What to do if the legs swell: the causes and treatment of edema on the legs
In the morning you put on your favorite shoes, but do you feel that it has become cramped? Most likely, the swelling of the legs was the cause. This ailment is very common at the moment. The question arises - if you have swollen legs, what should you do in such cases?
What is edema? Excessively stored fluid in the tissues and cells of the human body. Most often, with the disease, the organs become enlarged, which in turn definitely hampers the functioning of the body.
Foot swelling is a symptom that can occur due to many diseases. These include liver, GIT, heart, skin, lymphatic system, kidney and urinary tract diseases. Edema exists in several types: toxic, allergic, inflammatory, resulting from surgery, etc.
Therefore, first you need to determine the root cause of the ailment, and then decide what to do with edema on the legs.
Disturbance of outflow in the legs, fluid retention and consequent onset of leg edema can have many valid reasons. Often, the general puffiness manifests itself in diseases of the heart, kidneys and liver, due to fasting, the consequence of shifts in endocrine regulation, and also when there is a weakening of the heart activity.
Separate, that is partial swelling in the legs is venous and lymphatic. Venous form of edema appears due to chronic venous insufficiency, obstruction or thrombosis of veins. Lymphatic edema occurs due to vascular abnormalities, radiation treatment, various surgical interventions.
Separately, there are such causes of edema on the legs as:
Swelling of the legs is a frequent companion to pregnant women. This is especially true for late pregnancy - from 30 weeks. It is caused by an increased burden on a woman, on her kidneys and pressure of the uterus.
However, swelling of the lower limbs can also occur in kidney pathologies. Such diseases are often accompanied by the presence of protein in the urine and increased pressure.
Minor leg swelling may appear due to premenstrual syndrome. Girls and women are bound by these problems with imbalance of hormones. After stopping menstruation, swelling from the legs and feet stops.
Leg edema can be identified and yourself. To this end, you can click on the shin area, where the tibia is located. If after a few seconds, there is a hole in the place of the clamp, then puffiness does exist. The examination of a patient with puffiness should begin with a visit to the therapist. The doctor will take into account the specificity of the symptomatology, will identify the probable causes of the disease.
In some cases, in order to establish an accurate diagnosis, it is required to go to a specialist to consult a specialist. Often the therapist directs the patient to the phlebologist. General and biochemical blood tests, urinalysis, ECG, etc. are prescribed.
In order to confirm the cardiac genesis of edema, attention should be paid to such symptoms:
There is a problem due to violations of the mechanisms involved in the coordination of the water-electrolyte balance. Basically, in each of the cases of puffiness, 1 or 2 mechanisms prevail:
Before proceeding with the treatment of edema on the legs, it is necessary to understand what disease caused it. Eliminate symptoms can only be a systemic therapeutic effect on the main disease under the strict guidance of the therapist.
Today, medicine has significantly stepped forward. Both preventive and curative measures are very effective.
These include:
To help in getting rid of puffiness on your feet will help effective traditional medicine. The basis of such means is only natural components.
Drinks and infusions:
What is edema? Excessively stored fluid in the tissues and cells of the human body. Most often, with the disease, the organs become enlarged, which in turn definitely hampers the functioning of the body.
Foot swelling is a symptom that can occur due to many diseases. These include liver, GIT, heart, skin, lymphatic system, kidney and urinary tract diseases. Edema exists in several types: toxic, allergic, inflammatory, resulting from surgery, etc.
Therefore, first you need to determine the root cause of the ailment, and then decide what to do with edema on the legs.
Causes of edema on the legs
Disturbance of outflow in the legs, fluid retention and consequent onset of leg edema can have many valid reasons. Often, the general puffiness manifests itself in diseases of the heart, kidneys and liver, due to fasting, the consequence of shifts in endocrine regulation, and also when there is a weakening of the heart activity.
Separate, that is partial swelling in the legs is venous and lymphatic. Venous form of edema appears due to chronic venous insufficiency, obstruction or thrombosis of veins. Lymphatic edema occurs due to vascular abnormalities, radiation treatment, various surgical interventions.
Separately, there are such causes of edema on the legs as:
- 1) The initial stage of varicose veins on the legs, as well as thrombophlebitis of the veins of the lower limbs;
- 2) Kidney disease( pyelonephritis, hydronephrosis, kidney failure, glomerulonephritis, etc.);
- 3) Violation of the cardiovascular activity, heart failure;
- 4) Lymphostasis of the lower extremities( elephantiasis);
- 5) Flat feet, as well as a large load on the legs;
- 6) High fluid intake before bedtime;
- 7) Pregnancy.;
- 8) With prolonged use of alcohol, swelling of the legs and other limbs is often noted.
Swelling of the legs in women - causes of
Swelling of the legs is a frequent companion to pregnant women. This is especially true for late pregnancy - from 30 weeks. It is caused by an increased burden on a woman, on her kidneys and pressure of the uterus.
However, swelling of the lower limbs can also occur in kidney pathologies. Such diseases are often accompanied by the presence of protein in the urine and increased pressure.
Minor leg swelling may appear due to premenstrual syndrome. Girls and women are bound by these problems with imbalance of hormones. After stopping menstruation, swelling from the legs and feet stops.
Diagnosis
Leg edema can be identified and yourself. To this end, you can click on the shin area, where the tibia is located. If after a few seconds, there is a hole in the place of the clamp, then puffiness does exist. The examination of a patient with puffiness should begin with a visit to the therapist. The doctor will take into account the specificity of the symptomatology, will identify the probable causes of the disease.
