Joint hypermobility usually doesn't cause rapid increase of pain in multiple joints. Sometimes the underlying connective tissue problem can make a person more prone to autoimmune disorders. Also, because many people in this world have hypermobile joints; that could be a coincidence

Thank you for your reply GM. That's what I suspected.

Hi Confoosed,

I'm just back from my Rheumy today, been told I have OA (which I knew) and hypermobility (which I knew) and that is why I have had all these pains in every joint and a fast progressing OA. Apparently my positive RF (31) was irrelevant, its not a very useful test apparently. Wish I'd asked why they bother with a test if they then ignore the result!

I'd be interested to hear what you have been told, clearly like me you suspected RA and were told it was just hypermobility.

For your feet, use hard plastic insoles which raise the arch of the foot, it gave me decent enough improvement when my work involved being on my feet a lot. Our flat feet cause the knees to bend towards each other having a knock on effect on all the other joints and the feet themselves.

I was so pleased to be told it wasn't RA that I didn't ask many questions, they all occurred to me on my way home. I hope he is right and not just distracted by my hypermobility, there is some family history of RA (my great grandmother).

confoosed, can you get a second opinion?

Reading your post again I see that "aches and pains" are how your rheumy describe the symptoms common with hypermobile joints. That doesn't sound like she is listening to how much pain you are describing.

In my case I have always been more double jointed than anyone I have ever met, but my family is littered with hypermobile males who have few other symptoms so I made no connection, I am the only female in the family with hypermobility.

Diagnosed with the syndrome I am now waiting tests for the other types of EDS. From what I read the British Medical Association classes hypermobility syndrome and EDS type III as "indistinguishable".

The diagnostic criteria include hypermobility, chronic joint pain, repeated dislocations, repeated soft tissue damage (tendons etc), stretchy or thin skin, prolapse, varicose veins and myopia.

Other symptoms are too many to mention. If you think you have three or four of the diagnostic criteria then get another appointment and point them out.

I am on arthritis painkillers, thumb braces, occasional knee supports and orthotic insoles, sounds awful, its not, they make such a positive difference that I can lead a normal life. Most of the above I had before diagnosis, only the painkillers are new.

I urge you to get some good orthotics, my physio told me that when the feet are out, the whole body suffers. Foot pain, ankle pain, knee pain and it keeps going all the way up to neck pain as your muscles work to keep you in a functional position while your weight and gravity put strain on every misalignment.

My present pain has come on over a few months, it has happened before, I am exhausted and practically disabled for a few months then get better for a year or two. It happens quickly and seems to be whenever a change my lifestyle occurs.

Starting a more active or less active job would bring it on for me in just the way you describe.

Hypermobility can be normal in some kids, but can also be a part of a whole syndrome that is generally called 'connective tissue disorder'. It's more like a 'laxity' really, a weakness of the joints, and this leads to stressing them and that leads to pain. This laxity can also affect other body systems, GI, which would show up in constipation, "IBS", blood vessles which would show up in the blood pooling in the lower parts of the body, some dysfunction of the autonomic nervous system, showing in dizziness and rapid heart beat.

orthotics and light bracing do help, if you get the right kinds.

I'm glad you wandered in here. :)

oh, there can also be inflammations when mast cells get activated.