Lipedema is a condition that causes fat to accumulate abnormally in specific areas throughout the body. The fat that accumulates also has fluid swelling as well as other changes that can culminate in the development of lip-lymphedema. People who suffer from lipedema are often told that they are just overweight. At times lipedema patients are diagnosed with having a different condition called lymphedema. Lipedema is a distinct condition and not a trivial one. The condition is chronic and progressive and comes with health implications. To ease discomfort and to prevent the progression of the disease into more advanced stages, ongoing symptom management is essential. Lipedema is very common, but not very commonly known. There are some distinct signs that you might be suffering from lipedema and diagnosis is important. Here are 14 frequent signs that sufferers of lipedema often have.
1. Women Most Affected
Lipedema is often misdiagnosed because it shares similar symptoms to other diseases that cause a person to become overweight. If you are female, you are more likely to develop this disease. Lipedema may affect up to eleven percent of women. It is unknown why this disease occurs or what the main cause of the disease might be. Doctors think that hormones play a role in the development of this disease. Since it affects women at a much higher rate than men, it is thought that women’s hormones might be one of the causes of the disease. Female hormones change as they age and this could cause issues within the body. If you are experiencing any of the symptoms on this list, it could be a sign that you have a hormone imbalance that could be the underlying cause. Make sure that you are familiar with the symptoms of lipedema so that a proper diagnosis can be made.