In some cases, in order to establish an accurate diagnosis, it is required to go to a specialist to consult a specialist. Often the therapist directs the patient to the phlebologist. General and biochemical blood tests, urinalysis, ECG, etc. are prescribed.
In order to confirm the cardiac genesis of edema, attention should be paid to such symptoms:
- enlarged liver;
- accumulation of fluid in the abdominal region;
- excessive swelling on the neck of the veins;
- cyanotic shade of the legs due to stagnation of venous blood.
Clinical manifestations of edema
There is a problem due to violations of the mechanisms involved in the coordination of the water-electrolyte balance. Basically, in each of the cases of puffiness, 1 or 2 mechanisms prevail:
- decrease in oncotic plasma pressure.
- increase in hydrostatic pressure in the capillaries of organs.
- increased vascular permeability.
- worsening of outflow from veins or lymph.
- increased osmotic pressure in the intercellular space.
Treatment of edema on the legs
Before proceeding with the treatment of edema on the legs, it is necessary to understand what disease caused it. Eliminate symptoms can only be a systemic therapeutic effect on the main disease under the strict guidance of the therapist.
Today, medicine has significantly stepped forward. Both preventive and curative measures are very effective.
These include:
- 1) Diuretics. When determining the relationship of the disease with the kidneys, urea, sulfonamides, diamox, etc. are used. Since the potassium can go away from the body with the liquid, diuretics should be used only at the dosage prescribed by the doctor.
- 2) Drugs that inhibit the production of aldosterone. This is metoliron, amphenone.
- 3) Protein components. Used to increase the oncotic blood pressure.
- 4) Bleeding. Reduces swelling due to reduced hydrostatic pressure.
- 5) Gels and ointments. Venotonics, strengthening the walls of blood vessels, improving blood flow. Often used drugs that have in the heparin sodium. Due to this component, blood microcirculation is increased, excess fluid goes away. As prevention, these drugs can be used during rest in hot countries and to remove fatigue during long trips.
- 6) Diuretic herbs. Some of them provoke an increase in pressure. In addition, there are certain rules for taking diuretics. They should be used long before bedtime, as sleeplessness may appear at night. It is not recommended the constant use of diuretic infusions due to the risk of addiction.
- 7) Compression knee socks and pantyhose. Special jersey, which has the effect of "compression" or pressure. Since for each type of disease it is necessary to select its volume of load, it is recommended to purchase knitwear in pharmacies and especially individually.
- 8) Moderate physical activity. One of the most useful sports is swimming and water aerobics. As a result of the influence of water, it gradually affects the skin, so the vessels do not expand, and the legs do not swell. To remove the syndrome of the disease will be helped by walking and jogging.
- 9) Hardware lymph drainage massage or pressotherapy of the feet. Perfect procedure for beauty and health. With her help, the extra fever on the legs is removed, including. However, there are certain prohibitions on this procedure. These include pregnancy, malignant tumors, menstruation.
Treatment of edema on the feet folk remedies
To help in getting rid of puffiness on your feet will help effective traditional medicine. The basis of such means is only natural components.
Drinks and infusions:
- 1) Insist 2 tbsp.spoons of birch leaves in a half liter of boiling water, then you need to drink half a glass of drinks 5 times every day.
- 2) Mix cucumber juice, lemon juice and carrots in half a glass. This drink should be divided into three meals, to drink three times a day. The finished mixture is diluted with ½ cup of warm water.
- 3) For a liter of water, you need to take a teaspoon of flax seeds( see when flaxseed oil is contraindicated), boil all this on the fire for 10-15 minutes and let it sit for about an hour in a secluded place. Filter and drink half the glass every two hours several times a day. In order to improve the taste, add a little juice of fruit. Drink it is better to drink at the rate of 2 weeks minimum. Complications of foot swelling
To avoid swelling of your legs, consult a specialist. Perhaps the reason lies in a serious ailment. Due to the timely identification of heart disease, it turns out to exclude a stroke or a heart attack in the future. While kidney disease, which you bring to the logical conclusion in time, will not provoke kidney failure.
The most dangerous complication in lesions of the lower extremities is the deterioration of the integrity of the skin, including the appearance of ulcers and gangrene. In this case, you can not do without surgery.
What to do to avoid edema on the legs
Prophylaxis in case of the onset of this symptom is the main method of treatment. One should heed such helpful advice:
- 1) It is not recommended to sit on a chair with your foot on your leg. The main part of homework should be performed in a sitting position, leaning his elbows on a chair next to him.
- 2) During rest and sleep, you need to put a small cushion or pillow under your feet.
- 3) For water procedures, do not forget to rinse your feet with cool water.
- 4) It is necessary to reduce the salt content in your diet, to give up excessively greasy, smoked food. Not recommended sweet soda, alcoholic beverages. To watch for extra pounds. Do preventive charging.
- 5) Inside it is necessary to drink vitamins of group B, and also E and C. Thus you strengthen your veins.
- 6) During prolonged sitting at the table, periodically charge. Get up from under the table, warm up your swollen legs.
- 7) Even such simple, at first glance, evening walks will perfectly help avoid edema.
- 8) As collagen enters the main structure of the veins, immediately stop smoking! It is this harmful habit that destroys it.
- 9) Circulation should be free. Choose for yourself comfortable clothes, and not tight shoes and tights.
- 10) Periodically let's rest your own feet. With regular standing, warm up, change your position.
- 1) It is not recommended to sit on a chair with your foot on your leg. The main part of homework should be performed in a sitting position, leaning his elbows on a chair next to him.