This disease has other names. This is elephantiasis, lymphostasis, lymphedema, elephantiasis. In most cases, it affects the arms and legs. In more rare cases, the face, genitals, mammary glands, and the peritoneum region suffer. Elephantiasis is accompanied by poor outflow of lymph. This leads to edema and fibrous changes in the skin layers.
Elephant Disease: Causes
With elephantiasis, squeezing of small vessels occurs, from this the outflow of lymph is even more difficult. Elephantiasis can be acquired and congenital. Congenital almost always combined with kidney disease. Acquired elephantiasis almost always appears due to tumors and other pathologies of the lymph nodes, bruises and damage to the vessels along which the lymph moves.
The reasons also include varicose veins, erysipelas and other similar diseases. The disease can also be caused by parasites that enter the lymph nodes. There are many reasons, but the essence is always the same. When elephantiasis, tissue metabolism products are no longer removed from the body. The result is swelling.
Elephantiasis: Symptoms
At the beginning, the disease is very difficult to recognize. Its first symptoms are as follows:
- thickening of skin folds;
- small swelling;
- blanching of the skin;
- the subcutaneous "mesh" of the veins disappears;
- there is a dense swelling.
An increase in the feet is an alarming symptom of elephantiasis. You can notice this by the shoes: it suddenly becomes small (or, for example, only one shoe becomes small).
The first swelling is usually soft to the touch. When pressed, no pits remain. In most cases, elephantiasis is one-sided. That is, only half the body suffers. If you start the disease, then the swelling will cease to disappear and will be permanent. An ailment can lead to loss of performance. Running is highly discouraged.
Elephant disease: treatment
In many respects, the success of the entire treatment will depend precisely on the mood of the patient himself. If the disease is started, only surgery can help. Usually, doctors try to cure the disease that caused elephantiasis. This leads to the elimination of her.
What can help alleviate or even eliminate the symptoms of elephantiasis:
1) Lymphatic drainage massage may help. It can be manual or mechanical. Light strokes facilitate fluid outflow. Shakes are also used.
2) Bandaging. As a rule, they are wound on a damaged part of the body and left overnight. It is best to apply them after a massage.
3) Laser therapy is considered effective.
4) Exercise.
5) Special diet.
It is important that the psychological state of the patient always remains normal. People, seeing how their body is changing for the worse, may begin to panic. Excess stress can adversely affect the state of the whole organism. It can also provoke the rapid development of the disease. Under stress, metabolic processes slow down. Fluid congestion intensifies, and lymph begins to accumulate even faster.
For the prevention of elephantiasis, herbs can be used. A good remedy is a decoction of the roots of elecampane and dandelion. Use it for compresses. You can put them at bedtime or all night.
You can also use potato compresses. Permissible compresses of radish, tomatoes, cucumbers. For prevention, you can also use essential oils of mint, lavender.
The disease is not common, which means that not everyone knows what it is. Many mistakenly think that the appeared swelling will go away on their own. Unwillingness to see a doctor can cause quite big problems.