Also called: Cutis elastica · EDS
Important: This page is general information, not medical advice. It does not recommend or prescribe any treatment. Always consult your doctor or pharmacist before starting, stopping or changing any medicine.
About Ehlers-Danlos Syndrome
Ehlers-Danlos syndrome (EDS) is a group of inherited disorders that weaken connective tissues. Connective tissues are proteins that support skin, bones, blood vessels, and other organs.
EDS usually affects your skin, joints and blood vessel walls. Symptoms include:
- Loose joints
- Fragile, small blood vessels
- Abnormal scar formation and wound healing
- Soft, velvety, stretchy skin that bruises easily
There are several types of EDS. They can range from mild to life-threatening. About 1 in 5,000 people has EDS. There is no cure. Treatment involves managing symptoms, often with medicines and physical therapy. It also includes learning how to protect your joints and prevent injuries.
It sits within Bones, Joints and Muscles and Genetics/Birth Defects.
The lead U.S. institute for this subject is the National Institute of Arthritis and Musculoskeletal and Skin Diseases.
When to speak to someone. Reading about a topic cannot tell you whether it applies to you. Speak to a doctor or pharmacist if symptoms are severe, sudden, getting worse, or simply not going away — and seek emergency care immediately for chest pain, breathing difficulty, sudden weakness or confusion, or a serious allergic reaction.
Research on Ehlers-Danlos Syndrome
94 studies areregistered for this condition on ClinicalTrials.gov, the U.S. National Library of Medicine's public registry. A selection is below — the links go straight to the registry entry, not to a summary of ours.
What a registered study does and does not mean. Registration means a study exists and has been declared publicly. It says nothing about whether the treatment being tested works, is safe, or is available to you. Many studies find no benefit — that is what research is for. Never seek out an experimental treatment on the strength of a registry entry alone.
Research currently under way
- PregnAncy-Related Aortic DISsEction in ChinaDeltaHealth Hospital · Shanghai
- An Exercise and Lifestyle Programme for Adults With Vascular Ehlers-Danlos Syndrome: A Feasibility StudySheffield Hallam University
- Regenerative Medicine for Joint Hypermobility and InstabilityManhattan Pain Medicine, PLLC
- Presentation of Young Adults With and Without Joint HypermobilityClarkson University
- Photobiomodulation for Chronic Pain and Fatigue in Hypermobile Ehlers-Danlos Syndrome (PBM-SEDh-01)Centre Medical ISM (Integrative Systemic Medicine)
- STABLE Pilates for HypermobilityBrigham and Women's Hospital
Research already completed
- Evaluation of a Cohort of Patients With Ehlers-Danlos Syndrome Treated With Orthopedic Surgery (SED-eval)GCS Ramsay Santé pour l'Enseignement et la Recherche
- Online Pilates Exercise for People With HypermobilityClarkson University
- Out of State - tAN hEDSMedical University of South Carolina
- Hypermobile Ehlers-Danlos Syndrome - Transcutaneous Auricular NeuromodulationMedical University of South Carolina
- Validity of Somatosensori Remediation for Postural Control in the Treatment of Ehlers-Danlos Syndrome Hypermobility Type (hEDS)University Hospital, Caen
Study data from ClinicalTrials.gov, a service of the U.S. National Library of Medicine. Retrieved 2026-07-30. Registry entries are supplied by study sponsors and investigators; ClinicalTrials.gov does not verify their scientific validity. PocketsInfo is not affiliated with, and not endorsed by, the NLM or the NIH.
Where to read more
Rather than paraphrase, we point you to the primary sources. Every link below is to a government health agency, a national institute or a recognised medical body — grouped by what you are trying to find out.
Learn More
- Ehlers-Danlos SyndromeMayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research
- Ehlers-Danlos syndromeMedical Encyclopedia
- Ehlers-Danlos Syndrome Hypermobility TypeMarfan Foundation
Genetics
- Ehlers-Danlos syndrome: MedlinePlus GeneticsNational Library of Medicine
Clinical Trials
- ClinicalTrials.gov: Ehlers-Danlos SyndromeNational Institutes of Health
Medical subject headings
Clinicians and researchers index this subject under Ehlers-Danlos Syndrome. These are the terms to use when searching medical literature.
This page is built from the MedlinePlus health topic record for Ehlers-Danlos Syndrome, a service of the U.S. National Library of Medicine (NLM), National Institutes of Health. Information is from MedlinePlus.gov. PocketsInfo is not affiliated with, and is not endorsed by, the NLM or the NIH. Retrieved 30 July 2026.