If you remember, there is a period during our childhood in which were always saying, "Can you do this? And this?"
Well, if you have noticed that besides being able to roll your tongue in every which way and touch your elbow with the tip of your tongue that you also have the ability to flex your fingers and wrists in particular ways, then you should know that it may not be a simple Hitchhiker's thumb.
Instead, it may be a pathological condition called Marfan Syndrome, a disorder of the connective tissue that consists of excessive joint mobility and the presence of more elastic and fragile tissues than the norm.
NB. This article DOES NOT ABSOLUTELY SUBSTITUTE YOUR DOCTOR nor does it intend to propose DIAGNOSIS or THERAPIES in any way. Therefore, all readers are invited to refer ALWAYS and IN ANY CASE TO A SPECIALIST.
What are the symptoms?
Marfan's syndrome does not necessarily cause serious problems and can remain undiagnosed, but depending on the lifestyle of the person who has Marfan's syndrome, it can turn into something dangerous. In the meantime, let's find out what are the symptoms associated with it.
Those affected by Marfan syndrome can manifest:
- Arachnodactyly;
- Strong articular mobility;
- Loss of integrity of some body tissues that are more fragile than normal; this can cause problems at every level of the body, especially at the cardiovascular level;
- pronounced height (not all tall people have Marfan's Syndrome, but height must be associated with other elements);
- thinness and slender limbs;
- Loose joints and ligamentous laxity;
- Flat feet;
- Dislocation of the optic lens and/or myopia;
- Aortic aneurysms and/or prolapse of the heart valves;
- Narrow palate and/or elongated face;
- Scoliosis, kyphosis or lordosis;
- Pigeon Chest (Pectus carinatum) or Sunken Chest (Pectus excavatum);
- Pneumothorax;
- Hernias.
If you have one or more of these symptoms, you should contact a doctor who will advise you to take a genetic test.
Only through a specific test, in fact, it is possible to confirm the presence of the genetic mutation. Therefore it is necessary to go to one of the Marfan Centers in your area for a positive diagnosis; find online at www.marfan.org an updated list of the centers that make this test available.
The greatest danger associated with this syndrome is concerning the heart. In fact, if not diagnosed in time, in fact, one can risk an aneurysm and rupture of the aorta due to the fragility of the vascular tissues, with clearly serious consequences.
Consequently, if you think that the physical characteristics of those affected are the same that drive many young people towards sports such as basketball and volleyball, it is clear that having a fragile aorta and not knowing it could be the cause of a tragedy; not to mention that often the cardiocirculatory system is not monitored with the proper frequency and seriousness (just a simple examination like an endocardium is enough to monitor and keep the situation under control).
A curious fact
Paganini became a famous musician precisely because he suffered from a disorder of connective tissue that allowed him to perform virtuosities that others, physically, could never replicate!
Other famous people who are said to have been affected by Marfan Syndrome are Abraham Lincoln, Charles de Gaulle, and Osama Bin Laden.
Although there is no cure for Marfan Syndrome, those who have it must follow a lifestyle that avoids potentially dangerous sports and activities. Please disseminate this information, and share this post because, at the moment, this is the only way to get the message out to as many people as possible.
