Swelling is the result of the accumulation of excess fluid inside the muscle tissue; most often this problem affects the limbs, since blood circulation and lymph flow in them are not as intense as in the body due to the remoteness of the pulsation centers. If the swelling is associated only with a temporary shift in the water-salt balance, then the body gradually eliminates this problem itself, especially if the person begins to move actively. But with pathological causes of fluid accumulation, the problem becomes permanent.
Swelling of the leg in the ankle can be of two types: unilateral and bilateral. The first most often develops due to injuries in the bone area or local tissue damage. The causes of bilateral edema are different and are often associated with disruptions in the functioning of internal organ systems, and therefore are considered more dangerous.
Swelling of the ankle is expressed by an increase in the volume of the leg in this area, a feeling of pressure on the skin and muscles, redness, sometimes there is numbness and pain; when pressing on the swollen area, a white dent remains. If the swelling is a consequence of an injury, it can be localized on the inside or outside of the leg.
The causes of leg swelling in the ankle differ depending on the location of the accumulation: unilateral or bilateral. The accumulation of fluid in the tissues of one limb occurs when:
Bilateral swelling can be triggered by fairly harmless factors. For example, women experience swelling in the ankle during pregnancy as the load on their kidneys and circulatory system increases, but after the birth of the child, the functioning of the body returns to normal. Also, the cause of fluid accumulation in this area can be tight shoes, which impede normal blood circulation and lymph flow, or a simple lack of physical activity.
Dangerous causes of leg swelling in the ankle area include:
Swelling of the ankles, depending on the cause, may be accompanied by accompanying symptoms:
When your legs swell at the bottom near the bone, you need to consult a doctor in order to start therapy on time and avoid complications. Diagnosis begins with an external examination of the limb, collecting an anamnesis - a set of symptoms, after which the patient may be referred for an x-ray. If there is a suspicion of diseases of the internal organs, infection or inflammatory-degenerative disorders, then the patient’s blood and urine are taken for analysis.
Which doctor will treat swelling in the ankle area depends on the cause of this pathology. If the swelling is caused by an injury, then help should be provided by a traumatologist or surgeon; in other cases, you should first contact a therapist, who, after collecting an anamnesis, examination and superficial diagnosis, will be able to refer the patient to the right specialist.
In case of injuries, treatment begins with a complete cessation of physical activity; the victim must be provided with complete rest and the limb immobilized. Ankle pain and swelling can be relieved by applying cold compresses for 10-15 minutes every hour. To speed up the restoration of tissues and blood vessels, ointments or gels (Lioton, Essaven, Venitan) and physiotherapy (magnetic therapy, electrophoresis, electrical stimulation of damaged muscles, UV irradiation) are used.
For inflammatory-degenerative and infectious processes, the doctor independently selects a complex of drugs, which includes ibuprofen-based drugs that eliminate inflammation and pain, diuretics and antibiotics, if necessary.
If swelling in the ankle area is caused by diseases of certain organ systems, then eliminating the accumulation of fluid without treating the problem itself does not make sense.
If a person regularly has severe swelling of the ankles, ankles and feet, but there are no pathological reasons for this problem, it is worth preventing swelling in the legs:
Swelling in the legs in the ankle area occurs due to injuries, infections, inflammatory and degenerative diseases of the extremities, or with systemic disorders in the cardiovascular, excretory or lymphatic systems. You should not fight swelling on your own, because the treatment method depends on the cause, so if the accumulation of fluid in the tissues does not disappear on its own within a few days, then you should consult a doctor. Those who regularly suffer from swelling in the ankle, but have no health problems, can alleviate their condition with preventive procedures.
In the article we discuss swelling and headaches. We talk about the causes of edema with headaches and why they occur during pregnancy. You will learn how to properly treat swelling and headaches.
Frequent headaches, which are accompanied by swelling of the face, limbs or the whole body, most often indicate the presence of unpleasant pathologies in the body. These include cerebral edema, surges in intracranial pressure and osteochondrosis.
In addition, the cause of swelling and headaches can be a cyclic disorder of the nervous system, which manifests itself in the form of periodic cluster headaches.
Cerebral edema is an excessive accumulation of fluid in the tissues of the brain or spinal cord. Edema leads to an increase in organ volume and increased pressure in the cranial cavity. Most often, swelling occurs against the background of the following pathologies:
The disease is accompanied by a headache of moderate or high intensity, a feeling as if the skull is bursting from the inside, nausea, vomiting at the peak of the pain syndrome, clouding of consciousness, and swelling.
