To travel around the world, air travel is increasingly preferred. But after long flights, travelers’ feet begin to ache and swell. This causes a feeling of discomfort. Let's look at why our feet swell on an airplane and how to fix it.
Swelling happens to almost everyone after a long stay on an airplane. It is always accompanied by discomfort. Shoes become tight after a flight. It is believed that this is due to a decrease in pressure in the aircraft. But this is not the reason why your legs swell on an airplane.
This happens due to lack of movement. After all, during long journeys the lower limbs practically do not move. This is especially common for people who travel in economy class.
The average distance between seats on an airplane is about 78 cm. At the same time, 120 cm is considered comfortable for a person. Because of this, the passenger cannot take a comfortable position. And when a person is in an incorrect, constricted position for a long time, blood clots begin to form in his veins.
Long flights remind of themselves by swelling of the legs in people of any gender and age. Pregnant women almost always experience this. Most often, lymphostasis of the lower extremities occurs in citizens suffering from heart and kidney failure. Although even in completely healthy people, after flights, shoes become tight due to swelling.
But why do shoes become tight and your feet swell after a plane? The main causes of swelling of the legs are lack of movement and incorrect posture during the flight.
The main reasons for swelling:
The risk group also includes people who have recently undergone surgery and have congenital and acquired diseases.
If possible, after the flight, consult a specialist about the use of medications. This could be ointment for varicose veins and other medications. But under no circumstances should you treat varicose veins on your own after a long flight. Better use some of the recommendations below to help you recover quickly.
So, what to do to relieve swelling:
These tips will help passengers of any age. Even during pregnancy, varicose veins (its manifestations) and swelling will disappear after the flight.
Simple exercises will help relieve swelling. But they must be done during the entire flight. Of course, you don't need to practice continuously. But the more often you remember to warm up, the better.
You need to remember about swelling even during check-in for your flight. Try to get a seat at the very beginning. There are no chairs in front of them, so you can easily stretch your legs to rest and relax. But when traveling by plane, these seats are the most in demand, so it is better to arrive at the airport early.
Pre-flight prevention recommended by experts:
By following these recommendations, the flight will bring a lot of positive emotions and cause a minimum of discomfort.
Varicose veins are swelling of superficially located peripheral veins. In this case, their gradual swelling occurs with the simultaneous destruction of the valves and the formation of nodes, after which the veins turn blue.
This leads to disruption of blood flow, accompanied by the inability of venous blood to move upward and an increase in pressure. Damage to the vessels of the lower extremities is more common. In relation to men, women are more likely to suffer from this disease.
Varicose veins can be caused by:
Early initiation of therapy helps eliminate vascular pathology and prevent the development of complications.
As the disease progresses, darkening of the skin in the ankle joint area and the formation of trophic ulcers and indurations are noted.
In the absence of timely therapy, the risk of complications increases: thrombophlebitis, trophic ulcer with phlebothrombosis and bleeding from formed nodes. At the same time, patients note an increase in body temperature and an increase in general weakness.
Carrying out preventive measures helps prevent the development of varicose veins in people at risk and consolidate the positive effect of treatment in people suffering from varicose veins.
It is necessary to monitor your weight, because extra pounds increase the load on your legs and cardiovascular system. As you lose weight, the negative impact on blood vessels decreases, and accordingly, the risk of developing or progressing pathology becomes less.
In such cases, nutrition is of great importance. It is necessary to eliminate high-calorie foods from the diet and introduce more foods containing fiber. This diet helps normalize cholesterol levels and blood pressure.
To prevent fluid accumulation in the body, it is recommended to reduce the amount of salt consumed. This helps reduce swelling and stress on the venous vessels.
Drinking enough fluid helps prevent blood thickening, which can cause blood clots.
Regular exercise, such as walking, running, water aerobics and swimming, helps improve blood flow in the lower extremities, reduce blood pressure and strengthen the cardiovascular system as a whole.
Therapeutic gymnastics is also useful. When performing a set of exercises selected by a specialist, you must follow some rules in order to effectively deal with the existing problem:
Elimination of bad habits, more precisely, smoking. Substances inhaled through cigarette smoke increase blood pressure and reduce the elasticity of veins, which creates favorable conditions for the development of varicose veins.
