What to do if swelling appears? The resulting swelling in the foot area provokes unpleasant tension while walking. Please note that the affected area greatly increases in size and causes pain. This is considered a bad sign, indicating that fluid is accumulating in the soft tissues.
If the top of your foot is swollen and hurts, it is recommended to consult a doctor. The disease is dealt with by a traumatologist, rheumatologist or surgeon, or orthopedist. First of all, you should visit a therapist who will prescribe diagnostic procedures. For example, ultrasound, x-ray, blood test. The doctor will be able to identify the causes of the disease and determine further treatment methods.
Sometimes pain occurs due to uncomfortable shoes or injury. Basically, painful sensations arise due to illness. Swelling on the side and top of the feet appears in diseases:
If a tumor appears as an indicator of the listed diseases, it will be necessary to eliminate the original source of the disease, then the swelling will subside. Other factors can cause swelling. For example, excess weight, passive lifestyle. Leg swelling is often observed in pregnant women. Swelling is promoted by increased stress on the lower extremities and prolonged standing. Cases of water imbalance, mainly associated with a variety of diets, are considered common. The tumor is caused by menstruation, insect bites, and inflammatory processes occurring in the body.
If swelling is visually inspected, it is easy to detect that the affected area is swollen. The area affected by swelling increases significantly in size. The color of the skin often changes and becomes bluish. Swelling does not exclude pain in the area of the toes. Swelling causes heaviness and discomfort accompanied by pain.
If the swelling is located on top of the feet, it spreads to the ankles. To avoid unpleasant symptoms and their progression, you should consult a doctor who will identify the cause of the disease and help eliminate the ailment.
A narrow toe box, a hard upper area of the shoe, and an uncomfortable instep become causes of discomfort. If a person ignores his own feelings and continues to walk in uncomfortable shoes, this leads to injury to the limbs. The pressure created in the upper part of the shoe provokes rubbing of the feet, as a result, unpleasant sensations appear, bordering on pain. To avoid purchasing unsuitable shoes, it is recommended to buy them in the afternoon; by evening your feet become a little larger.
Sometimes swelling is a consequence of a foot injury. Fractures, dislocations and bruises occur. If a limb injury occurs, you should consult a doctor who will determine the severity of the injury using an x-ray. Identification of the injury determines further treatment, which determines the future condition of the injured limb. Fortunately, treating the affected area is not difficult.
People suffering from diabetes often experience swelling and pain in the lower limb. Symptoms provoke lameness. At the same time, the tops of the feet are covered with disgusting ulcers. The disease indicates a malfunction of the circulatory system. To restore the top of the skin and give the leg an aesthetic appearance, you need to consult a doctor and monitor your sugar levels
The disease causes pain in the upper area of the foot and disrupts its shape. There are congenital and acquired flat feet. Factors that cause flat feet include: sudden weight gain, wearing the wrong shoes, age-related decrease in muscle strength, and a profession that requires standing for a long time. Flat feet are detected when the arch of the lower limbs flattens and loses its rise.
The location of the bones relative to each other changes pathologically, the bones shift. The most important nerves and tendons are compressed. At the same time, the ligaments are stretched. Flat feet force a person to rest on the entire surface of the foot. The pain progresses as the disease progresses. The disease is treated with gymnastics, procedures aimed at strengthening, and orthopedic boots.
Osteoarthritis and arthritis are two different diseases that have similar features. For example, both diseases cause joints to wear out. With arthritis, in addition to joint pain, inflammatory processes are added to which the entire body is exposed. Arthrosis is an age-related disease, and people under 40 years of age are at risk of developing arthritis. The meaning of diseases is that the antibodies produced suddenly begin to attack the human body.
At risk are the heart valves, joints of the legs and arms. What happens in the body causes unpleasant feelings during walking and during rest. The bones begin to crunch. The treatment prescribed by the doctor is based on reducing the load, using special anti-inflammatory compounds, visiting physical therapy, diet and physiotherapy.