Treatment of headaches due to cerebral edema is possible only after consulting a doctor. Do not neglect contacting a specialist, otherwise swelling can lead to displacement or deformation of brain structures, depression of breathing, vision and blood circulation.
First aid is to call an ambulance. Before the ambulance arrives, you can wrap your head with a towel soaked in cold water. Depending on the cause of the disease, the patient must be hospitalized in a neurological or neurosurgical department.
Intracranial hypertension occurs when cerebrospinal fluid stagnates in various parts of the brain.
The reasons for increased pressure may be:
Symptoms of increased intracranial pressure are as follows:
Treatment is carried out in a hospital setting and depending on the cause of increased intracranial pressure. Do not ignore the symptoms of intracranial hypertension and consult a doctor. Taking painkillers will not help eliminate the disease.
Pressure on the brain can cause a decrease in mental abilities, disruption of the central nervous system and, as a result, all organ systems. As first aid for intracranial hypertension, diuretics are indicated to help reduce the amount of fluid in the tissues.
If there is no threat to the patient’s life, then therapy to regulate blood pressure and sedatives are prescribed.
Cluster headache occurs against the background of a cyclic nervous disorder. Most often, men who have reached puberty are susceptible to such pain. The etiology of this disease is not fully understood.
It is believed that cluster pain occurs due to regular shifts in the internal biological clock due to frequent flights, time zone changes, sleep disturbances, and genetic predisposition. In most cases they occur during sleep.
Main symptoms of cluster headache:
The pain can be so severe that a person may lose consciousness. For this reason, the first aid for such pain is to immediately take painkillers.
Osteochondrosis of the cervical spine occurs due to degenerative-dystrophic changes in the cartilage tissue of the intervertebral disc. The disease leads to spasm of the vertebral artery. The causes of osteochondrosis are:
Against the background of cervical osteochondrosis, a throbbing, burning headache often occurs, which may be accompanied by swelling of the arms and shoulder girdle. In addition, symptoms such as:
The main measures for the treatment of osteochondrosis include relieving pain, eliminating dysfunction of the spinal roots and preventing further deformation of the spine.
First aid for headaches due to osteochondrosis is to take painkillers and massage the collar area.
In addition, it is necessary to carry out preventive measures: physical therapy, manual therapy, spinal traction using special equipment, therapeutic massage and physiotherapy.
Swelling of the limbs is one of the common symptoms during pregnancy. The main signs of swelling:
If swelling is accompanied by a headache, you should immediately consult a doctor. This condition indicates gestosis, which is especially dangerous in the last trimester of pregnancy.
During pregnancy, the list of drugs that can be used to relieve pain is very limited. Of the approved drugs, you can take Ibuprofen or Nurofen (only in the first and second trimester), Papaverine and Paracetamol.
Limiting daily fluid intake and taking diuretic medications will help relieve swelling: Canephron, Phytolysin, Eufillin. You can also take infusions and decoctions of cranberries, lingonberry leaves, lovage, bearberry leaves and birch.
Before taking any medications, you should consult a supervising obstetrician-gynecologist.
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Many women are interested in the question: “What to do about swelling of the legs during pregnancy?” and what measures need to be taken? The main thing is not to allow yourself to worry, because nervous disorders will not do any good, but will only worsen the situation. Swelling of the legs during pregnancy, as well as other leg problems (varicose veins, spider veins, etc.) are faithful companions of expectant mothers throughout the nine months. If you are lucky enough to become pregnant, then be prepared for such temporary “inconveniences”. According to statistics, only about 18% of all pregnant women in the world do not experience such symptoms.
In modern medicine, swelling of the legs is considered as an excessive accumulation of fluid in the cellular structure of the soft tissues. In practice, this happens as follows: cells, vessels and the intercellular area are filled with a large volume of fluid, which over time leads to swelling of the limbs (edema). In combination with varicose veins, this places a fairly high load on the legs and the body as a whole, as a result of which a woman is more often susceptible to the so-called fatigue syndrome. In addition to external signs, especially during late pregnancy, other symptoms are also observed:
Swelling of the legs during pregnancy develops against the background of natural processes in the body, but you need to visit a doctor.
