Hypermobility Fast Facts

Joint hypermobility, which is associated with hypermobile Ehlers Danlos Syndrome, means that some or all of a person's joints have an unusually large range of movement. It is often an inherited condition, and is considered benign, until unpleasant symptoms occur: including pain and stiffness in the muscles, clicking joints, dislocations, subluxations, digestive problems, dizziness and fainting, and thin or stretchy skin.

Here are some quick facts that might be useful in your knowledge of hypermobility

— Joint hypermobility affects about 15% of the population.

— Being double jointed has been linked with an increased risk factor for asthma and irritable bowel syndrome.

— Hypermobile joints are sometimes called “loose joints,” and those affected are referred to as being “double jointed.”

— A 2012 brain imaging study by Dr. Jessica Eccles, a psychiatrist and researcher at the University of Sussex in England found that those with hypermobility have a bigger amygdala, the part of the brain that is essential to processing emotions such as fear.

— Dr. Eccles also found that hypermobility may also be associated with an exaggerated fight or flight response.

— Children with hypermobility may be more accustomed to injuries such as sprains and dislocations. And may also experience back pain and tiredness.

— Brain fog can be caused by many things, including cervical spine instability, autonomic dysfunction, malformation in brain structure, and nutrient deficiency.

— Managing EDS/HSD also involves treating short-term injuries as they arise, while following a long-term treatment plan to manage daily symptoms.

Although these “facts” might seem daunting and scary, we hope that future studies will investigate treatments targeted for hypermobile people. In the meantime, these findings are an important reminder for clinicians to consider the possibility that a patient’s mental or physical disorders could have hypermobile origins.!

Be sure to consult with your primary care physician or other medical professionals in regards to your medical concerns. This text cannot and should not replace advice from the patient's healthcare professionals. Any person who experiences symptoms or feels that something may be wrong should seek individual professional help for evaluation and/or treatment. This post is informative only.