Have you ever heard about a condition called Marfan Syndrome? It is a connective tissue disorder that affects an estimated 1 in 5000 people, though possibly more – and you will have likely met someone who has Marfan Syndrome at least once in your life already. But it’s a condition that’s very often misdiagnosed by doctors – or completely missed entirely and misattributed to a range of other things. You can lead a completely normal life if you have Marfan Syndrome, but you should know about it and be following the right health precautions – or you could have several things wrong with your health that are going untreated, and you might even be more at risk if you ever needed surgery. Here are eight bizarre facts about Marfan Syndrome that we’re sure you don’t know about yet – and why you should visit your doctor if you think you might have it yourself.
1. Marfan Syndrome Affects Connective Tissue
Marfan Syndrome is a mostly inherited disorder (more about that later) that largely affects the body’s connective tissue; the easiest way we can describe what connective tissue is and does is the glue of the body: That is what holds your tissues together, and when you have Marfan Syndrome, your connective tissue is more likely to degrade – and more likely to degrade quicker – than others.
How much connective tissue does the body contain? Almost everything in the body contains connective tissue, and thusly the symptoms of Marfan Syndrome can affect various parts of the body at once – including the eyes, lungs, heart, and spine. If you are aware of the issue, then your doctor can recommend some small changes in your life, like going on beta-blockers and avoiding exercise where you are likely to strain your muscles and your heart so you can stay healthy for a long time to come.