If the inflammatory process attacks the limb from above, what is happening indicates a hygroma. The swelling caused by hygroma is filled with fluid, mucus and pathological mixtures. Externally, the swollen area resembles a lump. The inflammation is considered benign and occurs near the joints.
As a rule, the appearance of edema is caused by severe overexertion or inappropriate shoes. If you do not pay attention to treatment in a timely manner, the lump will grow and begin to hurt. Treatment of the tumor is based on puncture and removal of the contents. Then a disinfectant solution is injected into the body. As a result, the leg is fixed in a certain position for a period determined by the doctor.
The occurrence of the disease is inextricably linked with metabolic failure or impaired renal function. Unfortunately, gout occurs in conjunction with arthritis. The person experiences extremely severe pain. Elimination of the disease is carried out with the help of diet and anti-inflammatory drugs. As a preventative measure, experts suggest the following measures:
Referred to as marching foot. Often the disease is detected at the beginning of military service. The violation occurs, firstly, when carrying large objects on a regular basis. Secondly, with frequent climbing of stairs. It is believed that a prerequisite for a march fracture is flat feet.
Increased stress affects the joints and ligaments of the limbs. The consequence of overexertion is bone deformation. The changes that occur cause pain. To cure the disease, professional help from a traumatologist is required. Treatment is carried out using plaster, and later massage is prescribed.
Swelling of the legs develops due to elephantiasis. The disease provokes a failure of lymph outflow. It is known that the colorless liquid moves through the vessels from bottom to top, then enters the vena cava. If there is a violation of lymph outflow, toxic substances are not removed from the human body. If we consider the main causes of elephantiasis, these include burns, inflammation and brugiosis. The symptoms of elephantiasis are:
Elephantism can be congenital or acquired. If elephantiasis is congenital, swelling appears in the area of the foot and gradually covers the thighs. Acquired lymphedema works differently. The disease spreads from top to bottom.
Pain in the lower limb is sometimes provoked by panaritium, which is a purulent inflammatory process of the toes. The main cause of the disease is the penetration of harmful bacteria under the skin. Usually the purulent lesion covers the top of the fingers, disturbing their appearance.
The penetration of infections is facilitated by various scratches, wounds, splinters and other damage to the skin. The onset of the disease is indicated by sharp and severe pain. The victim may then evaluate the affected area and discover that the affected finger is swollen. Treatment procedures for the disease are aimed at opening the purulent area.
The disease must be studied first. Varicose veins are a vein disease that affects 40% of women. If we consider the causes of varicose veins, the factors are associated with a static lifestyle (sedentary, standing), congenital predisposition and hormonal metamorphoses. Swelling can appear on the sides of the feet and spoil the appearance of the legs.
Swelling sometimes indicates heart failure, which is recommended for treatment with special care. Pathology leads to stagnation of the systemic circulation. Accumulating blood dilates blood vessels. Such edema has a number of features:
When considering kidney failure, the disease disrupts the filtration process. In case of kidney diseases, swelling of the leg is practically not diagnosed. The exception is severe cases.
To avoid having to eliminate the causes of edema, it is better to prevent them. A special set of exercises has been developed aimed at feet and leg health. Gymnastic exercises are aimed at warming up the fingertips. The exercises should be performed in the described sequence:
The peak of exercise expectations is achieved when swelling is completely prevented.
If the upper part of the lower limb hurts, you can use traditional medicine. To prevent pain in the limb from increasing, first discuss your plans with your doctor.
If there is an imbalance in water balance, salt should be excluded from the diet. Then the excess fluid will leave the body. Doctors recommend office workers and drivers to stretch their legs more often. Workers who spend all day on their feet are required to massage their feet one at a time. These recommendations should be taken seriously; workers who move little are highly susceptible to edema. In order for excess fluid to leave the body, it is allowed, while lying on the sofa, to raise the feet above the level of the body.
