Ehlers-Danlos Syndrome.

Last updated Friday, February 18, 2005

Figure 1 - Loose, unstable joints

Symptoms

Symptoms

At least 9 different types of EDS have been identified; symptoms vary depending on which type of EDS a person has.

Symptoms vary depending on which type of EDS a person has. The most common forms of Ehlers-Danlos syndrome (EDS Type I and II) are characterized by one or more of the following features:

• skin problems
• soft velvet-like skin
• fragile skin that bruises or tears easily
• stretchy rubber band-like skin
• easy or severe bruising
• poor and slow wound healing (usually taking weeks to months to heal)
• small harmless bumps under the skin
• joint problems
• loose unstable joints causing frequent dislocations usually occurring in the shoulders, knees, hips, collar bone or jaw (see figure 1)
• double jointedness (hyper extensible joints), extreme in some cases
• joint pain from frequent dislocation
• eye problems
• nearsightedness, occasionally extreme

Less common symptoms that may occur in the more rare forms of EDS include:

• gum disease (EDS) VIII)
• curvature of the spine (EDS VI)
• problems with blood clotting (EDS X)
• more serious eye conditions (EDS VI)
• pulmonary (lung) problems (EDS IV)
• weak blood vessels, intestines or uterus that may lead to more serious complications (EDS IV)

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