Lipedema continues to be a misdiagnosed disease, in most cases it is confused with obesity, vascular problems and lymphedema. We explain the difference.
The accumulation of fat in the legs, is it obesity or lipedema? The first thing that society tends to think when seeing fat legs is that it is obesity. Nevertheless, Fat accumulation in the legs accompanied by persistent pain that does not improve with diet and exercise is lipedema.
Lipedema is, specifically, a disease of fatty tissue that forms with the progressive accumulation of fat cells. In most cases it occurs in the legs, but can also be given to the arms. It exclusively affects women, although it can rarely occur in men. Between 4% and 11% of the female population suffers from this disease.
As we said, lipedema is accompanied by persistent pain, reducing the quality of life of the person who suffers from it. It is quite a frustration for the patient since he sees that with diet and exercise he does not improve. Also, It is not a common pathology among doctors, 80% are unaware of it, which is why they often give an erroneous diagnosis. The World Health Organization recognized lipedema as a pathology in 2018.
What can cause lipedema?
Currently there is no totally reliable study that tells us the exact reasons that cause lipedema. However, if we rely on the cases existing real ones, these have been due to major hormonal changes, such as pregnancy, menopause, puberty or taking birth control.
On the other hand, American studies suggest that it is due to genetic mutations. However, lipedema can also appear even if there is no family history.
How to know if it is lipedema?
- Progressive increase in fatty tissue only in specific areas: always in the legs, although it can also occur in the arms.
- Heaviness in the legs and tenderness when touched. They bruise easily.
- As the disease and heaviness progress, the pain begins to be more persistent. The pain hinders any physical activity, even at rest or during a working day standing up, it can be a reason for sick leave.
- There is no improvement with diet, losing volume in the torso but not in the affected areas.
- reduced mobility. The legs come to acquire a tubular shape due to the accumulation of fat, preventing proper walking.
How is it different from obesity?
In obesity, fat is distributed evenly throughout the body. It is not concentrated in an exclusive area. In addition, obesity is combated with a healthy diet and exercise. Obesity also does not hurt as it does with lipedema.
At Instituto Canario de Medicina y Cirugía Estética We have the Dr. Daniel J. Rodríguez Morales de los Ríos, the only specialist in the Canary Islands of lipedema. Through a physical examination and a detailed consultation of the patient's symptoms, the doctor will be able to diagnose this disease. In specific cases, he may request other tests to rule it out, but this is not usually the case.
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