Fluid accumulation is often a sign of various kidney diseases and metabolic disorders, so it would be a good idea to undergo a couple of tests to confirm or refute suspicions about possible risks. It is important to find out what causes swelling during pregnancy and eliminate this factor. Severe swelling of the lower extremities, which is not related to vascular or renal pathologies, most often develops in late pregnancy.
Either both or one leg (right or left foot) can swell, and pregnant women often experience slight or severe swelling of the arm and characteristic swelling in the face. Severe swelling of the legs during pregnancy occurs due to hydrostatic effects on the walls of blood vessels. When your legs swell during pregnancy, only a doctor should tell you what to do in this situation. Self-medication of leg swelling during pregnancy, especially with strong diuretics, can lead to quite serious complications and even emergency hospitalization.
Swelling of the legs during pregnancy is a natural process, but you should consult a doctor.
If your legs swell during pregnancy, you should reconsider your lifestyle and diet. In the vast majority of cases, this is a sign of a violation of the water-salt balance in the body. Usually this situation occurs in the first half of pregnancy. Whereas in the last trimester, a pregnant woman’s legs often swell for completely different reasons - an enlarged fetus leads to pressure from the uterus on the vessels and veins of the pelvis, which provokes venous stagnation of blood and even attacks of varicose veins. Varicose veins of the legs are especially common at 38 weeks of pregnancy.
The main reason why legs swell during pregnancy is primarily internal processes in the body, but this problem can be aggravated by external factors. If a pregnant woman moves little and eats improperly (consumes a large amount of pickles, preserves and smoked foods), then minor or severe swelling in the legs may occur and varicose veins are often observed. In this case, swelling of the hands may also develop. Many pregnant women have to deal with similar phenomena at 39 weeks of pregnancy.
Common causes of swelling of the legs or arms during pregnancy include the following risk factors:
Swelling of the legs may occur due to overuse of salty foods.
If your legs swell during pregnancy, sometimes this is due to certain problems in the functioning of the heart (you need to be wary of frequent shortness of breath), various disorders of the kidneys and systemic pathologies of the venous system. It should be noted that varicose veins may not be the primary cause of swelling, but the presence of this pathology significantly aggravates the situation. If the right leg swells greatly, this may cause the development of adrenal hyperfunction.
To answer the question “Why do pregnant women’s legs swell?”, just a few words are enough, since the reasons lie on the surface. But when it comes to effective treatment regimens, doctors have differing opinions. You can find a lot of useful information on the Internet about how to eliminate leg swelling in pregnant women. Some methods are truly effective, others only relieve symptoms. There are both traditional (medical) and folk methods of treatment. Both options are good, but only a qualified doctor knows how to get rid of edema quickly and safely, because pregnancy is a rather difficult period for the body, so you need to take into account any “little things”.
If your legs swell excessively in the early stages of pregnancy, this does not always indicate the development of pathological processes. To understand what exactly is causing the problem, you need to undergo a series of tests as prescribed by your doctor. When the left leg swells during pregnancy, there is no cause for serious concern. Sometimes it’s enough to rest a little, eliminate salty “goodies” from your diet and walk in the fresh air more often to make your leg attractive again. If such “changes” in life do not bring the desired result, then it is necessary to urgently take radical measures. Just no self-medication, especially if you are 38 weeks pregnant. First of all, you should definitely seek advice from a phlebologist or make an appointment with your family doctor, who will refer you to the right “address”.
To find out the exact cause of leg swelling, you need to undergo a series of tests prescribed by your doctor.
Pregnancy imposes some restrictions on the use of specific groups of medications. Minor swelling of the legs must be removed using available gentle methods. You can use a special ointment for swelling and varicose veins based on natural ingredients:
A menthol-based anti-edema cooling gel helps a lot. The choice of a specific remedy must be entrusted to the attending physician. It is important to remember that not every cream for swelling of the legs is suitable for a pregnant woman - when choosing the most optimal treatment option, you need to take into account the individual characteristics of the body in order to prevent the development of allergic reactions.
It is also necessary to understand that anti-edema cream or gel alone will not help cope with the problem. Modern medicine practices an integrated approach that demonstrates good results. If only the foot or the entire limb is very swollen, and the skin on the leg is red, this indicates vein thrombosis. It is necessary not only to relieve external symptoms, but also to fight the cause of the swelling. In this case, special drug therapy is indicated, aimed at improving blood circulation and preventing the development of varicose veins.