Women should not take contraceptive tablets containing large quantities of estrogen and progesterone for long periods of time. Their negative impact is the weakening of the valve apparatus of the veins and impaired circulation in the lower extremities.
To maintain your health, you need to consult with a gynecologist, who will select the best option based on data from a woman’s hormonal examination.
You should not start taking hormonal contraceptives on your own, which can harm your health; this applies not only to the condition of the veins, but also to other organ systems.
People with fair skin are not advised to stay in the sun for a long time, since instead of tanning, spider veins and varicose veins appear on the skin.
Frequent visits to saunas, steam baths and hot baths are not recommended if your legs are subject to constant stress.
It is useful to lightly massage your feet every day from the tips of your toes, gradually rising. Massage is prohibited when identifying signs of varicose veins, because there is a risk of injury to the affected vessel and the development of bleeding.
To maintain healthy feet you need to:
There are several types of compression stockings:
To obtain the desired effect, the selected underwear must be worn all day. Put on in the morning after waking up and take off before going to bed.
For the first time in a few days, a feeling of coldness and tightness appears, do not be afraid, this indicates an increase in the outflow of venous blood. The properties of compression stockings are not affected by washing.
The positive effect of drug therapy is achieved if the regimen selected by the doctor counteracts the mechanism of disease development. The success of the therapy largely depends on the stage.
Phlebotonics or venotonics are aimed at increasing the tone of the vein wall, improving contractility and blood outflow from the lower legs upward, and also reduces swelling. Taking them helps in eliminating heaviness in the legs, pain and cramps.
There are several groups:
Prescription of blood thinning drugs is necessary for high blood viscosity, which reduces the likelihood of blood clots, for oral administration: Aspirin, Trental and Curantil. Venolife and Lyoton gels are used for topical application. Their use helps in relieving tension, pain and reducing swelling.
Non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs are necessary to eliminate signs of inflammation in the area of the affected vessel and severe pain: Diclofenac and Indomethacin.
Products for external use help improve vascular tone, reduce pain and swelling, eliminate existing inflammation: Venoruton, Venitan, Ginkor gel, Heparin ointment and others.
The duration of treatment is determined by the attending physician. The therapeutic effect develops gradually, so you should not expect relief just a few days after it starts.
This vascular pathology is not a life-threatening disease, but this does not mean that you can self-medicate. Treatment should be prescribed by a phlebologist so as not to cause irreparable harm to your health.
To eliminate varicose veins, the following are used:
Non-traditional methods of treating varicose veins include:
To prevent the development of varicose veins during pregnancy or to prevent its progression, it is necessary to follow the preventive measures that the gynecologist will recommend.
And also constantly wear an individually selected abdominal bandage, which will reduce the load on the legs and compression garments. To assess the stage of the pathology, the doctor may prescribe a duplex scan of the vessels of the lower extremities.
Carrying out preventive measures helps prevent the occurrence of varicose veins and its progression.
To obtain high effectiveness, you must strictly follow the recommendations of your doctor, which will help maintain healthy legs for many years.
You noticed that closer to the third trimester your feet were swollen, your fingers and ring could not be removed or put on. This indicates swelling.
Edema is one of the three main signs of gestosis (also known as late toxicosis). It usually manifests itself in the third trimester, but individual development of the situation is also possible.
The first, easiest, dropsy of pregnancy ("dropsy" is outdated, more common - "gestational edema") complaints of fatigue, malaise, symptoms: edema, or pathological weight gain.
The second degree is nephropathy of pregnancy (swelling + protein in the urine + pressure). If all 3(!) signs are present, there is a threat to health. If not, treatment is symptomatic.
Third degree – preeclampsia – nephropathy + symptoms from the fundus and brain.
Fourth degree – eclampsia (convulsions). This threatens, first of all, with a transition to a more severe degree of late gestosis - one, "aging" of the placenta and fetal hypoxia - two.
It is very simple to distinguish the “wheat from the chaff”; you need to perform the McClure-Aldrich test, which consists of injecting 0.25 ml of saline solution intradermally (like Mantoux in childhood) and noting the time of resorption of the papule. Normally, the resorption time of a papule is 35-45 minutes; if the resorption is delayed, it means that there is an excess of water in the body, and dropsy actually exists. Or a very simple option: press your finger on the skin, if the skin quickly evens out, then everything is fine, but if there is a hole left, then most likely it is swelling.
