Hypermobile Ehlers-Danlos Syndrome (hEDS) is a diagnosis where the connective tissue of the body becomes overly flexible. This may manifest as painful, hypermobile joints that are unstable and dislocate easily. Over the past 10 years, hypermobile EDS is becoming a much more common diagnosis, and is labelled as a genetic problem. That being said, there are no genetic or even blood tests confirm this diagnosis, hEDS is just diagnosed via symptoms.
Some say that hEDS just went undiagnosed in the past, and is only now being recognized. However, the increase in prevalence of people suffering these symptoms mirror the increase in generally unusual, debilitating, and autoimmune-like symptoms of the population at large. If that is the case, is hEDS really a genetic condition, or is it cause by something else altogether?
I have had patients officially diagnosed with hEDS come in for nutritional analysis, so I have gotten the experience of understanding this condition a bit, and identifying what is usually behind it
What I have found with EDS is mostly a thyroid weakened by heavy metal toxicity, usually mercury, but sometimes other metals. The weakening of the thyroid may not show up as hypothyroidism on a standard blood test, however, the aspect of thyroid function responsible for ligament strength in the body is being blocked and therefore underperforming. Thyroid hormones play a role in the metabolism and maintenance of collagen and other proteins responsible for the structure of ligaments. Ligaments are what attach bone to bone to create a joint. Weakened ligments mean too much mobility in a joint, leading to easily disclocated joints, or other loose joint issues.
To get these ligaments tightened up, we treat the root cause of the issue – which is usually detoxing the thyroid of the toxicity that is clogging it. After that we strengthen the thyroid with the nutrients it needs (usually iodine, selenium, fatty acids) so it provides the right hormones and signals to the body to create good collagen for the ligaments to use.
The medical establishment has no idea how to work with these cases, and usually just recommend NSAIDS and analgesic for pain. Or PT exercises to strengthen muscles, which does help stabilize the joints to some extent. Or surgery to stabilize joints that repeatedly dislocate. All of these treatments are simply ways to “manage” symptoms rather than address the root cause of them. It is not surprising that people with these symptoms are given a diagnosis that they are told has a genetic cause (even though there is no genetic test that proves this) – as it does imply there is not much that can be done.
The patients whom I have worked with have experienced great results. Whether or not their given hEDS “diagnosis” label is reversed is only for an MD to say, however, these patients’ symptoms have gone away, and have not returned. Why? Because the underlying factors have been addressed. I urge people with these symptoms to be undeterred by any medical diagnoses, and come in and find out what is behind their symptoms, and what they can do for it.