If the area of the limb is swollen, the doctor will prescribe exercises and oblige you to wear special stockings. Sometimes swelling signals the occurrence of a serious disease that should be eliminated before pain and discomfort appears. If the upper limb is damaged by an insect bite, it is recommended to visit a medical facility. If the limb is very swollen and painful, it is necessary to optimize the blood circulation process with the help of heparin ointment.
In case of swelling, you should consult a doctor. Only a doctor has the right to prescribe diagnostic procedures to identify the disease. If the limb is painful and swollen, surgery will likely be needed. In any case, only a professional can accurately determine the causes of the disease.
The loads experienced by the lower extremities are characterized by high intensity. This fact causes a condition in which one or both legs are swollen and painful. This combination of two syndromes: pain and swelling is not uncommon. On the contrary, this combination is one of the most common. Therefore, it requires due attention from both ordinary people and specialists.
Pain in the legs is one of the first symptoms of both natural changes in the body due to lifestyle or environmental factors, and pathological conditions. In these cases, it almost always occurs in combination with other symptoms. Pain can be either primary, appearing first, or secondary, occurring as a subsequent symptom. Therefore, anamnestic data regarding the development of symptoms must be taken into account.
The main mechanisms for triggering combined conditions, in which the leg is swollen and painful, can be as follows:
Important to remember! The relationship between swelling and pain can be presented in different ways. A pattern is not always observed: the more swollen the leg, the more intense the pain, and vice versa - the less swelling, the less pain. It all depends on the type of pathology, which is manifested by a combination of swelling and pain syndromes with damage to the legs!
One of the first criteria by which you can roughly determine the cause of swelling and pain in the legs is localization and prevalence. If only one leg is swollen in a certain segment (lower leg, ankle, thigh), this indicates that the problem is related to any of the components of this area. These can be bones, joints, muscles, tendons.
Vein damage and venous insufficiency are a common cause of pain and swelling of the legs.
The more limited the swelling, the more it coincides with the location of the pain. A common type of edematous syndrome on one leg is evidence of inflammatory changes (thrombophlebitis, fasciitis, osteomyelitis), the formation of blood clots in the deep vein system (phlebothrombosis of the leg and thigh) or severe traumatic injuries (fractures, dislocations, ruptures of muscles and tendons). If not one, but two legs are swollen at the same time, this is more likely evidence of fluid stagnation in the vessels or a delay in its removal from the body due to heart and kidney failure.
In cases where edema and pain syndrome are manifested by pastiness (slight swelling) and a feeling of mild pain or discomfort on the legs, this is evidence of natural changes. The cause of their occurrence is often muscle weakness and the unpreparedness of the legs to carry out the loads that they experience during life. More often they appear in the evening due to prolonged standing, especially in heels, and heavy physical work. The same symptoms are characteristic of the first stage of chronic venous insufficiency caused by varicose veins.
If the leg hurts very much, but is swollen slightly or locally, this is almost always evidence of serious illness. More often, such pain is one-sided and affects a specific segment of the limb (knee, hip, etc.). Such diseases include cancerous bone tumors and distant metastases of other neoplasms of any location, damage to arterial vessels due to atherosclerosis or endarteritis, neuropathy or irritation of the nerve roots due to herniated intervertebral discs or spinal tumors.
Important to remember! In the same person, a combination of conditions in which the lower limb is simultaneously swollen and painful can be due to different reasons. This means that one of these symptoms is a manifestation of one disease, and the second is a manifestation of another!
The cause of pain and swelling in the legs may be trivial reasons associated with the wrong selection of shoes.
Conditions in which there is a dissociation between pain and swelling syndromes, in which the leg is swollen more than it hurts, may indicate the influence of the vascular component. First of all, you need to pay attention to the prevalence and localization of edema (on one or both legs). A bilateral lesion in the form of severe swelling of the legs speaks in favor of congestive heart failure. In its initial stages, pain is moderate or completely absent. As the swelling progresses, the pain increases. Both symptoms reach a maximum with critical skin tension, on which multiple ulcerative defects form. If swelling of the legs is caused by renal failure, they are often combined not so much with pain as with painful cramps of the calf muscles.
