When mast cells respond to the wrong signal, the body pays the price.

On last week’s episode of Bendy Bodies, I spoke with Anne Maitland, M.D., Ph.D., alongside co-host Dacre Knight of UVA Health, about how hypermobility and hypersensitivity may be driven by secondary mast cell activation.

Dr. Maitland describes it like this: it’s as if a police officer shows up to a fire—helpful to have backup, but not the right responder for the job.

That’s what mast cells can do. Their role is to detect danger and contain it—but the response has to be just right.

Too little, and threats aren’t controlled.
Too much—or triggered at the wrong time—and the body becomes the target.

Without a true pathogen to absorb the response, connective tissue can take the hit.

Conversations like this help explain why symptoms in EDS can feel both inflammatory and structural at the same time.

💬 Have you experienced symptoms that feel like your body is reacting… but you don’t know to what?

#BendyBodies #MastCellActivation #MCAS #EhlersDanlos #Hypermobility

📌 Medical Advice Disclaimer: This content is for educational purposes only and is not medical advice. Always consult your healthcare provider for personalized care.

VD: Video clip featuring Dr. Linda Bluestein speaking with Dr. Anne Maitland, M.D., Ph.D., and Dr. Dacre Knight discussing mast cell activation, hypersensitivity, and connective tissue involvement in EDS.