No matter how much research continues to support the proper diagnosis and identification of lipedema, there is still opposition in the medical community, including from insurance companies. Lipedema is a very real and present condition that affects millions of individuals throughout the world every year. If you have been diagnosed with lipedema or face the challenge of finding a proper diagnosis, you’re no doubt concerned with receiving effective treatment and even how to pay for that treatment. A recent court win by UnitedHealthcare seems to have made this task even more difficult.
Lipedema is not a temporary issue but instead a lifelong condition that will impact your way of life. Treatments can end up being pricey if you do not have the proper medical coverage. Certain insurance companies continue to fight against coverage for certain treatments, stating they are not required or necessary. If you have lipedema, you know full well how necessary it is to reduce swelling and pain in your affected limbs. Some insurance companies may not even provide coverage at all by claiming it to be a pre-existing condition.
Recently, UnitedHealthcare Insurance Company was able to defeat a proposed class action lawsuit that claimed their coverage did not include proper lipedema treatment. This is a huge loss for the lipedema community. It is imperative that insurance companies utilize the available lipedema research and cover costs of the necessary treatments.
Lipedema is a condition that many people, including some physicians, refuse to acknowledge. Physicians will claim that there is not enough research to support the identification of lipedema or that it is just obesity. Lipedema patients know this is not just obesity; the subcutaneous fat tissue associate with lipedema is nearly impossible to reduce with your standard diet and exercise. The medical community as a whole needs to understand this condition better, and Dr. Wright continually advocates for improved education regarding lipedema.
Even with all the challenges presented by lipedema, there are those who you can trust. Dr. Wright continues to strive for better education, research, and coverage for the lipedema community. Do not let these challenges bring you down even further; let Dr. Wright and his expert team help you to reduce the symptoms of lipedema and live your life. Dr Wright can help find the right procedure to help manage your lipedema symptoms, such as lymphatic drainage massage. Don’t let lipedema take over your life; contact us today!
When dealing with lipedema, patients will not experience a quick, single-treatment recovery but instead a lifelong ordeal that can be difficult to maintain. How you handle your lipedema can make all the difference when it comes to everyday life activities. This management is best handled through a variety of treatment options that can help reduce the appearance of lipedema. These treatments also work to decrease various symptoms that can make movement difficult.
The first steps for managing your lipedema symptoms usually involve more conservative forms of treatment. This can include practicing breathing exercises, wearing compression garments throughout the day, and maintaining a healthy diet. Compression garments can be purchased at your local pharmacy and need to be worn 24 hours a day to remain effective. Compression garments help with lipedema management by encouraging movement within the lymph system. Your physician may also recommend a CDT or Congenital Decongestive Therapy session. CDTs are a great way to relieve swelling through non-surgical options. This process typically entails manual lymph drainage that helps drain your lymph nodes of built up fluids. A significant reduction in swelling can be noticed almost immediately; it can also break apart fibrosis that can be present in a limb impacted by lipedema. Rounding out this beginning step to lipedema management is having a regular skin care routine to keep your skin healthy.
A more advanced form of managing lipedema comes in the form of liposuction. This fat reduction procedure is utilized by physicians, allowing them to provide long term benefits to those who continue to suffer from lipedema. Lymph sparing liposuction uses tumescent local anesthesia and removes subcutaneous fat tissue that cannot be reduced through diet and exercise alone. Multiple research studies have shown than liposuction for lipedema can provide long term benefits that last for up to 8 years. The effects of lymph sparing liposuction make it clear that it is the only effective treatment to truly remove subcutaneous fat tissue in lipedema.
Lipedema continues to be a lesser known condition within the United States medical community. However difficult it might be in managing your lipedema symptoms and onset, you are not alone. Reach out to one of Dr. Wright’s highly trusted treatment centers to see how our lipedema treatment options can make living with lipedema much easier!