If the leg hurts and is swollen to the same degree, this must be compared with the localization of these symptoms. They can affect joints, located in the area of one or more of them, which will indicate damage to structures (cartilage, ligaments, menisci, periarticular capsules). Multiple articular lesions always indicate polyarthritis (rheumatic, rheumatoid, gouty, etc.). Swelling and pain along the inflamed veins with thrombophlebitis are expressed in approximately the same way. Such processes are most often localized on the thigh and lower leg along the inner surface of these segments, accompanied by dilated veins and reddening of the skin. All inflammatory diseases localized on the leg (myositis, fasciitis, phlegmon) are unilateral in nature and are characterized by a synchronous increase in pain and swelling.
When assessing the combination of pain and swelling of the lower extremities, it is imperative to pay attention to other symptoms (fever, general condition, shortness of breath, etc.). Often they are the defining diagnostic criteria.
Swelling, heaviness, painful redness, and an increase in the size of the feet and ankles are associated with the accumulation of fluid in the tissues. The cause of swelling is often a hidden disease, which determines how the swelling will be treated.
The causes of swelling of the ankles can be very diverse. In healthy people, the feet occasionally swell after prolonged exercise or walking, but resting with the legs elevated corrects this. If swelling persists, it can cause stiffness, pain, stretch marks, impair walking, and increase the risk of infection.
Edema of the feet is called peripheral and occurs at any age, but the number of cases increases with the aging of the body. Wear and tear of muscles and blood vessels, the development of type 2 diabetes is associated with the appearance of edema.
Athletes and fitness trainers who experience heavy workload periodically experience swelling in the ankles and feet.
The most common factors for the development of swelling are:
During pregnancy, it is painful for women to walk due to excess weight, which puts pressure on the limbs and causes swelling on top of the foot and near the bone. Causes of excessive swelling during pregnancy are stagnation of blood in the pelvis due to sleeping on the back or preeclampsia (hypertension).
Swelling of the limbs is sometimes a sign of chronic diseases such as heart, kidney or liver failure. These conditions provoke excess fluid in the body. Swelling occurs against the background of thrombosis, varicose veins and venous insufficiency, arthritis, when it becomes painful to walk, if the joints of the foot are swollen.
Infections, insect bites, burns, allergic reactions are rare but serious causes of swelling.
Constant swelling of one leg or both legs is a symptom of an underlying problem. When the leg in the foot area is swollen, you should not do anything without clarifying the diagnosis if there is pain, fever, redness, and the skin in the affected area becomes hot. If after the injury and subsequent rest it still hurts to walk and the skin color remains abnormal. Pregnant women should also consult an obstetrician.
Treatment of swelling depends on the cause, which is determined by the doctor after diagnosis.
If no serious problems are observed, you can take home measures to reduce swelling:
Swelling due to ankle injuries
Swelling can be caused by fractures and sprains, and in the latter case, the foot swells more and the skin bruises. What to do before the doctor arrives? The leg must be kept elevated and ice wrapped in a bag or towel applied to the affected area for half an hour.
Swelling due to arthritis
Swelling of the feet in the area of the toes and on top is characteristic of inflammatory processes in the joints, which are associated with arthritis and arthrosis. For example, with gout, the thumb most often hurts and turns red. Rheumatoid arthritis is associated with multiple lesions of the joints of the feet, fingers, redness, swelling, and increased temperature of the affected area. Treatment consists of taking non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs prescribed by a rheumatologist. It is useful to do exercise therapy, correct the position of the foot when walking and do mud baths.
Swelling due to various types of infections
Inflammation of the feet, especially in the toes, is often associated with microbes entering the soft tissue. Uncomfortable shoes squeeze your toes, your nails dig into your skin, and as a result, your entire foot hurts and suffers.
