The Leaf THE LEAF Sept-Oct 17 | Page 17

The pain associated with this condition is a serious complication. Highly flexible fingers and toes Loose, unstable joints that are prone to: sprain, dislocation, subluxation (partial dislocation) and hyperextension (double jointedness) Flat feet Joint pain without inflammation Fatigue, which can be debilitating High and narrow palate, resulting in dental crowding Vulnerability to chest and sinus infections Easy bruising Fragile blood vessels resulting from cystic medial necrosis with tendency towards aneurysm (even abdominal aortic aneurysm) Velvety-smooth skin which may be stretchy and is often translucent, with blue veins clearly visible on limbs and particularly in the hands Abnormal wound healing and scar formation (scars may appear like cigarette burns) Low muscle tone and muscle weakness Early onset of osteoarthritis Cardiac effects: Dysautonomia typically accompanied by Valvular heart disease (such as mitral valve prolapses, 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) Difficulty regulating own body temperature Insensitivity to local anaesthetics. Migraines and headaches, including postural headaches from spontaneous intracranial hypotension. 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