Latest news with #JeannieDiBon
Time of India
06-05-2025
- Health
- Time of India
This simple finger test may reveal your hidden risk for lung disease
Symptoms How to know if your joints are super-flexible Stiff joints can signal trouble, but super-flexible ones may even bring worse news. If you are able to bend your pinkie backward 90 degrees or touch your thumb to your forearm, this may not necessarily be a good of a rare genetic condition, uber-flexible joints may indicate your increased risk of respiratory illnesses and complicated recovery, as per experts.A quick flexibility test at home could help you uncover this hidden risk. This test is done to understand if your joints can go beyond the typical range of motion. Even if your joints are super-flexible, for most it isn't a sign of worry, but for some people, it could mean they may be suffering from a worrisome condition called Ehlers-Danlos syndrome Ehlers-Danlos syndrome affects your connective tissues - your skin, joints and blood vessel walls. People suffering from the condition have overly flexible joints and stretchy, fragile skin, according to can become a serious issue if you have a wound that needs stitches, as the skin may not be strong enough to hold them properly. Connective tissue, a complex blend of proteins and other elements, gives your body structure, strength, and flexibility, and when it's compromised, healing becomes much more difficult.A severe form of disorder could cause the walls of your blood vessels, intestines or uterus to rupture. People with the condition may have muscle weakness, including in the muscles that control inhaling and may report respiratory issues, including shortness of breath, difficulty with deep inhalation, sleep apnea, coughing, wheezing that mimics asthma and even chest pain that worsens with breathing in. Breathing pattern disorders are also common. For example, people with EDS may unconsciously adopt a 'bracing' pattern, where they hold their inhaled breath for too long," Jeannie Di Bon, a UK-based hypermobility and EDS specialist, told Bon, who has EDS, explains that people with the condition often adopt altered breathing patterns as a subconscious way to feel stable. However, this can reduce lung movement, particularly in the lower lungs, creating conditions that increase the risk of infections and complications from illnesses like COVID-19 and pneumonia. Vascular Ehlers-Danlos syndrome is marked by distinctive facial features like a thin nose, small earlobes, and prominent eyes, along with fragile, translucent skin that bruises easily. In fair-skinned individuals, veins may be clearly visible. The condition can weaken major arteries, including the aorta, increasing the risk of life-threatening ruptures. It can also affect the uterus and intestines, potentially leading to dangerous pain and dislocations are common in this disorder as the joints that can move far past the normal range of disorder, caused by weakened connective tissue, can make your skin unusually stretchy. You might be able to lift a section of skin away from your body more than normal, but it will quickly snap back into place. The skin may also feel exceptionally soft and velvety to the is also noticed that the skin doesn't heal properly as the stitches used to close a wound often tear out and leave a gaping often use the Beighton score to evaluate joint flexibility, which, when combined with other symptoms and family history, can help suggest the presence of Ehlers-Danlos Syndrome (EDS). The score is based on five simple flexibility tests: bending the pinkie finger backward 90 degrees, touching the thumb to the forearm, hyperextending the elbows and knees by more than 10 degrees, and bending forward to place palms flat on the floor without bending the knees. Each maneuver scores one point per side, except the last, which is a single score.A total score above five in adults (or six in children) indicates hypermobility and could be a reason to consult a medical professional about the possibility of EDS.