If the foot near the toes is swollen, then the microbes that have gotten inside multiply against the background of sweating, causing redness and pain. When the cause of swelling is fungal infections of the fingers, the key to solving the problems is proper nail care, shoes that fit properly and treatment of the infection with ointments and soda baths.
Swelling due to flat feet, scoliosis, postural disorders
If it becomes painful to walk for no apparent reason, you should pay attention to the symmetry of the left and right parts of the body. The imbalance associated with pelvic distortions, in any case, is reflected in the rotation of the knee and foot, leading to improper load on the joints and pain. The problem most often manifests itself as flat feet, a feeling of “stiffness” in the toes when walking (they seem to curl up). In this case, the limb hurts, starting from the sole and ending with the upper part of the thigh. Posture correction can be done by an orthopedist using insoles. Or visit a kinesiologist or osteopath, using gentle practices to restore the balance of muscles in the body, correcting posture and gait.
Epsom salt baths
Epsom salts or magnesium sulfate relieve painful swelling. Dissolve the substance in a basin of warm water and take a bath for 15-20 minutes. Magnesium sulfate is easily absorbed and improves blood circulation.
Yoga against puffiness
Gentle exercises such as yoga help stimulate blood circulation, eliminate congestion
blood in the ankles. Asanas should involve bending and stretching of the fingers and feet. Stretching the muscles of the lower leg and foot, accelerates blood circulation. It is enough to lie on your back, throw your legs on the wall at a right angle and lie there for 20 minutes.
Magnesium supplements
If your foot is swollen on top and hurts, and your ankles and calves are swollen, look for magnesium supplements at the pharmacy, a deficiency of which can cause inflammation and fluid retention in soft tissues. Women are prone to swelling every month before their period, and magnesium products solve this problem.
Massage and hold your feet on top
Swollen ankles and feet require inverted poses. Use a pillow under your feet while you rest, and then all the fluid will be removed from the body during urination.
Massage is one of the best anti-swelling remedies for those who are on their feet all day or in the office at the computer. Ideal for relaxation. Start massaging your fingers and move higher to your knees. Cypress or chamomile oils relieve discomfort.
Drink enough fluids
Most people do not consume enough fluids per day, which leads to swelling. The body begins to retain water in an attempt to avoid dehydration, leading to retained water causing swelling in the feet and legs. Water helps dilute the sodium and caffeine obtained from food and reduce inflammation. A daily intake of 8-10 glasses of water eliminates toxins. Try adding a couple of lemon slices to your water for anti-inflammatory benefits.
The power of essential oils
Essential oils of peppermint, eucalyptus, lemon or lavender are popular folk remedies for massage or baths against swelling and pain. Chamomile and lavender work as anti-inflammatory agents. If your foot hurts, a combination of eucalyptus and peppermint with a cooling effect will come in handy.
Swimming against puffiness
Keeping the body in the water completely relieves the ankles and calves. Swimming for 30 minutes helps people with arthritis, excess weight and scoliosis to reduce stress on their feet. Cool water also improves blood circulation and removes excess blood from the venous system of the lower extremities. During pregnancy, swimming relieves pain in the lower back and hips.
Venous insufficiency, varicose veins and a tendency to thrombosis are a reason to wear compression hosiery, which will take some of the pressure on the veins. Knitwear makes the blood move faster, therefore it reduces swelling, and at the end of the working day the leg hurts less.
Limiting salt and caffeine
Salt and caffeine make it difficult to remove fluid from cells and lead to stagnation. Use sea salt, give up caffeine, drink more clean water.
Excess salt in the diet is associated with heart disease - a known cause of swelling of the lower extremities.
Warm-up for tired feet
Doing this exercise is useful for everyone whose legs work throughout the day. Sit on the floor, bend one leg at the knee, and cross it over the other. Place your palm on your heel and insert your fingers between your toes, making rotational movements of your feet, first in one direction, then in the other direction.
If the reasons for the increase in foot size are not clear, it is worth starting with a diagnosis. Health to you and your legs!
