Regular seminars are a key part of my professional development. One of the insightful comments shared at this year’s symposium in regards to Lipoedema diagnosis, “Lipoedema is a common presentation in women but is not commonly diagnosed.” That statement was my first key takeout as Lipoedema prevelance is estimated at up to 11% of the population. Given its a disease which largely affects women it is not surprising that it takes a significant time to diagnose and treatment options are often limited. One of my reasons for attending was to improve my understanding of the condition.
The second takeout was the importance of diagnosing Lipoedema and differentiating it with Lymphoedema. Lipoedema is a connective tissue disorder that causes abnormal buildup of fat in the connective tissue predominantly the legs and sometimes the arms accompanied by pain and swelling. Lipoedema is usually bilateral as in that it will appear on both sides and will also present with spider vein or varicosities. Another common issue is that weight loss won’t result in a reduction in volume in the affected limbs. In fact weight loss is more difficult for those experiencing this condition.
Lipoedema often presents with other concerning symptoms including pain, brain fog, fatigue and even hypermobility conditions like Ehlers- Danlos syndrome.
The fourth takeout concerned the importance of managing obesity through slow patient weight loss. Avoiding fad diets and nourishing the body with adequate calories that exceed or meet the client’s basal metabolic rate is essential. Protein is a critical part of weight management and maintaining muscle, particularly once you start transitioning though menopause. Protein requirements are also higher as you age so protein needs to be adjusted.
Lipoedemea can, like many chronic conditions , be expensive to manage with the cost of treatments, compression garments and appropriate exercise to name just a few items. Four of my other learnings were useful self care techniques which were shared at the event and were low cost ways of managing symptoms. These included breathwork, meditation, movement and gentle techniques for your own lymphatic massage. We had a demonstration on the day however the speaker, Lisa Higgins, also shares details of the home lymphatic techniques on her youtube channel – click here .
Deep breathing activates the lymphatics and there are a couple of options. One is to breath in for five counts and then breath out for five. Another simple technique is to practice box breathing. Breath in for four seconds, hold for four, breath out for four and then hold for four seconds and repeat. Repeating either of these sequence four to five times a day is a good way to regularly activate lymphatics and improve the clearance.
Meditation is considered a useful technique for stress management and a reasonably useful free series is The Meaning of Life.TV which is a 30 day series of ten and twenty minute meditations. Regular meditation can reduce stress levels which is a critical area for those diagnosed with Lipoedema who often suffer from anxiety and depression.
Appropriate movement for Lipoedema needs to focus on gentler movement and if you can’t afford a personal trainer or sessions with an Exercise Physiologist then look out for Pilates or Yoga classes. There are lots of great online options now as well as local classes. Another effective option is walking waist deep in water, the pressure gently acts in a similar way to lymphatic massage. You can always access local pools or if you have the chance ocean pools.
Overall Lipoedema is a complex condition requiring holistic treatment. The final takeout is the importance of a support network to manage your condition. This could include a good lymphatic practitioner with appropriate training, a nutritionist and an exercise physiologist as well as a doctor who really understands the condition and as and when required a pyschologist.