If the clinical picture includes various cardiac and renal risk factors, then the doctor should prescribe thiazide or loop diuretics. In some cases, when edema during pregnancy is especially pronounced, injections of diuretics are indicated. The duration of therapy directly depends on the state of the cardiovascular system. Potassium preparations are used as auxiliary agents. However, it is not recommended to prescribe them to a pregnant woman with renal failure. For varicose veins use:
The use of some anti-edema medications is contraindicated for pregnant women.
To compress the ankle area, medical elastic bandages or special knitwear - compression underwear - are often used.
You can fight swelling of the legs at home, but it is more advisable to do this after prior consultation with a doctor. Traditional medicine knows well how to relieve swelling of the legs. To “pull out” excess liquid, apply slightly cooled fresh white cabbage leaves to the area of swelling. It is recommended to drink herbal teas, dried apricot decoctions or cranberry juices more often. However, they should be used with extreme caution during gestosis.
A massage of the feet and legs helps relieve fatigue and swelling of the legs - it should be done from the bottom up, trying not to put too much pressure on the problem area. Doctors recommend diversifying drug therapy with special exercises for the legs and baths based on sea salt.
Pregnancy should proceed in a calm atmosphere for the body, because the health of the unborn baby depends on it. In order to promptly prevent various troubles, you need to learn to listen to what your body is saying. Swelling of the legs is not a death sentence, and this disease can be effectively combated. Health to you and your baby!
Edema of the legs is an excessive accumulation of fluid in the soft tissues of the legs.
Legs can swell in practically healthy people. As a rule, this is preceded by excessive and unusual physical stress on the legs for a given person (prolonged standing, unusually long walking, etc.), wearing uncomfortable shoes or very tight clothing that pinches the blood vessels of the legs. But often swelling of the legs is a symptom of various diseases, including very serious ones.
Most often, swelling in the legs occurs due to heart failure. Various diseases can lead to the appearance of cardiac edema: heart defects, previous myocardial infarction, atherosclerotic cardiosclerosis, congestive cardiomyopathy, cardiac aneurysm. Along with swelling in the legs, these pathologies can cause an increase in the size of the heart, liver, and cardiac arrhythmias (most often atrial fibrillation). In most cases, the development of cardiac edema in the legs is preceded by the appearance of shortness of breath.
Cardiac edema in the legs is located symmetrically, grows slowly, and usually spreads from bottom to top. In the evening, cardiac edema of the legs intensifies. The skin over the area of edema is cold and bluish. To the touch, the soft tissues have a doughy consistency. When pressing on the area of edema, a dimple remains for a long time and does not disappear. With prolonged existence of such edema, trophic changes in the skin, dermatitis, and cracks can develop. If a person with cardiac edema of the legs is forced to lie down for a long time (with a severe infectious disease, a spinal fracture), then the swelling in the legs may decrease or disappear completely, and instead they will appear in the lumbar region.
Another important reason for the appearance of leg swelling is a violation of venous outflow. This mechanism of edema formation occurs with varicose veins of the legs, thrombophlebitis of the deep veins of the legs, postthrombophlebitis syndrome, and inferior vena cava syndrome.
With varicose veins of the legs, the appearance of edema is preceded by a feeling of heaviness in the legs, aching pain and convulsive muscle contractions at night. Initially, after a long walk or standing, pastyness of the feet and legs appears. These symptoms may be accompanied by a distinct dilatation of the saphenous veins and itchy skin. The swelling in the legs itself is more pronounced in the evening, and during the night it decreases. They are dense to the touch and can increase if thrombophlebitis or lymphangitis occurs. When the process is advanced, in addition to swelling in the legs, eczema, trophic ulcers, and dermatitis may also occur.
Thrombophlebitis of the deep veins of the legs is characterized by pain in the calf muscles, which intensifies with movements in the ankle joint. There may also be asymmetrical swelling in the ankle area (which can be detected by measuring the circumference of both shins in symmetrical areas with a measuring tape). Also in the area of the legs, a local increase in body temperature and pain upon palpation may be detected.
Postthrombophlebitic syndrome is typical for women aged 30-60 years. This pathology is characterized by swelling of the legs on the legs, less so on the hips. Such swelling increases with prolonged standing, in the evening, and decreases in a supine position, especially with the leg elevated. Typically, swelling occurs on one leg. It is accompanied by a feeling of heaviness in the leg, nagging pain, which intensifies with physical activity. When pressed, the hole, as a rule, does not remain. The skin of the affected leg becomes thinner, the hair disappears, cyanosis and brown pigmentation appear, especially in the lower third of the leg.