If only your legs swell, this is normal. As a rule, a lack of fluid and constant thirst occurs due to the increased need of the body. If not only your legs are swollen, but also your thighs, legs, and anterior abdominal wall, then run to the doctor. Remember, if left untreated, this can lead to disruption of the uteroplacental circulation and fetal hypoxia; in severe cases, pregnancy is even terminated for medical reasons.
Do not reduce your water consumption because... it can have the exact opposite effect. When you reduce fluid, the body will try to retain it, and swelling will increase accordingly. Drink at least 1.5 liters of water (just water!) per day; soups and fruits do not count. Try to raise your legs to the top more often. Try to stay in a hot place as little as possible. Try not to overuse salt and spices, as well as sweet and carbonated drinks, which inhibit the removal of fluid from the body. First of all, the doctor must determine the cause of the swelling.
Professor, Doctor of Medical Sciences, Academician of the International Academy of Informatization
The process of water retention in the body of a pregnant woman does not begin immediately. In the first three months of pregnancy it is rarely noticeable. And then gradually the woman herself begins to notice that the skin on her arms, legs, and abdomen loses its firmness and elasticity and becomes loose. Later, the roundness of the face increases, which people who know the woman closely begin to pay attention to. Finally, in the last three months of pregnancy, swelling of the legs and, to a lesser extent, the arms, face, lower back, and abdomen often appear. Pressing your finger on the skin of the front of the leg, where the bone is covered only by skin (there are no muscles in this area), leaves a hole that does not immediately fill. This is a clear sign of the presence of edema. The impending appearance of edema or its increase is also judged by a sharp increase in body weight. During the normal development of pregnancy, body weight increases gradually; From this point of view, regular weighing of a pregnant woman is necessary.
There are also more complex instrumental methods that make it possible to diagnose the appearance of edema when they are not yet visible, but these methods have not received widespread practical use.
It has been established that sodium accumulates in the body of a pregnant woman, evenly - both in the vascular bed (in the blood) and in soft tissues. Sodium has the ability to attract water. Due to the tendency of pregnant women to retain sodium and water, they may, as already mentioned, develop physiological edema , especially after provoking factors (this could be the abuse of salty foods, physical overload, hot weather). Such swelling is natural, it occurs in many women and does not pose a danger to their health.
Unlike pathological edema, which is a symptom of the disease, physiological edema easily disappears after eliminating the provoking factors in a state of physical rest and especially in a position on the left side. This position is optimal for kidney function and helps improve the passage of urine through the urinary tract. Physiological edema develops during various periods of pregnancy in approximately 80% of healthy women and does not require special treatment.
The development of a pregnancy complication, defined as hydrops of pregnancy, is said to occur when, along with excessive weight gain, persistent edema appears. Dropsy in pregnant women can be expressed sharply: weight gain of 20 kg or more, massive swelling of the legs, face, arms, lower back, abdominal wall. It becomes difficult for a woman to put on her shoes, clench her fingers into a fist, or bend over; her eyes look small due to swelling of the eyelids.
Fortunately, the fetus suffers little or no damage from hydrops. This initial form of gestosis is reversible. And it needs to be treated, otherwise dropsy may develop into a more severe form of gestosis, accompanied, in addition to edema, by increased blood pressure, protein excretion in the urine and other signs, including intrauterine suffering of the fetus.
During pregnancy, you should first of all pay attention to your fluid and salt intake. A healthy pregnant woman consumes 1.5-2 liters of fluid per day (including not only drinks, but also soups and fruits), sometimes more. If there is no edema and body weight increases evenly, it means that the processes of water consumption and excretion are balanced and nothing needs to be changed. This also applies to the amount of sodium consumed (most often in the form of table salt, found in large quantities in sauerkraut, pickles, herring, and black bread).
The reason for diet correction is the appearance of swelling that does not disappear overnight or uneven, excessive weight gain. In this case, you need to reduce your liquid consumption to 1 liter, but not less, because Water is a necessary ingredient of metabolism, including during pregnancy. It is not without reason, as already mentioned, that during this period its amount in the body increases significantly. With water, food elements enter the cells and waste metabolic products are released.
