VERIFIED CONTENTAuthor: lek. Piotr Podwysocki

Fat swelling, or lipoedema, is a disease involving the subcutaneous tissue, and consists in the symmetrical, disproportionate accumulation of excessive amounts of fatty tissue, usually in the lower extremities. What are the causes of lipoedema? How is fatty edema treated?

Lipodemia( fatty edema ) leads to a significant increase in the circumference of the thighs and lower legs due to the overlapping excessive increase in adipose tissue and lymphedema, with the correct, slim build of the upper body.

The silhouette of women struggling with fatty edema is very disproportionate, visibly deformed limbs can be a source of serious complexes, lack of acceptance of their appearance and cause depression.

The disease progresses and worsens over time, which is why it is so important to make an early diagnosis and start treatment.

Lipoedema (fatty edema): female disease

The disease is much more common in women than in men, especially in girls after puberty, as well as during pregnancy and in the perimenopausal period. Fat swelling is found in both obese people and those with too low body weight, because it is caused by abnormal breakdown of subcutaneous fat, not just excess fat.

Lipoedema (fatty edema): causes

The causes of lipoedema are not yet known. It is worth noting that the occurrence of fatty edema is not related to weight gain, adherence to an unhe althy, high-calorie diet or lack of physical activity and a sedentary lifestyle.

It is supposed to be a genetically determined condition because a family predisposition to occur has been observed. The appearance of fatty edema of the lower extremities may also be related to endocrine disorders, especially changes in the concentration and secretion of progesterone and estrogens.

Lipoedema (fatty edema): symptoms

Adipose edema is a chronic disease of subcutaneous adipose tissue that does not appear overnight. Women usually see a doctorwhen they notice a significant disproportion of the figure, and large lower limbs are a cosmetic defect and do not reduce their circumference despite a restrictive slimming diet and strenuous physical exercise.

The symptoms of lipoedema include:

  • Massive lower limbs that effectively hinder everyday functioning. Affected women are unable to walk and move freely because large thighs and lower legs rub against each other, causing painful and difficult to heal abrasions, erosions and even ulcerations. Fat swelling usually covers both lower limbs symmetrically, and shoulder involvement is very rare.
  • Orthopedic ailments, especially the sensation of pain in the area of ​​the knee and hip joints, as well as a significant limitation of the range of movements, which many women complain of as the disease progresses and the accumulation of fat tissue in the lower legs, thighs, buttocks and hips increases .
  • The disproportionate figure of the patient and the fact that the feet and ankles are not affected by the disease is a typical feature of this disease entity, which helps doctors in making the correct diagnosis.
  • In the early stages of the disease, swollen limbs usually do not cause pain.
  • Fat swollen limbs show an increased tendency to bruise.
  • With a little pressure, hitting or touching the skin, bloody bruising may form on the skin of the thighs and lower legs.
  • The skin of the lower limbs is delicate, thin, inflexible, often wrinkled, and spider veins are formed more easily within it.

Lipoedema (fatty edema): diagnosis

The diagnosis of fatty edema is not easy, as it is based on the clinical picture of the disease and the symptoms presented by the patient during a medical visit. In the advanced stage of the disease, enlargement of the lymph nodes caused by the stagnation of lymph in the tissues can be assessed, which may lead a specialist to an appropriate diagnosis.

Lipoedema (fatty edema): differential diagnosis

Fat swelling should be differentiated with such units as:

  • adipose tissue overgrowth (lipohypertrophy)
  • lymphedema
  • edema arising in the course of chronic venous insufficiency
  • obesity

Lipoedema (fatty edema): complications

One of the main complications of fatty edema is the overlapping of lymphedema. Disturbances in distribution and excessive accumulation of subcutaneous fat cause obstructed outflow of lymph from the tissues, whichleads to its stagnation.

After compression and reduction of lumen flow or complete closure of the lymphatic vessel, intercellular fluid accumulates below the closed segment, which leads to lymphoedema of tissues, most often of the skin and subcutaneous tissue, and causes a chronic inflammatory process.

The main symptom of lymphatic stagnation in tissues is a depression on the surface of the skin after pressing it with a finger (the so-called pasty swelling), as well as covering not only the thighs, buttocks and lower legs, but also the feet.

Over time, the skin and subcutaneous tissue harden and are no longer susceptible to pressure.

Lipoedema (fatty edema): treatment

The therapy of fatty edema is based on both conservative and surgical treatment. However, there will be no significant relief from methods used in the treatment of lower limb edema of other origin, such as lifting the legs up, a slimming diet or the use of diuretics.

Therapy usually begins with non-invasive treatment, which consists in simultaneous application:

  • treatments in the field of physiotherapy and improvement exercises
  • compression therapy, based on wearing special underwear and compression garments individually tailored to each patient - its purpose is to improve microcirculation and support lymph circulation
  • manual lymphatic drainage performed by a trained therapist. Regularly used massages bring a healing effect and relieve the patient's pain, especially in the advanced stage of the disease. They improve and improve the flow of lymph in the tissues and reduce lymphoedema of the lower extremities, which reduces tissue tension and pain.
  • increasing physical activity and taking care of the daily dose of exercise positively affects both the patient's well-being and the lymph flow. Exercises that do not burden the joints of the lower limbs are recommended, not too intense but performed regularly, preferably every day, especially swimming, yoga, cycling and walking in the fresh air.
  • introducing a slimming diet and weight reduction will have a beneficial effect in an overweight or obese patient, however, it should be remembered that losing weight does not affect the fatty edema of the lower limbs and they will still remain of the same size.

The coexistence of obesity and fatty edema is possible and dangerous, it increases the risk of serious complications in the form of lymphoedema, as well as ailments from the osteoarticular system, which may lead to a significant degree of disability.

When conservative treatment methods do not bring satisfactory results, you should think about the treatment of invasive fatty edema, i.e. liposuction.

The procedure is performed in modern clinics within one working day, under local anesthesia. It requires neither general anesthesia nor hospitalization in the ward. The accumulated subcutaneous fat is removed with the use of specialized equipment.

The risk of damaging the lymphatic vessels is small, but you should remember about this complication when deciding to undergo surgery.

The treatment ensures a lasting effect, both cosmetic and therapeutic, reduces the amount of adipose tissue and improves the lymph flow from the tissues, which prevents the formation of lymphedema.

Category:

Genetic diseases