Dercum's disease is often characterized by the presence of fatty swellings on the body called lipomas. The lipomas are benign (non-cancerous) tumors that appear on the trunk of the body and on the limbs closest to the trunk such as the inner arms and upper thighs. Lipomas are dissimilar to other benign tumors in that they compress the body's nerves, causing serious pain that can be unbearable. The pain from lipomas can be concentrated in one area or spread throughout fatty tissue. Doctors can perform surgery to remove particularly painful lipomas. Talk to your doctor about treatment options if you discover these swellings.
Dercum's Disease
Dercum's disease is a rare disease in which you develop growths of fatty tissue called lipomas just under your skin. When these growths press against your nerves, the pain can very severe.
Common symptoms of Dercum's are weight gain that is unrelated to diet or exercise, strange accumulations of fat that have an abnormal consistency, feelings of extreme tiredness and pain to the touch in the affected areas. This disease occurs more often in women than in men.
There are no specific tests for diagnosing Dercum's disease. If you have symptoms, you should see your doctor or a pain specialist to help control your pain.
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Sigma Nursing answeredAlthough obesity and extreme fatigue are symptoms of Dercum's disease, a diagnosis usually requires that they are coupled with painful, fatty lumps on the body called lipomas. In fact, some cases of Dercum's disease have been reported from non- obese people. But obesity and fatigue often cause serious health complications if they are allowed to worsen. You should talk to your doctor about the risks associated with obesity and ask about treatment options.
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Sigma Nursing answered
Dercum's disease is an uncommon condition first discovered by Francis Dercum. Usually affecting obese, menopausal women, Dercum's disease causes a painful buildup of fatty lumps called lipomas that usually appear on the mid-section and extremities closest to the mid-section. The lipomas can be as small as a grain of rice but they can also grow up to 10 pounds. Also known as Adiposis Dolorose, Morbus Dercum, Dercum-Vitaut syndrome, or Anders' syndrome, Dercum's disease causes chronic, painful fatigue and can worsen with time.
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Sigma Nursing answered
The mass of symptoms related to Dercum's disease can be concentrated in four main areas: general obesity, the presence of painful fatty lumps called lipomas on the body, debilitating fatigue or weakness, or mental difficulties. Although most people with Dercum's disease are obese, some cases of Dercum's disease have been reported in people with relatively healthy weights. As the most distinguishing symptom of Dercum's disease, the disfiguring fatty swellings (lipomas) appear randomly on the trunk of the body and on parts of the limbs closest to the trunk, mainly the inner arms and upper thighs. The pain caused by the lipomas is often severe and can be either sporadic or continuous. Dercum's disease causes extreme weakness including: muscle stiffness or pain, shortness of breath, joint pain, easy bruising, or bone pain, all of which can worsen progressively or with physical activity. Dercum's disease can also cause mental instability, anxiety, memory loss, depression, irritability, or difficulty concentrating.
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Sigma Nursing answered
The exact origin of Dercum's disease is unknown, although some factors have been studied as possible causes. The majority of knowledge on the condition is about relief of individual symptoms and support groups to help people cope. This is because the symptoms associated with Dercum's disease are often varied and the need for relief is pressing because of their severity.
No single cause has been identified, but genetics has been studied as a possible source, as Dercum's disease has been recorded in members of some families. Other potential sources include: an endocrine defect, as most cases occur in middle- aged, menopausal women, or even an autoimmune disorder, in which the immune system attacks healthy cells.
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Sigma Nursing answered
Dercum's disease is more of a condition than a disease because it is often measured through the number and severity of symptoms rather than a specific process. However, the symptoms of Dercum's disease are progressive and can worsen with time. The effects of Dercum's disease on the body are similar to those of obesity and can include: difficulty moving or walking up stairs, difficulty breathing, high blood pressure, heart difficulties, increased fatigue, bloating, or constipation. Dercum's disease can also have a severe effect on someone's mental health in the form of depression, anxiety, sleep deprivation, confusion, or long- and short- term loss of memory. The symptoms of Dercum's disease have an erratic effect on the body, but almost always get worse with time.
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Sigma Nursing answered
Based on the limited number of recorded cases available, it seems that obese, middle- aged women run the highest risk of getting diagnosed with Dercum's disease. Most cases of Dercum's disease have been obese women who were either menopausal or postmenopausal. However, studies show that only 16 per cent of recorded cases of Dercum's disease were men. Obesity increases the risk of this and other serious health complications, although some cases of Dercum's disease have been reported in people who were not obese.
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Sigma Nursing answered
Dercum's disease is considered to be an under-diagnosed condition, because previous physicians merely regarded the symptoms as consequences of obesity. But Dercum's disease is clearly distinct in the severity of pain experienced and the presence of lipomas (fatty lumps) on the body. The lipomas are benign tumors (meaning they do not indicate cancer), but they cause intense pain by compressing nerves. Lipomas can also cause disfigurement and can morph into different shapes, spreading pain to a different area. You doctor must use a description of your pain as the means to diagnose you, so it is important to be aware of minute changes in symptoms. Make sure to mention to your doctor if your family members have also been diagnosed with Dercum's disease.
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Sigma Nursing answered
There is currently no cure for Dercum's disease, though there are several options for treatment. Treatment for Dercum's disease is considered symptomatic, which means treatment options focus on coping with one symptom at a time. Therefore, treatment affects each person differently and a journal or another form of careful attention must be given to determine which options work the best. Liposuction and surgery can be used to remove painful lipomas, while weight reduction often eliminates the possibility of fatigue. Light, no- impact activities such as warm pool therapy can help relieve muscle tension, but overly strenuous activity can increase overall pain. Your doctor can also prescribe you medication to help reduce pain from the lipomas.
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1 AnswerA
Sigma Nursing answered
Dercum's disease has no known cause, so it can be difficult to know how to prevent it from occurring. However, studies show that maintaining a healthy weight and lifestyle is beneficial to the prevention of many diseases or conditions. Even if a healthy lifestyle does not prevent you from contracting Dercum's disease, it may lessen the severity of the pain if symptoms occur. At this moment in time, the knowledge on Dercum's disease can only support maintaining a healthy lifestyle as the best way to prevent and cope with such conditions.