Understanding Lipedema: Managing Painful Symptoms

Lipedema, a Painful Condition, Need Not Haunt You in Your Sleep

Lipedema primarily affects specific areas of fat cells, your body, commonly the lower limbs. The symptoms of lipoedema include swelling, tenderness, and a feeling of heaviness in the affected limbs.

To manage these symptoms effectively, individuals with lipoedema are often advised to wear compression stockings or garments. These compression garments help alleviate discomfort by providing support to the affected limbs and improving circulation.

Maintaining a healthy weight is essential in managing lipoedema. Adopting a healthy lifestyle with a balanced diet and regular exercise to prevent further complications.

Chronic venous insufficiency, a condition related to impaired blood flow in the veins, can exacerbate lipoedema symptoms. Therefore, proper treatment of lipoedema involves not only wearing compression garments but also addressing any underlying conditions like chronic venous insufficiency.

Overall, managing lipoedema involves a lot of approaches that includes:

• Wearing compression stockings or garments,

• Maintaining a healthy weight through diet and exercise,

• Addressing related conditions like chronic venous insufficiency to alleviate painful symptoms and improve quality of life.

Lipedema, also known as painful fat syndrome, affects around 15% of women, significantly impacting their lives. This condition causes symmetrical swelling in areas like the hips, thighs, and legs because of abnormal fat buildup. In advanced stages, it can hinder walking.

Plastic surgeon Dr. Yener Demirtas emphasizes the importance of early treatment for the disease, even if it is mild. This is crucial to begin the treatment as soon as possible.

Lipodema is a Genetic Disease

Lipoedema is a genetic disease that mainly affects how patients look. It causes swelling in the ankles and protrusions on the thighs because of too much lubrication on the outside.

Lipoedema varies in severity and can make it difficult to walk for some people. It affects around 15% of women and often runs in families. Hormonal disorders and certain chronic illnesses can also cause this condition.

As You Gain Weight, the Hips, Thighs and Legs Swell More

According to Yener Demirtaş MD, the upper body can be thin in the early stages of lipoedema. However, fat accumulates between the waist and ankle.

Demirtas: “As you gain weight, hips, thighs and legs swell more. However, with weight loss, the fat in these areas does not decrease and weight loss occurs from the upper part of the body.

Fat tissue in the lower part of the leg can cause a ring-shaped swelling that hangs from the ankle to the foot.

Swelling in the legs, which increases in the afternoon, may decrease at night while sleeping.  Significant pain and easy bruising, especially in the legs.

“In the early stages, small nodules form caused by fat deposits. In advanced stages, these fat deposits enlarge and turn into lobules, that is, large fatty tissues that hang from the skin to the sides.

Fats stocks in lipoedema cause a vicious cycle that further slows circulation and causes more fat to accumulate. In addition, pain in the breasts during menstrual periods is a common condition in Lipedema patients.

Lipedema usually occurs during puberty and does not progress much as long as the woman is thin and active. But the situation worsens in middle age, especially after the patient begins to gain weight. The patient may not be able to do sports or even walk, wear normal clothes, feel tired all the time, and may not be able to climb stairs.

An advanced stage is what we call lipo-lymphedema. Lipoedema is a condition in which lymphedema is added, and it is more difficult to treat. Therefore, it is vital to start the treatment of lipoedema as soon as possible.”

Just Diet and Exercise are not the Solution for Lipoedema

Yener Demirtaş MD: “Patients are often told that they are fat. They need to lose weight, but diet cannot significantly reduce the lubrication caused by Lipedema.

Obesity caused by overeating responds to an appropriate diet, but not Lipedema. No matter how much the patients diet, there is no significant decrease in their complaints.

Therefore, it is extremely important for the person to know herself. Applying to the right specialist when necessary.”

Medicines are not Enough

“Today, it is not possible to treat Lipedema with medication. However, the disease is caused by a hormonal disorder. Treatment of lipedema may be possible to treat this disorder with medication.

Physical therapy methods, bandages and compression garments applied to different diseases are not effective in lipedema.

Compression therapy helps prevent additional fat stock, but many patients struggle with the pain it causes because of pressure.

There are new treatments for lipoedema. These treatments include a special diet with less fat, salt, and calories. Another treatment option is a technique called lymph-sparing VASER liposuction.