How can you reduce the amount of fluid you consume? From the point of view of water volume, this is unimportant. However, for example, juices contain vitamins, and tea and coffee are not of great value for a pregnant woman. Fruits (apples, pears, grapes and others) largely consist of water, so when calculating the volume of liquid you drink, you must take into account the actual weight of the fruit. In other words, if you ate an apple weighing 200 g, you need to add 200 ml to the liquid consumed per day.
An attempt to eliminate edema only by reducing fluid intake is doomed to failure unless sodium intake in the form of table salt is simultaneously reduced. It is sodium molecules that are associated with water molecules in the body and prevent its excretion by the kidneys. Therefore, it is very important to remove pickled cucumbers, herring, sauerkraut, salted nuts, and black bread from your diet. The food that a woman prepares for herself should be under-salted. Of course, sodium, like water, is needed by the body. But there is no need to be afraid of its deficiency: this element is found in many foods, and a woman receives it in sufficient quantities.
Moderate dropsy in pregnancy can be eliminated only by regulating the diet. If these measures are not enough, they resort to prescribing diuretics. In recent years, these drugs have become less common, since the sodium and water excreted in the urine due to their intake can reduce the volume of circulating blood and contribute to high blood pressure. However, this is important for gestosis in pregnant women, in which blood pressure is increased.
Until now, we have talked about edema as a manifestation of a normal pregnancy or a pregnancy complicated by gestosis. Cardiac and renal edema are much less common.
In women with heart disease (such as heart disease), swelling may occur due to heart failure. They are always located in the underlying parts of the body: if a woman walks, then on her legs, if she lies, then on her lower back. There is practically no swelling of the hands or face. To clarify the cause of edema, doctors determine the size of the liver. With “cardiac” edema, the liver first enlarges, then edema appears. In case of edema due to gestosis (dropsy, nephropathy), the liver is not enlarged. In addition, in heart failure, the appearance of edema is preceded by persistent palpitations, shortness of breath, and bluish discoloration of the mucous membranes (with preeclampsia, these symptoms are absent).
“Renal” edema occurs in some kidney diseases, for example, in acute and some forms of chronic glomerulonephritis (inflammatory kidney disease of an immunoallergic nature), although most urological diseases occurring in pregnant women occur without edema (pyelonephritis, urolithiasis, etc.). With “renal” edema, puffiness of the face, bags under the eyes appear, and later swelling of the legs and arms. As a rule, a woman knows that she has kidney disease, but such a disease can also occur during pregnancy, which creates certain diagnostic difficulties that can be overcome with the help of additional studies. “Renal” edema goes away with specialized treatment of the underlying disease, which is prescribed by a nephrologist or urologist. If such diseases occur or worsen during pregnancy, treatment is carried out in a hospital setting. In conclusion, I would like to repeat that physiological swelling is one of the signs of pregnancy and should be treated calmly. Pathological edema requires treatment and, above all, restriction of table salt and water. Edema does not disrupt the normal course of pregnancy, but it can be a harbinger of the development of a more severe disease, so you cannot ignore it.
Almost every woman, while carrying a baby, faces such a problem as swelling of the legs during pregnancy. Some people experience leg swelling in the first trimester of pregnancy, while others suffer from this problem in the last weeks of this wonderful condition. So what causes swollen feet during pregnancy? And what to do with it?
Edema is a condition when fluid accumulates in the body and does not leave it in a timely manner. This is a common occurrence during pregnancy, since during this period the entire hormonal background of the female body changes.
Edema impairs the proper functioning of the entire body:
Edema in late pregnancy brings a lot of problems to a woman. Thus, minimal accumulation of fluid in the tissues of the body does not pose a particular threat to the birth of a healthy baby. But the development of massive stagnation of fluid in the body of the expectant mother is one of the harbingers of gestosis (late toxicosis of pregnancy) - an extremely dangerous and serious disease.
Most often, pregnant women's legs swell - they become dense, as if inflated, and the color of the skin changes. Not only does it look unattractive, but it can also be accompanied by pain and discomfort when walking.
