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Treatments and drugs
By Mayo Clinic staffThere is no cure for Ehlers-Danlos syndrome, but treatment can help you manage your symptoms and prevent further complications.
Medications
Your doctor may prescribe drugs to help you control:
- Pain. If over-the-counter pain relievers — such as ibuprofen (Advil, Motrin IB, others) and naproxen (Aleve) — aren't enough, your doctor may prescribe stronger medications for your joint or muscle pain.
- Blood pressure. Because blood vessels are more fragile in some types of Ehlers-Danlos syndrome, your doctor may want to reduce the stress on the vessels by keeping your blood pressure low.
Physical therapy
Joints with weak connective tissue are more likely to dislocate. Exercises to strengthen the muscles around a joint can help stabilize the joint. Your physical therapist might also recommend specific braces to help prevent joint dislocations.
Surgical and other procedures
In rare cases, surgery is recommended to repair joints damaged by repeated dislocations. However, your skin and the connective tissue of the affected joint may not heal properly after the surgery.
- Firestein GS, et al. Kelley's Textbook of Rheumatology. 8th ed. Philadelphia, Pa.: Saunders Elsevier; 2009. http://www.mdconsult.com/das/book/body/208746819-6/0/1807/0.html. Accessed July 10, 2012.
- Goldman L, et al. Cecil Medicine. 24th ed. Philadelphia, Pa.: Saunders Elsevier; 2012. http://www.mdconsult.com/das/book/body/191371208-2/0/1492/0.html#. Accessed July 10, 2012.
- Wolff K, et al. Fitzpatrick's Dermatology in General Medicine. 7th ed. New York, N.Y.: The McGraw-Hill Companies; 2008. http://www.accessmedicine.com/resourceTOC.aspx?resourceID=505. Accessed July 10, 2012.
- Ferri FF. Ferri's Clinical Advisor 2013:5 Books in 1. Philadelphia, Pa.: Mosby Elsevier; 2012. http://www.mdconsult.com/books/about.do?eid=4-u1.0-B978-0-323-08373-7..00002-9&isbn=978-0-323-08373-7&about=true&uniqId=343863096-23. Accessed July 10, 2012.
- Your child and Ehlers-Danlos syndrome. Ehlers-Danlos National Foundation. http://www.ednf.org/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=1436&Itemid=88889040. Accessed July 12, 2012.
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