MCAS

In medical education, emphasis is placed on the ability to think about the most likely causes of illnesses, referred to as “horses” rather than rare cases, or “zebras”. This helps to diagnose common problems more quickly, but often leads to the overlooking of rare conditions. Therefore, the symbol of rare diseases, such as Ehlers-Danlos syndrome, is a zebra — to remind doctors of the importance of considering unusual cases. Now,Hugo let’s talk about this and other “zebras”.

Mast Cell Activation Syndrome (MCAS) is a chronic condition in which mast cells in the body become excessively activated. This leads to the release of numerous chemical substances that can cause diverse symptoms affecting various systems of the body.

Hypermobility is a condition where joints have greater flexibility than usual. People with hypermobility can bend and extend their joints beyond normal ranges of motion. So far, this doesn’t sound too bad, right? Moreover, we usually envy people with hypermobility; after all, they can easily do splits, whereas an average person might need weeks, if not months, of training. Indeed, this condition can be harmless and even advantageous in certain sports and activities, such as gymnastics and dance, but it can also lead to various medical issues.

Postural Orthostatic Tachycardia Syndrome (POTS) is often a puzzling condition, the causes of which can be extremely difficult to pinpoint, and it can significantly incapacitate individuals.