You may experience swelling in your legs if:
Careful daily self-monitoring will help to notice the appearance of edema in its initial stage and prevent the development of the disease. Try taking measurements of your right leg and left leg using a measuring tape. Measurements should be taken in different places (for example, at the ankles) over several days. Highly variable measurements indicate the presence of edema.
There are two types of edema during pregnancy - physiological and pathological.
Physiological swelling is normal. They are not large, appear on the legs, and less often on the face. Excess fluid leaves the mother’s body on its own shortly after delivery and does not entail any complications.
Causes of physiological swelling in the legs:
Pathological edema is a deviation from the norm with a chain of malfunctions in the body and a triad of symptoms, such as:
Pregnant women are most susceptible to pathological edema:
Also a serious deviation from the norm is swelling of one of the legs. For example, if you notice that your right leg is larger than your left, this is a reason for an urgent visit to a medical facility. At the same time, do not forget that the condition is dangerous when the left leg swells during pregnancy, and not just the right one.
For many mothers, swelling in the legs appears at 32 weeks of pregnancy. By evening, your feet become full and your shoes no longer fit. This brings severe discomfort: it is difficult to stand on the increased volume of the feet. Similar symptoms can characterize both the 36th and 38th weeks of waiting for the baby. But at the same time, there is no special reason for panic - the phenomenon is physiological and does not indicate a severe pathology.
If you find swelling of your lower extremities in the morning, immediately go for a consultation with a gynecologist, because swelling can become pathological over time.
The danger of pathological edema in the last trimester of pregnancy for the fetus:
The danger of pathological edema in the last trimester of pregnancy for the mother:
The physiological accumulation of fluid in the body during pregnancy does not require treatment with medications; it will go away on its own (after childbirth). However, the expectant mother can minimize discomfort by following basic rules.
Tips on how to avoid physiological edema:
Among the folk remedies, decoctions of lingonberries, cranberries, bearberries, and dried apricot compotes have a good effect on swelling of the legs (and not only for pregnant women), but before using them, consult your doctor. He will advise you on a suitable herb, tell you how to properly prepare an infusion or decoction, how many times a day to drink it, etc.
Pathological edema is confirmed by medical diagnostics:
Only after this the doctor makes a diagnosis and prescribes treatment that will help the mother, prevent complications and not harm the unborn baby.
Therapy for pathological edema most often includes:
The doctor prescribes the dosage of each medicine based on test results, the patient’s well-being and safety for the fetus.
Ideally, before a planned pregnancy, it is advisable for every woman to cure gynecological and somatic diseases. This will help prevent many negative aspects while being in an interesting position, as well as prevent the development of pathological edema - a serious and dangerous condition.
Many people have swollen legs; as a rule, overweight people face this problem. A certain category of people mistakenly believes that this is a cosmetic ailment that occurs due to the fact that a person drinks too much water. Swelling of the legs does not happen without reason, you need to remember this. Common causes of this illness are heat, pregnancy, fatigue, and the result of the habit of sitting cross-legged.
Muscular insufficiency of the vein walls leads to the fact that the legs begin to swell. This is facilitated by genetic predisposition, poor physical activity, poor and unhealthy diet. Over time, the vein becomes weaker, which is why it cannot fully cope with its task - returning blood to the heart muscle.
As a result, blood begins to stagnate, and the veins begin to gradually stretch, as a result, the legs begin to swell, and characteristic burning pain may appear. If you notice that your legs have begun to swell, this may indicate that there is a problem in your circulatory system, or venous insufficiency.
At first, the legs feel like they are burning, swelling, pain appears, it becomes more difficult to walk, the skin becomes transparent and blue wreaths appear on its surface.
Untreated venous insufficiency can develop into much more serious diseases; phlebitis - venous thrombosis - can develop. Over time, other health problems may occur - venous eczema and hypodermitis.
There are other reasons that lead to swelling of the legs - improper metabolism, flat feet, kidney problems, lymph stagnation, significant stress on the legs.
If your ankles tend to swell, then this is a serious reason to consult your doctor because the swelling may be the cause of a serious medical condition such as heart failure. Edema at a young age also causes difficulties with blood vessels. Leg swelling in older people is mainly caused by cardiac diseases.
