Hypermobility diagnosis can be challenging to achieve and handle.
Hypermobility is linked to many different connective tissue disorders, making diagnosing it difficult. Symptoms can vary depending on the individual, making driving an accurate diagnosis complicated.
Keep reading to understand everything there is to know about Hypermobility Diagnosis.
We’ll discuss:
How to handle referrals
Since not every doctor is familiar with Hypermobility, they may have to learn it themselves. If not, they may refer you to somebody who makes most diagnoses through an assessment.
These assessments will generally look at your joint movements, height and wingspan ratios, skin, bruising, and abilities. After assessing these qualities, they will analyze your results and determine the correct diagnosis. With this, they will also rule out other disorders or syndromes.
As much as we’d like every test to be definitive and tell us exactly what we need to know, they don’t always work that way. -up.
Hypermobility and its genetic element
Although the underlying genetic cause of hypermobility is unknown, it appears to follow an autosomal dominant inheritance pattern.
A person only needs a change (mutation) in one copy of the responsible gene in each cell to be affected. Sometimes, an affected person inherits the mutation from an affected parent. Other cases may result from new (de novo) mutations in the gene.
These cases occur in people with no history of the disorder in their families. A person with hypermobile EDS has a 50% chance with each pregnancy of passing along the mutated gene to his or her child.
Genetic testing and hypermobility diagnosis
Before getting genetic testing, consider:
- Insurance does not typically cover genetic testing, and along with that, it tends to be expensive.
- Figuring out which sets and types of testing will benefit you most can be difficult.
The instances where genetic testing is most effective are family planning and research.
Even though you may have a diagnosis determined by genetic testing, treatment programs tend to address your symptoms and the issues that you’re having.
Whether you’re having pain, dislocation, or movement issues, you’re still going to treat them the same.
The Beighton Scale
The Beighton Scale has been used to indicate joint hypermobility syndrome for many years.
It can quickly and easily assess generalized joint hypermobility using a 9-point scale. It is used solely as a clinical resource and screening tool.
Joints included are the thumb, spine, elbow, knee, and the base of the pinky finger. A goniometer can also measure a joint’s angle to determine its range of motion.
If you want to take the Beighton Scale, we have one available at https://kateskinnerpt.com/
How to explain hypermobility for others
Should you start explaining what you are going through to everyone, or should you keep things simple?
Here are two approaches you can take when sharing your diagnosis with your friends and family.
In the end, it’s about what you feel comfortable doing:
- Approach 1: keep things broad and straightforward. Often, our Hypermobility can be overwhelming to understand due to its complex nature. Some people are better at understanding these types of complex conditions than others.
- Approach 2: feel free to share what you are going through, but you do not need to feel obligated to tell your entire story unless you choose to do so on your own.
Four tips to help you cope with a difficult diagnosis
- Give yourself time to absorb the news: anger, denial, fear, and anxiety are all normal reactions to bad news. Allow yourself the chance to work through these emotions.
- Create a support system: reach out to friends and neighbors. They will be able to help you and cope with their reactions to your condition when they know.
- Educate yourself: search reputable sources to learn as much as possible about your illness and treatment options.
- Take a deep breath and look ahead: maybe you look ahead day-by-day or take a longer view. Your life may not be what you once thought it would be, but you can find a balance.
Rules to live by after your Hypermobility Diagnosis
- Try to understand Hypermobility. You can’t change anything if you don’t know what it is or needs.
- Learn how to move correctly. All the daily things you do: sit, stand, bend and walk.
- Seek information about how to manage your symptoms, including your severe acute and everyday symptoms, would be best.
- Develop a regular exercise program.
- It would help if you learned self-treatment strategies.
If you are looking for Hypermobility resources, feel free to check out my blog.
Are you looking to manage your Hypermobility symptoms?
Check out the Hypermobility Solution, the Hypermobile Neck Solution, and Hypermobility 101.
