Lipoedema: What it is and how it affects patient life quality

Lipoedema: What it is and how it affects patient life quality

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Lipoedema is in fashion, and this has made many medical professionals more interested in learning about this illness.

This syndrome implies the disproportionate accumulation of fatty tissue in women, affecting bilaterally and symmetrically the lower limbs and in some cases the upper limbs, in respect to hands and feet. It is caused by genetic hormones and does not depend much on diet, although it can worsen with obesity/being overweight. It is a different fatty tissue, which is somewhat more fibrous to the touch, but the identifying sign of this disease is that the skin is very sensitive and painful to the touch, as well as the tendency to bruise with minimal trauma. In addition, patients often have fatty pads near the ankle and knee joints.

This accumulation of fatty tissue damages the lymphatic drainage, so that the limbs of the patient tend to accumulate fluid, leading to the patient often reporting a feeling of swollen and heavy legs, especially at the end of the day.

Therefore, affected patients have a very sensitive and painful lipedematous area, which usually limits performance of some physical activities. On the other hand, as they swell more easily, they tend to not be able to support standing for longer periods of time. This means that in more advanced stages of the disease, the patient cannot perform many activities in their normal life.

The treatment involves both surgery and lymphatic drainage therapies such as sinus massage, pressotherapy, as well as the use of compression garments. In addition, since it can be worsened by being overweight and obese, it is recommended to have excellent dietary and exercise habits. The surgical treatment consists of liposuction, which is usually decisive, both to improve the symptoms of pain and hypersensitivity in patients, as well as to improve the contour of the limbs, in addition to preventing the lipoedema from progressing to stage 3, where the damage of lymphatic draining is irreversible.

If you would like to learn more about this illness, visit the complete article on our webpage.


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