Lymphangiosclerosis Symptoms:
The most common symptom of lymphangiosclerosis is fatigue. This disease affects your body in many ways. Some of these are: Your joints may become stiff and painful due to pain in your muscles.
You might have difficulty walking or even standing up. You might experience muscle cramps and spasms which could cause you to fall down from exhaustion. You might feel dizzy or faint at times. Your skin may get itchy and irritated due to itching and burning sensations. Other symptoms include: Difficulty breathing or swallowing (breathing difficulties)
Muscle weakness (musculoskeletal problems)
Fatigue (mental health issues)
Fluid retention (kidney problems)
Nausea/vomiting (liver problems) These are some of the common symptoms of lymphangiosclerosis. There are other symptoms like: Increased urination (urinary problems)
Weight loss (liver problems)
Hair loss (lung problems)
Skin changes such as: Dryness of the skin (skin conditions) Redness and peeling of the skin (dermatological conditions) Skin cancer (cancerous condition) These are some of the common symptoms of lymphangiosclerosis. There are other symptoms like:
Lymphangiosclerosis Swelling:
Swelling is seen in conditions of high blood pressure. In this condition, your arteries tend to be rigid which makes it difficult for the blood to get inside your organs and muscles. The rigid arteries can no longer expand and contract smoothly which restricts the flow of blood inside them.
This causes hypertension and other problems like: It may result in death of brain cells if you suffer a head injury.
It may force the heart to work harder in order to pump blood to the brain.
This can lead to a stroke or a heart attack
It can result in vision loss as well. Lymphangiosclerosis swelling is seen with severe cases of high blood pressure. This can happen when the arterial walls are rigid and unable to expand or contract smoothly.
As a result, your blood pressure shoots up and puts a strain on your organs. This can be fatal if not treated immediately. Lymphangiosclerosis swelling can be very serious and must be addressed right away before more harm is done to the body.
Enlarged Dorsal Vein:
When you suffer from lymphangiosclerosis the main cause of concern is the veins. You may suffer from an enlarged dorsal vein. The most common cause of an enlarged dorsal vein is lymphangiosclerosis.
Normally, veins carry blood to the heart but in this condition the veins have an increased amount of blood compared to normal. You may suffer from an enlarged dorsal vein because the veins in the skin are unable to drain properly. Normally, there is an ebb and flow of blood inside a vein and lymphatic fluid which promotes inflammation. However, in this condition the veins have an increased amount of blood compared to normal. This causes hypertension and has many negative health consequences. An enlarged dorsal vein may lead to serious complications and your condition might worsen.
Headache:
A headache is the most common symptom of lymphangiosclerosis. You may experience a dull constant pain at the back of your skull or the front part of your head. This pain is worsened by physical activity such as walking, running or even standing up.
In some cases, you may feel pain in your neck and shoulders as well. This happens due to rigid arteries and high blood pressure. In some cases, you may suffer from dizziness as well which can affect your balance and coordination.
Paralysis:
When the arteries are rigid and unable to expand or contract smoothly, it causes problems with proper blood flow throughout your body. This may result in paralysis as the nervous system is no longer able to send signals and messages to various parts of your body. You may suffer from paralysis in one part of your body or multiple parts of the body.
Depending on which nerves are damaged, the paralysis may be temporary or permanent.
How is lymphangiosclerosis diagnosed?
Your doctor will perform a physical exam and ask you questions about your medical history to understand your condition better. He may also order blood tests in order to rule out other conditions such as anemia or a vitamin B12 deficiency that may cause similar symptoms.
What is the treatment for lymphangiosclerosis?
Your doctor may treat your lymphangiosclerosis with medication such as antihypertensives to reduce your blood pressure and slow the progression of the disease. You may also be prescribed diuretics that promote the production of urine and help you get rid of excessive fluid that may be building up in your body. Your doctor may also suggest a low sodium diet and encourage you to exercise on a regular basis in order to manage your condition and prevent complications from developing.
What is the prognosis of lymphangiosclerosis?
The prognosis of your condition depends on how well you follow your treatment plan and manage your health. If you do not take care of yourself and continue to smoke or drink alcohol for example, your condition may worsen and cause serious complications in the future. It is best to follow your treatment plan as recommended by your doctor in order to prevent your condition from getting worse.
What is the long-term outlook of lymphangiosclerosis?
The long-term outlook for people suffering from lymphangiosclerosis is poor. There is no known cure and there have been no major medical breakthroughs with this condition. The main causes of death are due to heart failure or a stroke in later stages of the disease process. It is important to manage your condition with medication and treatment as well as healthy lifestyle choices such as exercising on a regular basis and eating a healthy diet.
Sources & references used in this article:
Lymphangiosclerosis of the thoracic duct. Morphometric investigations in 88 cases by F Borchard, H Borchard, F Huth – Beitrage zur Pathologie, 1972 – ncbi.nlm.nih.gov
Age-Related Changes of Dermal Lymphatics by J Daróczy – The Dermal Lymphatic Capillaries, 1988 – Springer
The diagnosis and treatment of peripheral lymphedema by ISL ISL – Lymphology, 2003 – journals.uair.arizona.edu
