Ehlers–Danlos syndromes (EDS) are heritable connective tissue diseases caused by defects in structure or function of collagen that manifest with musculoskeletal, skin, and soft tissue disorders. They present with skin hyperextensibility, joint hypermobility, subluxation and dislocation, and general tissue and vasculature fragility. Pain is a frequently recognized symptom across the different subtypes of EDS.

The Institutional Review Board for human research at Boston Children’s Hospital; Harvard Medical School approved this retrospective research project. We reviewed patients with EDS over the past ten years who were seen in the Medical Acupuncture Service at Boston Children’s Hospital. 

Over the past ten years, we have had 75 patients with EDS who came to the Medical Acupuncture Service for consultations. There were 62 patients aged 18-year-old or less. Fifty-three patients completed at least six weeks of acupuncture treatment. 

Patients with EDS suffered from postural orthostatic tachycardia syndrome (18.9%), headache (56.6%), back pain (50.9%), gastrointestinal disorders (41.5%), pelvic pain (18.9%), chronic joint pain (67.9%), and anxiety disorder (54%). The average pain scores, scored between 0 and 10, before and after the six-week intervention were 7.2 ± 1.3 and 4.1 ± 2.2, respectively (p-value < 0.001). Eighty-seven percent of patients felt that their EDS-related pain symptoms were improved following acupuncture treatment. There were no side effects related to acupuncture treatment.
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Acupuncture can be offered for outpatient pediatric pain management. Our experience indicates that acupuncture can be integrated in the care for patients with EDS to alleviate their illness associated pain and optimize their healing.