Adiposis dolorosa, also known as Ander's disease or Dercum's disease, is a rare disease characterized by multiple painful lipomas that arise in adult life. Older medical literature states that "the disease occurs most often in obese postmenopausal women, but can also occur in men." Surveys of current sufferers seem to indicate that the disease causes the obesity. It also occurs in men and women of all ages. The fatty tumors are most often located on the trunk and limbs with sparing of the face and hands. It was first formally described by Dr. Francis Xavier Dercum in 1888.
Dercum's Disease causes obesity with painful fatty tumor and fatigue. It is a chronic, often very painful disease that has incapacitating consequences. This disease affects all aspects of a patient's life, patient education improves the outcome of the disease. Collaboration is needed and occasionally a big effort by the patient to learn to live with the disorder. Patients find that they can no longer do all that was easy before. People with Dercum's Disease feel pain for a number of reasons. Small actions, such as wringing a washcloth, opening a can or taking a shower, can be extremely painful experiences. It is important that Dercum's Disease patients receive reliable information about the disorder and support from the surrounding community in order to be able to live as positively as possible and that they find their own capabilities. This helps the patient to be less dependent on others, which is of major importance in both family and working life.