At this 'stage' the patient is suffering from lipedema alone and not obesity or lymphedema. However, the condition is made more pronounced by being overweight (which will result in more fat deposits and pain) and by mental health disorders including stress and depression (which will result in more pain).
Lipoedema patients can lose weight too. The legs will still look different to the upper body, even after weight reduction, but the symptoms are reduced.”
Fat accumulation can cause the legs to look lumpy or like columns. You may also notice fat deposits below your knees. Fat legs can feel abnormal and even painful. Lipedema, which is a form of fat accumulation, can make fat areas feel unusually tender.
Lipedema is often confused with lymphedema, a similar disease that also causes swelling in the limbs. But under the microscope, the two disorders look different, and the causes, while similar, involve different effects on the vasculature. Both are often confused with obesity.
The exact cause of lipedema is unknown. But the condition runs in families and may be inherited. The condition occurs almost exclusively in people assigned female at birth, and usually starts or gets worse at the time of puberty, pregnancy or menopause. Because of this, there is likely a connection to hormones.
Obesity is the result of being overweight, which can cause fat to develop in the legs. Lipedema is the disproportionate setting of fat in arms and legs, unrelated to body weight, often associated with prominent swelling, common pain, and a column-like look. Lipedema can appear in both thin and obese individuals alike.
In early-stage lipoedema, you may have heavy legs, a narrow waist and a much smaller upper body. You may have a large bottom, thighs and lower legs, but your feet will usually be unaffected. Sometimes lipoedema can affect the arms too, but the hands are not usually affected.
A helpful diagnostic tool to distinguish lipedema from lymphedema is to pinch the skin over the dorsum of the base of the second toe (Stemmer sign); thickened skin that is difficult to lift off of the underlying tissue is considered diagnostic for lymphedema.
Stage 1. In this early stage, it may be difficult to distinguish lipedema from excess fat on the lower body. Instead, providers look for certain characteristics, including: Extra fat in the buttocks, thighs, and calves, but not in the ankles or feet.
Lipedema requires a clinical diagnosis, meaning that there is no standardized test such as bloodwork or imaging that can confirm the presence of Lipedema.
Lipedema is a painful fat disorder which predominantly affects women and develops during times of hormonal fluctuation including, but not limited to, puberty, pregnancy, and menopause [1,6].
Aerobic exercises such as swimming, walking and cycling are especially recommended because they increase lymphatic drainage and improve blood flow through the affected limbs. High impact exercising (i.e. jogging, step-aerobics) or contact sports are better avoided as they may exacerbate join pain and lead to bruising.
Lipedema almost exclusively occurs in women, with the onset typically by the third decade of life.
Age of onset: 10 to 30. Family history: Common. Areas affected: Buttocks, legs, thighs, arms.
Many people confuse lipedema fat and general fat that forms as a result of being overweight. Though they may appear similar, that isn't at all the case. There's a clear difference between regular fat and lipedema fatty tissue that the trained eye can pick out.
The cause of lipedema is still unknown, and it is not possible to avoid the development of lipedema. However, you can prevent your lipedema from progressing. Your lipedema does not necessarily have to progress.
When you first notice any signs or symptoms of lipedema, your general practitioner (GP) or a nurse is usually the one you refer to. The basic diagnostics for lipedema focus on your medical history and the physical examination of your body.
Vascular surgeons, in fact, are one of the few medical professions where you can find Lipedema diagnosis and management as a core requirement of their advanced medical training programs. A vascular medicine specialist will carefully consider differentiating Lipedema vs lymphedema and also from other conditions.
For some women it is impossible to lose weight because of an under-diagnosed autoimmune disorder many people have never heard of called lipedema.
A simple pinch test can often tell you whether you have lipedema. To do this, pinch the skin lightly in the areas of the body that may be affected. If you experience disproportionate pain, you may suspect lipedema. In this case, the next step is to get a medical diagnosis.
Liposuction is the main stay of treatment to remove stubborn fat, limit disability and slow the degree of progression as well as to reduce the risk of permanent lymphatic dysfunction and it may assist in reducing painful symptoms. At present liposuction is the only proven method to remove lipoedema fat.
Pain seems to affect around 70% of people with lipoedema. Lipoedema pain can range from heavy dull aching legs to extreme pain, even due to the lightest touch. For some people, a slight knock to the legs can feel like being kicked hard.