food particles into the bloodstream, triggering immune reactions and developing food sensitivities that compound digestive issues.
Autonomic dysfunction: Many people with EDS experience problems with their autonomic nervous system, which is what controls heart rate, blood pressure, digestion and temperature regulation. This might explain symptoms such as dizziness upon standing, heart palpitations, or temperature intolerance.
A comprehensive approach to complex symptoms
At Breakspear Medical, we understand that complex, multi-system conditions require sophisticated diagnostic approaches and comprehensive treatment strategies.
We don’t just look at your joint flexibility in isolation; we examine the full picture, including your digestive symptoms, energy levels, skin characteristics, cardiovascular function and the intricate ways these systems interact. This holistic approach often reveals connections that explain years of mysterious symptoms.
Our assessment goes beyond standard screening tools to include detailed evaluation of:
- joint mobility patterns and stability
- skin texture, elasticity, and healing characteristics
- cardiovascular and autonomic function
- digestive system integrity and function
- nutritional status and absorption capabilities
- immune system reactivity patterns
Targeted nutritional support for connective tissue health
While EDS has a genetic component, many of its symptoms mirror those seen in nutritional deficiencies. This insight opens the door to targeted interventions that can significantly improve quality of life.
Our approach includes specialised nutritional support designed to optimise connective tissue function:
Vitamin C plays a crucial role in collagen formation, helping strengthen ligaments, tendons, and blood vessels while reducing bruising and promoting proper wound healing.
Methyl sulphonyl methane (MSM) and silica support the formation of healthy bone and collagen in connective tissues, contributing to better skin, hair, and nail health.
Pycnogenol, derived from pine bark extract, acts as a powerful antioxidant that enhances vitamin C availability while inhibiting collagen breakdown and maintaining skin strength and flexibility.
Glucosamine provides essential building blocks for maintaining healthy connective tissue and joint function.
Carnitine supports energy metabolism and promotes normal heart and skeletal muscle function, which are crucial for those dealing with fatigue and cardiovascular symptoms.
Essential nutrients such as calcium, magnesium, and vitamin K support bone health, while Coenzyme Q10 enhances cellular energy production and cardiovascular function.
Your journey to EDS answers starts here
If you’ve been struggling with unexplained symptoms, particularly if joint hypermobility is part of your picture, you don’t have to continue searching for answers alone. The complex, interconnected nature of connective tissue disorders requires a thorough understanding and a comprehensive approach to diagnosis and treatment.
At Breakspear Medical, we’ve helped countless patients finally understand the connections between their seemingly disparate symptoms. Our specialised knowledge of conditions such as EDS, combined with our integrative approach to treatment, offers hope for those who have been told there are no answers, or have received conflicting answers, to their health concerns.
Your symptoms don’t have to remain a mystery. The flexibility that once seemed like a party trick might actually be the key to unlocking better health and a clearer understanding of your body’s unique needs.
Contact us at Breakspear Medical today to discover how our approach to complex, multi-system conditions can help you reclaim your health and vitality. Your journey to answers and relief starts with understanding the remarkable ways your body’s systems work together.
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