Most people associate heart disease and respiratory ailments with obesity, but there are less common conditions affected by weight as well. Genetics are responsible for some risks, but additional factors and obesity itself can also be at fault. While receiving a sleeve gastrectomy in Dallas can improve or eliminate many of these health risks, it is important to be aware of some of the less common risks that obesity can put you at risk for.
Hypoventilation: Obese individuals often breathe shallow and slow. This creates a situation that deprives the bloodstream of necessary oxygen. Carbon dioxide builds up in the blood. Symptoms vary, but generally include leg swelling, heart failure, sleep disruptions and sleepiness during waking hours.
Carpal Tunnel: This syndrome occurs when nerves in the wrist become compressed. It causes numbness and muscular weakness. It feels like your hand and arm continuously fall asleep. Obese individuals are more than twice as likely to suffer with this ailment.
Hirsutism: This condition causes an increase of terminal hair where it doesn’t typically grow. Terminal hair is the thick, dark hair that grows as you enter puberty such as leg hair, underarm hair, or the hair on your face. This hair is controlled by hormones, so obese women with insulin resistance are more likely to experience the problem.
Incontinence: Incontinence occurs when an individual cannot control urine leakage. It’s highly associated with obesity.
Dementia: This term describes those who experience diminished cognitive abilities such as memory, problem-solving skills, attention deficits and language problems. Obesity is often responsible for increased risk of dementia.
Gout: More common in those who are obese, gout occurs when uric acid crystals become elevated in the bloodstream. The result can be swollen joints and skin deposits that become aggravated if a strict, healthy diet is not followed.
