Hypermobile Ehlers-Danlos Syndrome (hEDS)
A heritable connective-tissue condition characterised by joint hypermobility, soft stretchy skin and chronic pain. Travels with POTS and MCAS often enough that the triad has a name in the literature.
Reviewed 2026-05-15
The features that show up most
hEDS is diagnosed clinically against the 2017 international classification criteria, which look at joint hypermobility, skin features, family history and a list of musculoskeletal complications. What patients tend to notice first is joints that subluxate or dislocate more easily than they should, chronic widespread pain, and exhausting fatigue — often years before a diagnosis is made.
Why it appears on a POTS site
hEDS, POTS and MCAS co-occur often enough that the triad has been given its own name (the "POTS triad" or the "trifecta") in the patient community. The exact mechanism that links them is still an active research area, but the clinical pattern is well-established: if you have POTS, it is worth knowing whether you also meet criteria for hEDS, because management choices change.