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Pain management in the Ehlers–Danlos syndromes
Author(s) -
Chopra Pradeep,
Tinkle Brad,
Hamonet Claude,
Brock Isabelle,
Gompel Anne,
Bulbena Antonio,
Francomano Clair
Publication year - 2017
Publication title -
american journal of medical genetics part c: seminars in medical genetics
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.419
H-Index - 101
eISSN - 1552-4876
pISSN - 1552-4868
DOI - 10.1002/ajmg.c.31554
Subject(s) - medicine , headaches , ehlers–danlos syndrome , chronic pain , physical therapy , proprioception , modalities , weakness , joint pain , sensation , physical medicine and rehabilitation , surgery , psychology , social science , neuroscience , sociology
Chronic pain in the Ehlers–Danlos syndromes (EDS) is common and may be severe. According to one study, nearly 90% of patients report some form of chronic pain. Pain, which is often one of the first symptoms to occur, may be widespread or localized to one region such as an arm or a leg. Studies on treatment modalities are few and insufficient to guide management. The following is a discussion of the evidence regarding the underlying mechanisms of pain in EDS. The causes of pain in this condition are multifactorial and include joint subluxations and dislocations, previous surgery, muscle weakness, proprioceptive disorders, and vertebral instability. Affected persons may also present with generalized body pain, fatigue, headaches, gastrointestinal pain, temporomandibular joint pain, dysmenorrhea, and vulvodynia. Pain management strategies may be focused around treating the cause of the pain (e.g., dislocation of a joint, proprioceptive disorder) and minimizing the sensation of pain. Management strategies for chronic pain in EDS includes physical therapy, medications, as well as durable medical equipment such as cushions, compressive garments, and braces. The different modalities are discussed in this paper. © 2017 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.