"Joint Hypermobility and CFS"

By Alan Pocinki, MD
George Washington University Hospital http://www.research1st.com/2011/10/31/joint-hypermobility-and-cfs/

Maybe a bit overstated, but still interesting.

I believe my joint hypermobility contributed to being sick.

I have joint laxity and OI.

Hmm, this "smells" like Ehlers–Danlos Syndrome to me...

which same EDS would include "Dr Diana" Driscoll who has some interesting videos on youtube and her prettyill.com. She incorporates a focus on histamine as well. An optometrist, IIRC, with some authorship of published papers on EDS.

as for me, I'm the exact opposite jointwise - also tend toward hypertension not hypo, have good exercise and alcohol tolerance, etc.

I found this essay a while ago after being diagnosed with EDS myself. I wonder if I have EDS or "just" the CFS version of hypermobility. Or if it really matters? I've never followed up on the diagnosis which was not made by an EDS specialist as it didn't seem like there were really any treatment options.

I also found the Driscoll information on prettyill.com to be interesting...

Well then I don't have CFS, although I have some mobility/laxity within my ribcage only - one slipping rib and a gap in the sternum/xyphoid, the latter though was caused by injury/trauma.

I don't have any hypermobility, but do have PEM.

Hypermobility is also associated with being susceptible to mold issues - genetic pre-disposition.

I don't have joint hypermobility, and as a one-time gymnast, I think it would have shown up if there was any tendency in that direction. My daughter, who also has ME/CFS, does have joint hypermobility, though. It will be interesting to see what the genetic connection between ME/CFS and hypermobility is.

I wonder what is the relationship to having hypermobile joints and developing a post traumatic injury fibromyalgia? I've had ME for over 25 years but only developed FM after a serious accident. The rheumatologist I saw mentioned that my joints were hypermobile. Before ME I'd always noticed how flexible I was so that was not surprising.

I am mildly hypermobile.

Dr hyde mentions Enhlers Danlos Syndrome in his ME definition. EDS comes with chronic fatigue.This is what led me to getting dx with the hypermobile form (which like all forms is inherited). Joint Hypermobility Syndrome is not inherited.

I know Pocincki sees people with EDS but was it is not clear to me is what he thinks a CFS patient is. Certainly the complications from EDS - pain, fatigue lead people to assume CFS if they do not understandthere are other issues like PEM.

The interesting thing is that allergy goes with EDS and prior to CFS I had loads of allergy symptoms which i aasumed had gone away .......but had propably morphed into something else.

I suspect that there are people like me with EDS/POTS/ME.......with more severe symptoms than those mentioned by Peter ROwe. It could be that this is a specific condition that one day will have its own name.

Perhaps earlier dx of EDS may have saved me from developing ME (but not POTS). It certainly has helped in understanding the chronicity of the pain.

It seems that certain doctors attract certain types of patients. I found Pocinki interesting to listen to on his theories about sleep dysfunction in EDS patients. It seems these are the people he attracts to his practise which is a general medicine practice.

Such generalisations make me skeptical, and I've seen a lot of them in CFS related articles.

The article attributes the CFS-like symptoms and autonomic arousal to the muscles under constant strain, could this suggest that such symptoms in CFS are caused or perpetuated by the body being under strain from something?

Personally, my joints on the test list are straight or 90 degrees. At onset my neck and hamstrings became stiff and inflexible, although this has improved, I am still very inflexible when trying to touch toes. However, IIRC a physiotherapist once commented on how flexible or unusual my back was, so perhaps the range of motion has been shifted.

I do know someone with CFS-like symptoms (but not full CFS criteria) who has hypermobile joints and complains about them, I should tell them about this article. Also, in the comments section, Kim McCleary cites two studies which demonstrate a strong association of CFS with hypermobility.