Ehlers-Danlos Syndrome
Ehlers-Danlos syndrome is the name of several inherited medical conditions that affect joints, skin, and other connective tissues in the body. Ehlers-Danlos is usually the result of a mutation or defect in the genes that produce and regulate collagen—the primary protein making up connective tissue in the human body. Ehlers-Danlos causes connective tissues to be weaker and more elastic. This means that skin may bruise easier or joints may become extremely loose and overly flexible. There are at least ten different types of Ehlers-Danlos, which affect different collagen genes and lead to varying combinations of symptoms. Because of this, Ehlers-Danlos can be incredibly mild or life-threatening, depending on the type of tissues affected. Common signs of Ehlers-Danlos include: Hyper-flexible joints Stretchy or saggy skin Deformities Muscles and joint pain Sprains, pulls, and dislocations Skin that bruises easily Ehlers-Danlos can also lead to heart diseases and other cardiovascular problem