Many adults from time to time experience such an unpleasant phenomenon as foot swelling. It is not difficult to determine leg swelling in the foot area: shoes of the usual size begin to compress the leg, and a feeling of heaviness and fullness appears in the limb itself. As for the nature of the swelling, it directly depends on the cause of this condition.
In healthy people, swelling of the legs around the feet can occur for the following reasons:
It has been noted that in healthy people, swelling of the legs lasts only for a while and disappears when the influence of a negative factor (heat, for example) stops. However, it happens that swelling of the feet is permanent, so in this case the swelling is considered as a sign of some disease.
Most often, the legs become swollen due to the following diseases:
There are other causes of swollen feet:
First of all, a person who notices constant swelling of his legs should consult a doctor and undergo all the necessary tests in order to find out the cause of the deviation. Usually, in the process of treating the root cause of leg swelling, their condition gradually returns to normal.
1) For cardiac swelling of the feet, the patient is prescribed loop diuretics, which quickly remove excess water from the body, which is why the swelling quickly decreases. To normalize the functioning of the cardiovascular system in order to prevent blood stagnation, cardiac glycosides are used. To treat swelling of the feet, herbal remedies with diuretic herbs can be taken (after consultation with the doctor).
2) For thrombosis of the leg veins, the patient is prescribed blood thinners (anticoagulants). Wearing elastic bandages and compression stockings can prevent swelling of the feet and legs, which is characteristic of vein thrombosis.
3) In case of varicose veins, the use of ointments and creams for the treatment of this disease can relieve swelling of the legs. Venotonics (Troxevasin, Troxerutin) help strengthen the walls of the veins and relieve swelling. To prevent swelling of the feet in this disease, it is necessary to wear comfortable shoes and compression garments.
4) For kidney diseases, to relieve swelling in the legs, in addition to the main treatment, the patient is prescribed diuretics. These herbal remedies not only treat inflammatory processes in the kidneys and urinary tract, but also help remove excess fluid from the body.
5) For swelling of the feet caused by stagnation of lymph in the extremities, a diet enriched with protein, vegetable fats and vitamins is prescribed. The consumption of salt, smoked meats, animal fat, baked goods, sugar and preservatives is limited during lymph stagnation. The patient is also prescribed physiotherapy (hydromassage, lymphatic drainage massage, laser therapy and magnetic therapy) and medications (venotonics, homeopathic medicines and vitamins).
6) Arthritis of the foot is treated with non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, antibiotics and chondroprotectors. Physical therapy, exercise therapy, and the use of orthopedic devices also help improve the well-being of a patient with swollen foot joints.
7) For diseases of the thyroid gland that cause swelling of the legs, hormonal drugs and diuretics are prescribed.
8) As for leg injuries, treatment and recovery period in this case will depend on the severity of the injury. Typically, swelling of the foot goes away with the restoration of soft tissues after a bruise (fusion of bones during a fracture). If a person has suffered a bruise to his leg, then to prevent the development of swelling, a cold compress should be applied to the foot as soon as possible.
9) If a pregnant woman’s legs swell, she should tell the doctor who is caring for the pregnancy about this. To treat swelling on the feet in pregnant women, a salt-free diet is prescribed, as well as taking some herbal remedies.
If a healthy person has swollen feet and toes, then you can take note of some methods that will help cope with the problem:
Often, to treat edema caused by certain diseases, doctors prescribe diuretics to patients. You cannot choose and take such drugs on your own, as they can cause damage to your health. As for the use of folk remedies for swelling on the legs, the advisability of such treatment should be discussed with a doctor in advance.
Injuries are always unpleasant. Especially if your leg suddenly swells, what should you do? Bruise or fracture - you don’t have to be a traumatologist or surgeon to make a verdict. It is enough to remember a few simple principles. But they will help only at first, to determine the severity of the condition and provide first aid. Avoiding a visit to the doctor's office if you sprain your ankle will not work, no matter how much you might want to.
