Living with Ehlers-Danlos syndrome (EDS) brings a lot of pain and other problems. But there’s a bright side: Low Dose Naltrexone (LDN) may help. LDN works in a special way. It blocks certain chemicals in your body that make you feel more pain, like interleukin 1B and interleukin 6. It also stops something called Toll-like receptor #4 (TLR #4), which is like a switch for pain in your brain. By turning off this switch, LDN helps decrease the pain you feel.

But LDN does even more than just relieve pain. It also helps with another issue common in EDS called mast cell activation syndrome (MCAS). People with EDS are 6 times more likely to have MCAS. Mast cells are like alarm bells in your body, and when they go haywire, they can cause problems like hives, asthma, and tummy troubles. LDN helps calm down these overactive mast cells, giving relief from these symptoms.

Also, there are other medicines that can help with EDS symptoms by acting on histamine receptors.  Traditionally used for allergies, medicines like Claritin, Allegra, and Zyrtec can help with symptoms caused by histamine produced from mast cells. Additionally, medications like famotidine (aka Pepcid) can help with gut issues cause by histamines, and montelukast (also known as Singulair) can reduce inflammation.

Is LDN is like a superhero for managing EDS symptoms? Well, it’s promising in that it targets different parts of the body to help relieve pain and other issues. If you’ve had any experience with low-dose naltrexone treatment for Ehlers Danlos Syndrome, please feel free to comment below!

DISCLOSURE: THIS ARTICLE IS NOT INTENDED FOR MEDICAL ADVICE AND IN NO MEANS ESTABLISHES A PHYSICIAN-PATIENT RELATIONSHIP. Always consult with a healthcare professional before starting any medicine treatment, especially if you have underlying health conditions or are taking medication. Additionally, individual responses to these treatments may vary.

About Dr. Dana

Dana Mincer, DO, is a board certified, family practice physician, personal trainer, and mom, with expertise in mental health, addiction medicine, positive habit coaching, and yoga based therapies. She considers herself a REFORMED western medicine physician who employs practical integrative medicine techniques. Her basic approach is that every patient is a sacred and respected individual who is more than capable of making decisions about their own medical care – she is humbled to be invited into their world for guidance.

She opened her own practice at 1035 Virginia Drive, Suite 140 in Fort Washington. To schedule a free meet and greet and sign up for the practice, you can visit Love Health’s website.

Updates and more information are also available at Love Health Direct Primary Care’s Facebook page and Instagram page.