Ehlers Danlos Syndrome – Cannabis Symptom Relief

CANNABIS-Symptom Relief/EHLERS-DANLOS SYNDROME

Ehlers-Danlos syndrome is a group of inherited disorders marked by extremely loose joints, hyper-elastic skin that bruises easily, and easily damaged blood vessels.  Also known as “Cutis hyper-elastica” are a group of connective tissue disorders, caused by a defect in the synthesis of collagen (usually Type I and III).  Surgery may help with some of the problems in certain EDS types.

There are six major types and at least five minor types of Ehlers-Danlos syndrome (EDS).

A variety of gene mutations (changes) cause problems with collagen, the material that provide strength and structure to skin, bone, blood vessels, and internal organs.

The abnormal collagen leads to the symptoms associated with EDS.  In some forms of the condition this can include rupture of internal organs or abnormal heart valves

The syndrome, named after two doctors, Edvard Ehlers of Denmark, and Henri-Alexandre Danlos of France, who identified the condition at the turn of the 20th century.

Symptoms

  • Double-jointedness
  • Easily damaged, bruised, and stretchy skin
  • Easy scarring and poor wound healing
  • Flat feet
  • Increased joint mobility, joints popping, early arthritis
  • Joint dislocation
  • Joint pain
  • Premature rupture of membranes during pregnancy
  • Very soft and velvety skin
  • Vision problems

Treatment

There is no specific cure for Ehlers-Danlos syndrome.  Individual problems and symptoms are evaluated and cared for appropriately.  Frequently, physical therapy or evaluation by a doctor specializing in rehabilitation medicine are needed.

Expectations (prognosis)

People with EDS generally have a normal life span.  Intelligence is normal.
Those with the rare vascular type of EDS are at significantly increased risk for rupture of a major organ or blood vessel.  These individuals, therefore, have a high risk of sudden death.

Possible complications of Ehlers-Danlos syndrome include:

  • Chronic joint pain
  • Early-onset arthritis
  • Failure of surgical wounds to close (or stitches tear out)
  • Premature rupture of membranes during pregnancy
  • Rupture of major vessels, including a ruptured aortic aneurysm (only in vascular EDS)
  • Rupture of a hollow organ such as the uterus or bowel (only in vascular EDS)
  • Rupture of the eyeball

The pain associated with this condition is a serious complication.

  1. Highly flexible fingers and toes
  2.  Loose,  unstable joints that are prone  to:  sprain, dislocation, subluxation (partial dislocation) and hyperextension (double jointedness) 
  3.  Flat feet
  4.  Joint pain without inflammation
  5.  Fatigue, which can be debilitating
  6.  High and narrow palate, resulting in dental crowding
  7.  Vulnerability to chest and sinus infections
  8.  Easy bruising
  9.  Fragile blood vessels resulting from cystic medial necrosis with tendency towards aneurysm (even abdominal aortic aneurysm)
  10.  Velvety-smooth skin which may be stretchy and is often translucent, with blue veins clearly visible on limbs and particularly in the hands
  11. Abnormal wound healing and scar formation (scars  may appear like cigarette burns)
  12.  Low muscle tone and muscle weakness
  13.  Early onset of osteoarthritis
  14.  Cardiac effects:  Dysautonomia typically accompanied by Valvular heart disease (such as mitral valve prolapse,  which creates an increased risk for infective endocarditis during surgery,  as well as possibly progressing to a life-threatening degree of severity of the prognosis of mitral valve prolapse)
  15.   Difficulty regulating own body temperature
  16.  Insensitivity to local anesthetics.
  17.   Migraines and headaches,  including postural headaches from spontaneous intracranial hypontension
  18.  Fibromyalgia symptoms:  Myalgia and arthralgia

Other, less common signs and complications may include:

  •  Osteopenia (low bone density)
  • Talipes equinovarus (club foot),  especially in the Vascular type
  •  Deformities of the spine, such as:  Scoliosis (curvature of the spine), Kyphosis (a thoracic hump), Tethered spinal cord syndrome, Occipitoatlantoaxial hypermobility,  Arnold-Chiari malformation (brain disorder).
  •  Functional bowel disorders (functional gastritis, irritable bowel syndrome)
  •  Gastroparesis
  •  Nerve compression disorders (carpal tunnel syndrome,  acroparesthesia, neuropathy)
  •   Vascular skin conditions:  Raynaud's phenomenon,  Livedo reticularis
  •  Blue sclera
  • Arachnodactyly
  •  Otosclerosis (hearing loss)
  •  Premature rupture of membranes during pregnancy
  •  Platelet aggregation failure (platelets do not clump together properly)
  •  Infants with hypermobile joints often appear to have weak muscle tone (hypotonia),  which can delay the development of motor skills such as sitting, standing, and walking
  •  Arterial/intestinal/uterine fragility or rupture
  •  Swan neck deformity of the fingers

Cannabis Symptom Relief

When cannabis was taken (as a muscle relaxant), patient did not have to take their Rx Amytryptaline.

When cannabis was taken (as a pain killer), patient did not have to take their Rx Co-diadromol.

When cannabis was taken (as an anti-inflammatory), patient did not have to take their Rx Celebrex.

          

Patients who took cannabis extracts, or smoked or vaporized cannabis found complete relief from:

  •  migraines
  •  arthritis
  •  pain
  •  joint inflammation and joint pain
  •  chronic joint pain
  •  muscle pain
  •  rib subluxation
  •  myalgia

Some reported Sativas were better for headaches.

Best Strains:  Sensi-Star, Snow White (migraines), Romulan, White Widow, Mango x Durban, AK-47, Bluberry (arthritis), White Russian, M39, Slow Train, Trainwreck, Legends Ultimate Indica, UBC Chemo x Grapefruit, Super Silver Haze, Sour Diesel, Concentrates better for this disease (syndrome).

Best Cannabis Strains overall for condition:  Sativa x Indica  or Indica x Sativa

References

1. Pyeritz RE. Inherited diseases of connective tissue. In: Goldman L, Ausiello D, eds. Cecil Medicine. 23rd ed. Philadelphia, Pa: Saunders Elsevier; 2007: chap 281.
2. Krakow D. Heritable diseases of connective tissue. In: Firestein GS, Budd RC, Harris ED Jr, et al, eds. Kelley's Textbook of Rheumatology. 8th ed. Philadelphia, Pa: Saunders Elsevier; 2008:chap 96.


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