The characteristic capillaries and wreaths on the legs will help to distinguish varicose veins, but if swelling of the legs is accompanied by heaviness, then for people who have already suffered from this problem in their family, this poses a particular threat. It is not recommended to independently search for the cause of leg swelling and make a diagnosis; it is better to entrust this to an experienced doctor. You should contact a cardiologist, phlebologist and therapist.
If swelling of the legs is orthopedic in nature, then you should choose the right shoes. Shoes should not be chosen with high heels, but it is not recommended to choose shoes without heels at all. Shoes should be chosen with a small heel, and most importantly, they should be comfortable, that is, wide enough and free, the toes should be in a relaxed position, so the shoes should not squeeze the toes, or the entire leg as a whole. In solving problems such as varicose veins and swelling, daily wearing of therapeutic compression tights and golf is a good help. Special socks and tights will help keep blood vessels in good shape and prevent blood stagnation, promoting its outflow. The mentioned therapeutic products are made so that the strongest compression is on the bottom of the legs, and the weakest compression is in the upper part - this promotes better blood circulation.
It is better to choose tights or stockings, because stockings are contraindicated for varicose veins, because they tighten the vessels of the thighs, as a result, there is additional stress on the circulatory system.
To overcome swelling, try not to drink a lot of fluids after seven in the evening, and also remove excess fluid from the body. How can this be done? You can drink decoctions of medicinal plants.
An excellent diuretic is a decoction of birch buds and leaves, linden flowers, and horsetail extract. The infusion is prepared as follows: take two or three tablespoons of horsetail, birch buds and knotweed. The collection is thoroughly mixed, then 1 tsp. mixed collection is poured with 200 ml (a glass) of boiling water. Then you need to wait half an hour and strain the decoction, which you then need to drink a tablespoon three times a day after meals (3 days with breaks of one day). It is recommended to drink this decoction for 3 weeks.
In our case, the astragalus plant will also help. If you prepare a decoction from this plant, you can reduce swelling of the legs; moreover, it has a beneficial effect on the cardiovascular system. The decoction is prepared as follows: 10 grams of astragalus is poured with boiling water, cooled and filtered. The decoction will have to be taken for 14 days three times a day, 2-3 tbsp. l. The course of using the decoction can be repeated after three days.
Tired and swollen feet are effectively helped by foot baths and rubbing with ice cubes. Fill the bath with cold water and lower it there for 5-10 minutes. our legs, then we massage the swollen places with light slivers, moving from bottom to top. If desired, you can add regular table salt or sea salt to the water, or you can add pine extract (a few spoons). It is recommended to place your feet in such a healing bath for fifteen to twenty minutes - fatigue will go away and swelling will go away. Garlic is also suitable for relieving swelling. To do this, chop the head of garlic, fill it with 200 ml (a glass) of boiling water and cool. Rub the cooled pulp onto the swollen areas and leave for half an hour, then wash off. If you have varicose veins, it is recommended to avoid hot showers and hot baths because hot water can dilate blood vessels and lead to blood stagnation.
To prevent leg swelling and heaviness in the legs, it is recommended to regularly perform a set of exercises.
We place the foot of the right foot on the left foot, raise the toe of the left foot as high as possible, then do the same exercise with the right toe. We stand on our toes and stand like that for a few seconds. We do ten easy jumps on tiptoes.
We sit on a chair, raise our legs and make circular movements with our feet. We bend our toes down and sharply straighten them.
We move the weight of the body from heel to toe, then from the inside to the outside of the foot, and vice versa.
Special ointments will help fight swelling of the legs - lyoton, heparin ointment, troxevasin. The composition of such ointments includes rutin and heparin - substances that have a strengthening effect on the capillary system. You can use ointments based on horse chestnut.
You should also give up salt and spices, watch your weight, play sports (for example, water aerobics), and quit smoking.
Among idiopathic edema, the most dangerous form can be called angioedema. Often people suffer from swelling on the face, neck, legs, so it is necessary to prevent the occurrence of pathology.
Idiopathic edema is often hidden. The visual absence of manifestations does not always mean that there is no problem. Most often, the pathology occurs in women, causing a lot of discomfort from the changes caused in the body. General malaise, weakness and other unpleasant symptoms can plague the patient for a long period. Having found out the etiology of the disease, it would be possible to take appropriate measures and begin treatment, but here a problem arises: the causes of idiopathic edema are unknown.