Scottish Sun
06-05-2025
- Health
- Scottish Sun
The simple 30-second finger test that can reveal your risk of devastating incurable disease
Plus, other signs of the disease to look out for HANDS TELL ALL The simple 30-second finger test that can reveal your risk of devastating incurable disease Click to share on X/Twitter (Opens in new window) Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window) JOINT flexibility is important for healthy movement and function. But being able to move your joints in an extraordinary way could be a sign of Ehlers-Danlos syndromes (EDS). Sign up for Scottish Sun newsletter Sign up 3 A simple finger test can reveal if you're at risk of Ehlers-Danlos syndromes Credit: Getty 3 EDS makes joints hypermobile and skin can be stretched further than normal Credit: Getty EDS are a group of inherited disorders that affect connective tissues, primarily the skin, joints, and blood vessels. These disorders result from genetic mutations that impact the production or structure of collagen, a key protein that provides support and structure to various tissues. EDS is characterised by joint hypermobility - an increased range of motion in the joints, making them more flexible than average. Skin can stretch further than normal, joints bend too far and sometimes dislocate, and internal tissues bruise or tear more easily. According to Jeannie Di Bon, a UK-based hypermobility and EDS specialist, just because you're hypermobile doesn't automatically mean something's wrong with your connective tissue or that you've got a syndrome. But if hypermobility begins to really bother you and suddenly becomes very problematic (often overnight), it could be cause for investigation for a connective tissue disorder, such as EDS, Di Bon told Newsweek. Easy test for hypermobility 3 If your thumb can be bent backward so that it touches or goes beyond the palm of your hand or wrist it could mean you have greater joint hypermobility Credit: Getty The nine-point Beighton score is a simple assessment tool used to evaluate joint hypermobility. It involves testing the flexibility of several joints, with each positive result adding a point to the score. A higher score generally indicates greater joint hypermobility. The score is calculated by adding up the points earned for each of the five tests. What is Raynaud's disease? If the finger can be bent back more than 90 degrees - one point for each hand. If the thumb can be bent backward so that it touches or goes beyond the palm of the hand or wrist - one point for each hand. Being able to extend the elbow beyond 10 degrees - one point for each elbow. Being able to extend the knee beyond 10 degrees - one point for each knee. The ability to bend forward from the waist, with knees fully extended, and touch the palms flat on the floor- one point if the palms can touch the floor. A score of more than five out of nine, for an adult, indicates a person has hypermobility. For a child, it's a score of at least six out of nine. The score alone doesn't confirm EDS. A hypermobile-EDS diagnosis is "based on a checklist where the patient meets certain criteria, including a Brighton score level," Dr Bernadette Riley, director of the Ehlers‑Danlos Syndrome/Hypermobility Treatment Center at New York Institute of Technology's College of Osteopathic Medicine, told Newsweek. Official figures for diagnosed cases of EDS in the UK are around 135,000 to 300,000. The actual number of people living with the condition is likely higher due to underdiagnosis and misdiagnosis. EDS can manifest at different ages, depending on the specific type, with some forms being evident at birth and others not being diagnosed until adulthood. While symptoms of inherited EDS can be present at birth, they may not be noticeable until puberty. Some milder forms are often not diagnosed until early adulthood, while more severe types are typically diagnosed in childhood. Symptoms of Ehlers-Danlos Syndromes Ehlers-Danlos syndromes (EDS) are a group of rare inherited conditions that affect connective tissue. Connective tissues provide support in skin, tendons, ligaments, blood vessels, internal organs and bones. EDS can affect people in different ways. For some, the condition is relatively mild, while for others their symptoms can be disabling. Different types of EDS are caused by faults in certain genes that make connective tissue weaker. There are 13 types of EDS, most of which are rare. Hypermobile EDS (hEDS) is the most common type. Several types of EDS may share some symptoms. These include: an increased range of joint movement (joint hypermobility) stretchy skin fragile skin that breaks or bruises easily If you suspect symptoms of EDS, speak to your GP. Source: NHS People with EDS have also been found to be more susceptible to respiratory issues, including a range of symptoms from shortness of breath and exercise limitations to conditions like pneumothorax. A 2022 study published in Respiratory Medicine and Research found that almost 85 percent of EDS patients had signs of respiratory problems. And mental health conditions are also widely reported among EDS patients. Another 2022 study found almost half of the EDS patients surveyed had depression and over half had "probable" anxiety. There's no cure for EDS, however, various treatments and lifestyle adjustments can help manage symptoms, prevent complications, and improve quality of life.