Even models twist their legs, but their entire career is built on the ability to walk beautifully and correctly. What can we say about ordinary people?
Most often, damage to the lower leg or foot occurs according to this pattern:
“Run” is a strong word, but in stressful situations we rarely react to damage that seems insignificant to us.
Any medical care can be divided into urgent and delayed. It is almost always better to entrust your health to professionals, but no one will call the emergency room for every scratch. So it’s better to know at least the basics of first aid :
Examine the damaged surface, try to move your fingers.
Use special ointments that promote the resorption of hematomas.
If there is no attack of pain, the bones are most likely intact. Treat the wound.
Keep the limbs rested and use pillows to improve blood circulation.
Secure the foot by applying a bandage. Use any material at hand, swing it perpendicular to the foot, from its middle. Five turns are enough.
Bruises on the leg are usually not so noticeable, so gels and ointments are often abandoned. But they not only improve the appearance, but also promote the resorption of blood in the cavities.
If bone protrudes from the wound or the soft tissue damage is too significant, call an ambulance immediately.
Monitor your intake of painkillers; narcotic drugs can cause addiction. Including physical.
Below are video first aid tips for bruised and sprained ankles:
Most often, patients complain of damage either in the foot area or in the kneecap area. When falling, it is the knees that most often suffer ; everyone remembers how they broke them in childhood. My parents scolded me because of this, frightening me with numerous consequences. Were all these reproaches fair? Partly.
The main causes of complications in knee injuries:
The risks of each complication are not very high. The body always tries to compensate for pathological conditions, especially when it comes to a child.
But even despite all these compensatory processes, serious damage can be determined at first glance , without any additional research methods. They will already be useful for determining the specifics:
Swelling of the limbs is encountered not only after injuries. If you suddenly wake up and find that both lower limbs are “somehow different”, and you cannot remember any falls or dislocations, you should think about your general health . The most common causes of swelling of the lower extremities:
Before you begin any active actions, you need to make sure that the swelling is actually associated with injury. If you injured your leg, and after a few hours it swells, you should take the following actions :
Although, there is still something better than gauze - an elastic bandage . It is sold in any medical equipment or pharmacy and is not expensive.
To determine whether you have a bruise or a fracture, you should:
The last method is the most optimal; it will not cause you additional damage. But any manipulations with an injured limb can seriously complicate your situation. Be careful.
If your leg is swollen after a fall, what should you do? A bruise or something worse - you need to understand this first. Do not try to immediately put weight on your injured leg, as this may dislodge bone fragments. But the main task is to fix them in one position. And be that as it may, contact traumatology .
Next, in the “Live Healthy” program, they will explain step by step how to strengthen the ankle joint if you bruise your leg, and how to relieve swelling:
Swelling of the legs in the foot area is a symptom of many disorders in the body. Swelling of the limbs brings severe discomfort. Almost all people can be affected by this problem, regardless of age and lifestyle. And in order to understand how to relieve swelling, first of all, the cause of its occurrence must be identified. If your leg is swollen in the foot area, what should you do and how to relieve the unpleasant sensation?
Foot edema is an accumulation of fluid in the soft tissues, which can be accompanied by symptoms such as itching, a feeling of heaviness, and redness. Why do my feet swell? The reason may be related to diseases of the internal organs, in which case the swelling on the foot will be chronic. Temporary swelling can be caused by any unfavorable factor.
Important! It is necessary to understand that swelling is only a symptom that does not require separate treatment; to eliminate it, you need to identify and eliminate the underlying cause.
If your legs swell in the morning after sleep and in the late afternoon, the cause may be heart failure. This is a serious and dangerous disease in which a large number of unpleasant symptoms are observed, such as swelling of the feet, legs, face, arms and abdomen. The swelling is often painful and immobile. At the same time, the limbs become cold and numb. Heart pain, shortness of breath appear, blood circulation is impaired, and veins dilate.