Erythematous phenomena can be seen on the neck and face. Swelling of the legs (most often the feet), as well as the hands, is much more common in women during menstruation, and in women over 45 years of age - during menopause. The main difficulties encountered in the treatment of this disease are associated with the frequency of manifestations of the disease. In addition, the presence of idiopathic edema, associated with weight variation within 2-3 kg, contributes to the misrecognition of symptoms. Instead of undergoing timely therapy, the patient begins an active fight against, in his opinion, a critical increase in body weight.
The most dangerous type of idiopathic edema is angioedema. Its manifestations force patients to resort to emergency medical care. Quincke's edema occurs rapidly and is characterized by a specific localization of symptoms. Angioedema syndrome in the absence of complications does not need to be treated: after some time (from several hours to 3 days), the signs of the disease disappear on their own.
The reasons why idiopathic angioedema develops are still not known to science. But still, researchers identify several factors that have the ability to trigger the development of pathology. Angioedema can occur due to:
Difficult diagnosis of the disease in this form causes many difficulties in therapy. Angioedema does not allow patients to lead a normal lifestyle even after the syndrome has resolved. The threat of recurrence of idiopathic swelling is always present, so patients are forced to take precautions. Since angioedema can occur unexpectedly and rapidly, you should not hesitate under any circumstances.
A common type of idiopathic fluid retention in tissues is pathology that occurs in the periorbital and prezygomatic area of the face. Malar edema SOOF can occur in both female and male patients. The initial gravitational displacement of the muscles of the midline of the face often occurs in people with excess weight problems.
With atonic changes in the facial muscles, SOOF edema in the prezygomatic area can develop as a relatively early age-related manifestation. Sometimes the cause of fluid retention in this area is the active proliferation of lymphatic plexuses. But experts cannot yet accurately name the factors that provoke the occurrence of idiopathic edema SOOF.
Meanwhile, the most common place for fluid accumulation is the legs. In women, there can be many reasons for the appearance of idiopathic swelling of the feet, but most often the problem appears due to:
In addition, swelling of the legs is not always a direct sign of any disease or inflammatory process in the body. For example, a number of factors can provoke idiopathic edema in the foot area:
Angioedema syndrome that occurs in the legs requires referral to specialists. Self-therapy carries a huge risk of complications in the form of more widespread swelling. In addition, angioneurotic syndrome can be eliminated using only complex treatment. When treating to get rid of idiopathic swelling of the legs, doctors, as a rule, resort to the simultaneous use of medicinal and compression methods.
The main objectives of drug treatment are to normalize the functioning of the venous walls. Thanks to properly selected drugs, it will be possible to reduce the aggressive effects of leukocytes, and, as a result, avoid the occurrence of trophic skin lesions during idiopathic edema. The specialist selects a therapeutic regimen for taking medications on an individual basis.
Wearing compression hosiery is aimed at providing a therapeutic and preventive effect. The main indication for the use of such a product is varicose veins of the legs. However, angioedema can also be eliminated in a short time if compression stockings are used.
Therapeutic knitwear is selected based on individual pressure on the foot area. Before wearing the product, it is extremely important to consult a specialist and exclude all possible contraindications. A doctor may prohibit the use of compression stockings in the following cases:
If idiopathic swelling of the feet is advanced or there is no positive dynamics of recovery, the patient may be prescribed surgical intervention. The procedure is performed by an angiosurgeon (phlebologist).
Rehabilitation exercises play an important role in the process of overcoming idiopathic edema of the lower extremities. In combination with medication and compression therapy, physical exercise will help restore blood supply to the muscles of the lower leg and thigh through their intense contraction during exercise. In addition, gymnastics is the best prevention of leg swelling in women during pregnancy, varicose veins and menopause.
Simple basic exercises do not require much time and effort to perform regularly. The recommended complex includes:
If you have diagnosed problems with your heart, it is advisable to avoid heavy physical activity altogether. Measured, calm walking will be beneficial.
Since the exact causes of idiopathic edema have not yet been confirmed by scientists, preventive measures to prevent them are numerous. Meanwhile, fluid retention in the tissues of the extremities can be avoided by following the following advice from doctors.
Although the cause of such edema is unclear, these measures cannot be neglected, especially when there are any systemic pathologies.