The Sun
06-05-2025
- Health
- The Sun
The simple 30-second finger test that can reveal your risk of devastating incurable disease
JOINT flexibility is important for healthy movement and function. But being able to move your joints in an extraordinary way could be a sign of Ehlers-Danlos syndromes (EDS). 3 EDS are a group of inherited disorders that affect connective tissues, primarily the skin, joints, and blood vessels. These disorders result from genetic mutations that impact the production or structure of collagen, a key protein that provides support and structure to various tissues. EDS is characterised by joint hypermobility - an increased range of motion in the joints, making them more flexible than average. Skin can stretch further than normal, joints bend too far and sometimes dislocate, and internal tissues bruise or tear more easily. According to Jeannie Di Bon, a UK-based hypermobility and EDS specialist, just because you're hypermobile doesn't automatically mean something's wrong with your connective tissue or that you've got a syndrome. But if hypermobility begins to really bother you and suddenly becomes very problematic (often overnight), it could be cause for investigation for a connective tissue disorder, such as EDS, Di Bon told Newsweek. Easy test for hypermobility 3 The nine-point Beighton score is a simple assessment tool used to evaluate joint hypermobility. It involves testing the flexibility of several joints, with each positive result adding a point to the score. A higher score generally indicates greater joint hypermobility. The score is calculated by adding up the points earned for each of the five tests. What is Raynaud's disease? If the finger can be bent back more than 90 degrees - one point for each hand. If the thumb can be bent backward so that it touches or goes beyond the palm of the hand or wrist - one point for each hand. Being able to extend the elbow beyond 10 degrees - one point for each elbow. Being able to extend the knee beyond 10 degrees - one point for each knee. The ability to bend forward from the waist, with knees fully extended, and touch the palms flat on the floor - one point if the palms can touch the floor. A score of more than five out of nine, for an adult, indicates a person has hypermobility. For a child, it's a score of at least six out of nine. The score alone doesn't confirm EDS. A hypermobile-EDS diagnosis is "based on a checklist where the patient meets certain criteria, including a Brighton score level," Dr Bernadette Riley, director of the Ehlers‑Danlos Syndrome/Hypermobility Treatment Center at New York Institute of Technology's College of Osteopathic Medicine, told Newsweek. Official figures for diagnosed cases of EDS in the UK are around 135,000 to 300,000. The actual number of people living with the condition is likely higher due to underdiagnosis and misdiagnosis. EDS can manifest at different ages, depending on the specific type, with some forms being evident at birth and others not being diagnosed until adulthood. While symptoms of inherited EDS can be present at birth, they may not be noticeable until puberty. Some milder forms are often not diagnosed until early adulthood, while more severe types are typically diagnosed in childhood. Symptoms of Ehlers-Danlos Syndromes Ehlers-Danlos syndromes (EDS) are a group of rare inherited conditions that affect connective tissue. Connective tissues provide support in skin, tendons, ligaments, blood vessels, internal organs and bones. EDS can affect people in different ways. For some, the condition is relatively mild, while for others their symptoms can be disabling. Different types of EDS are caused by faults in certain genes that make connective tissue weaker. There are 13 types of EDS, most of which are rare. Hypermobile EDS (hEDS) is the most common type. Several types of EDS may share some symptoms. These include: an increased range of joint movement (joint hypermobility) stretchy skin fragile skin that breaks or bruises easily If you suspect symptoms of EDS, speak to your GP. Source: NHS People with EDS have also been found to be more susceptible to respiratory issues, including a range of symptoms from shortness of breath and exercise limitations to conditions like pneumothorax. A 2022 study published in Respiratory Medicine and Research found that almost 85 percent of EDS patients had signs of respiratory problems. And mental health conditions are also widely reported among EDS patients. Another 2022 study found almost half of the EDS patients surveyed had depression and over half had "probable" anxiety. There's no cure for EDS, however, various treatments and lifestyle adjustments can help manage symptoms, prevent complications, and improve quality of life.