Sick kidneys often cannot cope with large amounts of fluid in the body, and therefore it accumulates in the tissues. Often, not only the legs suffer, but also the face and lower back.
The lower limbs may also become swollen due to varicose veins. With varicose veins, there is dilation of the veins and disruption of blood flow in them. The disease is accompanied by the following symptoms:
Varicose veins are also characterized by increased fatigue and heaviness in the lower legs.
If the left or right foot is swollen, a disease such as phlebitis may develop. Characteristic symptoms include damage to one limb, with redness, pain and swelling of the veins.
A bruise, sprain, fracture - all this can cause the leg to hurt and become swollen. It is important to first determine the nature of the injury. If you just hit yourself painfully, your leg is swollen and red, but the movement of your fingers and foot as a whole is not difficult, but is simply accompanied by pain, most likely it is a bruise. Most often, bruising of the toes and the back of the foot can be observed.
A sprained ligament is characterized by almost the same symptoms. The foot is swollen and painful, and redness may appear. The pain is aching and pulling. If the sprain is severe, bruising is observed, and in some cases, body temperature rises.
The most serious injury is a fracture. It is characterized by the following symptoms:
Dislocation is another fairly common type of injury. Its most characteristic symptom is joint deformation. In addition, the foot hurts, sensitivity decreases, and swelling occurs.
An allergic reaction can occur as a result of insect bites, medications, certain foods, and other factors. In this case, not only swelling is often observed, but also redness, rash, and itching.
If the swelling is located near the toes or on the sole of the foot, it may be gout. This is a disease of the joints and tissues that occurs due to a metabolic disorder in which uric acid salts are deposited in the joints. The big toe is most often affected by the disease. In this case, the joint becomes inflamed, swollen, red, and pressing pain occurs. The local temperature in the affected part of the foot increases. More often, acute signs of gout occur early in the morning or at night.
Another unpleasant disease that causes edema syndrome is Morton's neuroma. Experts have not yet figured out exactly what causes this disease. However, it is believed that the main cause is constant compression of the nerve running along the arch of the foot. More often, women who prefer high-heeled shoes suffer from this disease. At the same time, the heels are raised, and the front part of the sole is heavily loaded. A person feels pain near the fingers, burning, numbness. The ball of the foot may also be painful and swollen.
Lack of proteins in the body also leads to swelling of the legs around the feet. This condition is usually observed in vegetarians, as well as in people who are keen on diets or at least fasting days.
Excessive salt consumption also leads to fluid retention in the tissues and causes swelling of the feet, eyelids and hands.
Swelling of the legs in women can be observed in the second half of the menstrual cycle. This happens due to a violation of the secretion of fluid from the body. This condition is not dangerous and goes away with the end of PMS (premenstrual syndrome).
Wearing uncomfortable shoes that compress the limb can also cause swelling of the feet. In this case, unpleasant sensations appear in the afternoon, when the leg is quite tired. High-heeled shoes, among other things, lead to painful sensations on the soles. A too narrow sock can cause your toes to become red and swollen.
Drinking large amounts of alcohol in the evening can lead to swollen feet in the morning. This usually goes away on its own within a few hours.
How to treat leg swelling in the foot area? To relieve swelling, it is important to first identify the causes and prescribe treatment in accordance with them. To do this, in case of serious illnesses, they resort to the help of a doctor, but if you need to quickly relieve swelling of the foot, you can take some measures yourself at home.
There are also diuretics that will help relieve swelling in the feet:
If your leg is swollen in the foot area as a result of an allergic reaction, it is important to first stop contact with the allergen. Further, it is possible to take antihistamines (Suprastin, Diazolin) and use any folk remedies that relieve swelling.
To feel good, you need to take care of the beauty and health of your feet. If swelling of the legs occurs in the foot area, the causes should be identified as quickly as possible. When a serious illness is to blame, it is better to immediately trust your doctor. However, in some cases, simply adjusting your daily routine, diet and habits is enough to relieve swelling. Be healthy!