Ehlers-Danlos Syndrome and Receiving Social Security Disability
Connective tissue disease refers to a heterogeneous group of disorders. Some of these conditions are inherited, and some are acquired.
A connective tissue disease is any disease that has the connective tissues of your body as a primary target. Your connective tissues are the structural portions of your body. They essentially hold the cells of your body together. These connective tissues form a matrix, or framework, for your body.
Ehlers-Danlos syndrome (EDS) is a group of inherited conditions that affect your connective tissues. Primarily, it affects your joints, blood vessel walls and skin.
Ehlers-Danlos syndrome is marked by genetic defects (mutations) disrupting the production of collagen. Collagen is one of the main components of connective tissue.
Several types of Ehlers-Danlos syndrome have been identified with different signs and symptoms. However, all types of this syndrome affect your joints, and most of them affect your skin.
Classical type Ehlers-Danlos syndrome, which used to be known as types I and II, affects about 1 in 10,000 to 20,000 people in the United States. Some of its signs and symptoms are:
Muscle pain and fatigue
Fragile skin that tears or bruises easily
Poor and slow wound healing that results in wide scarring
Loose joints
Heart valve problems (aortic root dilation and mitral valve prolapse)
Highly elastic, velvety skin
Noncancerous fibrous growths on pressure areas of your body like your knees and elbows
Redundant skin folds in places like your eyelids
Fatty growths on your forearms and shins.
Hypermobility type Ehlers-Danlos syndrome, which used to be known as type III, affects about 1 in 10,000 to 15,000 people in the United States. Signs and symptoms of this type include:
Chronic degenerative joint disease
Bruising easily
Unstable, loose joints with many dislocations
Advanced premature osteoarthritis that involves chronic pain
Heart valve problems, as mentioned with classic type
Muscle pain and fatigue.
Vascular type Ehlers-Danlos syndrome, which used to be called type IV, affects about 1 in 100,000 to 200,000 people in this country. It is rare, but it is one of the most serious types of EDS. Signs and symptoms include:
Pneumothorax (collapsed lung)
Heart valve problems
Fragile blood vessels and organs that are prone to rupture (tearing)
A characteristic facial appearance that includes sunken cheeks, thin lips and nose, small chin and protruding eyes
Thin, translucent skin that bruises easily.
There are other types of Ehlers-Danlos syndrome, but they are extremely rare.
You or a loved one may have Ehlers-Danlos syndrome. EDS and/or complications resulting from it may be why you are disabled and in need of financial help.
You or your loved one may have applied for financial assistance from the Social Security Administration by applying for Social Security disability benefits or disability benefits because of the disability caused by Ehlers-Danlos syndrome and/or complications resulting from it. Were you or your loved one denied?
If you or your loved one reapplies or appeals the denial, consider this. People who are represented by a disability attorney like the ones you can find at Social Security Home are approved more often than people who do not have a disability lawyer.
