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Description
Adiposis dolorosa is a condition that is characterized by painful fatty (adipose) tissue just underneath the skin (subcutaneous). The pain is often associated with multiple noncancerous (benign) tumors called lipomas. Adiposis dolorosa occurs most often in women between the ages of 35 and 50 who are overweight or have obesity.
Adiposis dolorosa affects the adipose tissue. Adipose tissue is found in many parts of the body. It stores fat for energy and provides support for the body’s structures. In some individuals, lipomas develop within the adipose tissue. These lipomas can occur anywhere on the body, but they are most often found on the torso, buttocks, or the upper arms and legs. The lipomas in people with adiposis dolorosa usually feel like firm bumps (nodules) underneath the skin and tend to be painful. The pain can be severe, particularly if the lipomas are pressing on a nearby nerve. In some people, the pain is disabling.
People with adiposis dolorosa may experience additional signs and symptoms. However, these features do not occur in all people with adiposis dolorosa, and it is unclear whether they are directly related to the condition. Researchers are working to learn more about the signs and symptoms of this condition.
Frequency
Adiposis dolorosa is believed to be rare, although the exact prevalence is unknown. This condition is more common in women than in men.
Causes
The cause of adiposis dolorosa is unknown. Although a few families with multiple affected family members have been reported, no genetic cause has been identified.
Several possible causes of adiposis dolorosa have been suggested, but none have been confirmed. These include infections, swelling (inflammation), traumatic events, or changes in the deposition and breakdown of fat (adipose tissue metabolism). Changes or abnormalities in the nervous system, immune system, or the hormone-producing endocrine system
have also been proposed as possible causes of adiposis dolorosa.
Inheritance
Most cases of adiposis dolorosa are sporadic, which means that they occur in people with no family history of the disorder.
A small number of familial cases of adiposis dolorosa have been reported. When the condition runs in families, it appears to have an autosomal dominant pattern
of inheritance.
Other Names for This Condition
- Adiposalgia
- Adipose tissue rheumatism
- Dercum disease
- Lipomatosis dolorosa
- Morbus Dercum
Additional Information & Resources
Genetic and Rare Diseases Information Center
Patient Support and Advocacy Resources
Clinical Trials
Catalog of Genes and Diseases from OMIM
Scientific Articles on PubMed
References
- Campen R, Mankin H, Louis DN, Hirano M, Maccollin M. Familial occurrence of adiposis dolorosa. J Am Acad Dermatol. 2001 Jan;44(1):132-6. doi: 10.1067/mjd.2001.110872. Citation on PubMed
- Dupuis H, Lemaitre M, Jannin A, Douillard C, Espiard S, Vantyghem MC. Lipomatoses. Ann Endocrinol (Paris). 2024 Jun;85(3):231-247. doi: 10.1016/j.ando.2024.05.003. Epub 2024 Jun 12. Citation on PubMed
- Hansson E, Svensson H, Brorson H. Depression in Dercum's disease and in obesity: a case control study. BMC Psychiatry. 2012 Jul 3;12:74. doi: 10.1186/1471-244X-12-74. Citation on PubMed or Free article on PubMed Central
- Hansson E, Svensson H, Brorson H. Review of Dercum's disease and proposal of diagnostic criteria, diagnostic methods, classification and management. Orphanet J Rare Dis. 2012 Apr 30;7:23. doi: 10.1186/1750-1172-7-23. Citation on PubMed or Free article on PubMed Central
- Herbst KL. Rare adipose disorders (RADs) masquerading as obesity. Acta Pharmacol Sin. 2012 Feb;33(2):155-72. doi: 10.1038/aps.2011.153. Citation on PubMed or Free article on PubMed Central
- Lemaitre M, Aubert S, Chevalier B, Jannin A, Bourry J, Prevost G, Lefebvre H, Vantyghem MC. Rare Forms of Lipomatosis: Dercum's Disease and Roch-Leri Mesosomatous Lipomatosis. J Clin Med. 2021 Mar 21;10(6):1292. doi: 10.3390/jcm10061292. Citation on PubMed
- Lemaitre M, Chevalier B, Jannin A, Le Mapihan K, Boury S, Lion G, Labalette M, Vantyghem MC. Metabolic and immunological phenotype of rare lipomatoses: Dercum's disease and Roch-Leri mesosomatic lipomatosis. Orphanet J Rare Dis. 2021 Jun 29;16(1):290. doi: 10.1186/s13023-021-01920-3. Citation on PubMed
- Thiriveedi M, Gross GP. Adiposis Dolorosa. 2025 Nov 7. In: StatPearls [Internet]. Treasure Island (FL): StatPearls Publishing; 2025 Jan-. Available from http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK507867/ Citation on PubMed
- Tins BJ, Matthews C, Haddaway M, Cassar-Pullicino VN, Lalam R, Singh J, Tyrrell PN. Adiposis dolorosa (Dercum's disease): MRI and ultrasound appearances. Clin Radiol. 2013 Oct;68(10):1047-53. doi: 10.1016/j.crad.2013.05.004. Epub 2013 Jun 25. Citation on PubMed
- Wortham NC, Tomlinson IP. Dercum's disease. Skinmed. 2005 May-Jun;4(3):157-62; quiz 163-4. doi: 10.1111/j.1540-9740.2005.03675.x. Citation on PubMed
- Yosipovitch G, DeVore A, Dawn A. Obesity and the skin: skin physiology and skin manifestations of obesity. J Am Acad Dermatol. 2007 Jun;56(6):901-16; quiz 917-20. doi: 10.1016/j.jaad.2006.12.004. Citation on PubMed
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