Do I have Dercums disease?

What are the symptoms of Dercum disease? This syndrome consists of four cardinal symptoms: (1) multiple, painful, fatty masses; (2) generalized obesity, usually in menopausal age; (3) weakness and fatigability; and (4) mental disturbances, including emotional instability, depression, epilepsy, confusion and dementia.

What does Dercums disease feel like?

Dercum's disease is characterized by pronounced pain in the adipose tissue. The pain is burning and searing. The pain can be severe, is chronic (> 3 months) and is disabling. It is believed that pain is always associated with smaller or bigger subcutaneous adipose lumps.

Does Dercums disease make you fat?

Definition and clinical description. The main symptoms of Dercum's disease, according to the early reports, are obesity and painful adipose tissue [6]. The most common locations for painful fat and for lipomas are the extremities, the trunk, the pelvic area, and the buttocks (Figure 1).

How rare is Dercum disease?

DD is thought to be rare. A rare disease as defined by the Orphan Drug Act of 1983 means that less than 200,000 people have the disease.

How do you diagnose Dercums?

A diagnosis of Dercum's disease is suspected based on a detailed patient history, a thorough clinical evaluation and identification of characteristic multiple lipomas. The distribution of the lipomas is important in distinguishing Dercum's disease from the other disorders involving lipomas.

Dr. Karen Herbst On Dercum's Disease

What kind of doctor treats Dercums disease?

Since this is a very rare condition, you may need to be diagnosed by a specialist. This could be an internist, dermatologist (skin doctor), or an endocrinologist who treats hormone (gland) problems. You may also want to see a pain specialist.

What can be mistaken for lipoma?

Lipomas can be confused with malignant (cancerous) tumours, called liposarcomas. Your doctor may feel it is best to remove it or take a biopsy so that they can be certain it is a lipoma. They will also make a referral to a specialist.

Why am I getting lots of lipomas?

Certain Medical Conditions A person may develop one or more lipomas if they have Gardner syndrome (an inherited condition that causes benign and malignant tumors to form), adiposis dolorosa, familial multiple lipomatosis, or Madelung disease (seen mostly in men who are heavy drinkers).

Why am I getting lipomas all over my body?

Healthcare providers aren't sure what causes lipomas to grow. They are inherited (passed down through families). You're more likely to develop a lipoma if someone in your family has one. Some conditions cause multiple lipomas to form on the body.

What does fat feel like under the skin?

Lipomas usually feel like firm bumps (nodules) under the skin. The growths cause burning or aching that can be severe, particularly if they are pressing on a nearby nerve. In some people, the pain comes and goes, while in others it is continuous.

What autoimmune disease causes lumps under the skin?

Rheumatoid nodules are firm lumps that develop under the skin. They are fairly unique to rheumatoid arthritis (RA) and usually occur near the affected joints. RA is a long-term progressive autoimmune disease that causes inflammation and pain in and around a person's joints.

Does Dercums disease qualify for disability?

This is about a Social Security Disability claim. If you are suffering from Dercum disease, you know that there is no standard criteria for diagnosing the disease. Your treating physician may begin by ruling out other diseases, like fibromyalgia or lipedema.

What are the symptoms of dercum disease?

This syndrome consists of four cardinal symptoms: (1) multiple, painful, fatty masses; (2) generalized obesity, usually in menopausal age; (3) weakness and fatigability; and (4) mental disturbances, including emotional instability, depression, epilepsy, confusion and dementia.

Does fibromyalgia cause lumps under the skin?

Lumps under the skin in a person with fibromyalgia may be a sign of an extremely rare condition called Dercum's disease. The right diagnosis can help you get treatment and symptom relief.

Do lipomas go away with weight loss?

The lipoma cells are believed to arise from primordial mesenchymal fatty tissue cells; thus, they are not of adult fat cell origin. They tend to increase in size with body weight gain, but interestingly, weight loss usually does not decrease their sizes.

Can diet affect lipomas?

Poor diet. Your dog's diet can actually lead to the development of a lipoma. Carbohydrates, chemical preservatives, and other toxins found in processed food all contribute to fatty tumor growth. Water is also an important part of your dog's diet.

Can exercise reduce lipomas?

Lipoma cannot be removed by dietary or exercise methids. If you want to get it removed, surgical excision is the only way.

What does it mean if a lipoma hurts?

Most lipomas are symptomless, but some are painful when applying pressure. A lipoma that is tender or painful is usually an angiolipoma. This means the lipoma has an increased number of small blood vessels. Painful lipomas are also a feature of adiposis dolorosa or Dercum disease.

Can a lipoma be seen on xray?

Although doctors can usually diagnose lipomas based on history and physical examination alone, imaging tests can be helpful for some cases. X-rays. Although these tests create clear pictures of dense structures like bone, plain x-rays can show a prominent shadow caused by a soft tissue tumor, such as a lipoma.

Can lipomas cause tiredness?

The lipomas may occur anywhere on the body and can cause severe pain. Other symptoms may include weakness, fatigue, and memory disturbances. It usually occurs in adults, and women are more commonly affected than men.

Can Dercums disease affect your liver?

Background. Dercum disease is a rare disorder of painful subcutaneous adipose tissue masses typically presenting as a constellation of signs and symptoms affecting most organs, including slow lymphatic flow and fatty liver.

What causes multiple lumps under skin?

Infections, clogged glands, and hormonal changes can all cause noncancerous lumps under the skin. People should not try to remove or pop a lump. Doing this may lead to an infection or cause the lump to get bigger. People should speak with a doctor if they have any concerns about a new or altered lump under their skin.

How do you stop lipomas from growing?

What is considered a large lipoma?

Lipomas are slow-growing soft tissue tumours that rarely reach a size larger than 2 cm. Lesions larger than 5 cm, so-called giant lipomas, can occur anywhere in the body but are seldom found in the upper extremities.