Inferior vena cava syndrome occurs due to impaired blood flow in the inferior vena cava system. With this pathology, swelling can cover the legs completely, spreading to the buttocks, genitals, and anterior abdominal wall. Swelling may be accompanied by aching pain in the legs spreading to the groin area, buttocks, and abdominal wall. In addition, multiple trophic ulcers develop on the legs, which practically do not respond to conservative treatment.
Swelling of the legs may be associated with impaired lymphatic drainage from the lower extremities at a certain level. One of the causes of this condition is inflammatory damage to the lymphatic vessels (lymphangitis). Typically, lymphangitis is a complication of purulent-inflammatory disease of the extremities. In most cases, one limb is affected. Swelling, increased body temperature, and redness will be detected locally. Painful strands of compaction will be felt along the lymphatic vessels. Edema of the limb occurs when deep lymphatic vessels are involved in the process.
Another reason for impaired lymphatic drainage is elephantiasis. Primary elephantiasis is a defect of the lymphatic vessels at the level of the deep trunks. Swelling first appears on one leg, then the second leg is involved in the process. But the asymmetry of the legs in most cases remains. Edema with this pathology goes through 3 stages. The first stage is lymphedema (mild lymphedema). They intensify with prolonged standing, in hot weather, and decrease when lying down. These swellings have a doughy consistency. The skin over them is unchanged, pale, easily displaced, and when pressed, a hole remains. In the second, transitional stage, fibrous changes develop in the distal part of the leg: the skin thickens, does not move well, and the hole no longer remains when pressed.
The third stage of primary elephantiasis is fibroedema (complete fibrosis). It is characterized by hyperkeratosis (excessive thickening of the stratum corneum of the epidermis). The tissue grows in the form of shapeless tubercles, separated by deep folds. Complications arise - trophic ulcers, dermatitis, and a purulent-septic infection may develop.
Secondary elephantiasis can occur as a complication of pustular inflammation of the skin (pyoderma), chronic inflammation of the vagina or rectum, erysipelas, after suffering lymphadenitis and lymphangitis, when the lymphatic vessels are compressed by scars after deep burns, injuries. The clinical manifestations of secondary elephantiasis are the same as with primary elephantiasis.
Swelling in the legs can appear against the background of inflammatory processes in the legs (with erysipelas, cellulitis, abscess), combined with severe symptoms of the underlying disease. Such swelling is vague and accompanied by classic signs of inflammation (redness, pain).
Swelling in the legs can occur as a reaction to bites from insects, snakes, other poisonous animals, or exposure to military irritants.
Another cause of swelling in the legs is neurological diseases (a stroke that resulted in paralysis of the lower extremities), poliomyelitis, and syringomyelia. In the affected limbs, capillary permeability increases, and moderate swelling of the paralyzed limbs occurs.
Swelling in the legs can develop with endocrine diseases. So, as a result of myxedema, swelling of the subcutaneous tissue (legs, face) appears. They are dense to the touch, the skin above them does not bunch up. When you press on such swelling, the hole does not remain.
Quite often, swelling of the legs (ankles) appears in late pregnancy (after 30 weeks). The appearance of such edema is caused by hormonal changes in the body of a pregnant woman, leading to disturbances in water-salt metabolism and blood circulation in the capillary system.
Edema during pregnancy (hydropsis of pregnancy) can be suspected by a more significant weight gain. Normally, a pregnant woman gains 300-400 g per week; with hydrops of pregnancy, the weight gain per week can be 1-2 kg. First, swelling appears on the feet and legs, then rises higher. Even with severe hydrops of pregnancy, fluid accumulation in the abdominal or chest cavity (ascites or hydrothorax) does not occur.
During pregnancy, swelling in the legs can also develop due to pregnancy nephropathy (kidney pathology). In addition to swelling in the legs, there will be changes in urine analysis (increased protein content) and arterial hypertension.
Women may experience slight swelling in the legs in the second half of the menstrual cycle (swelling with premenstrual syndrome). They are associated with hormonal imbalance (excess estrogen and lack of progesterone), as a result of which vascular permeability changes, sodium and water retention occurs in the tissues of the body. Premenstrual swelling may appear in the area of the feet and legs, and after the cessation of menstruation, it quickly decreases and disappears.
Moderate swelling of the legs may also appear when using certain medications. Medicines that have a similar effect include estrogens, androgens, DOXA, licorice root preparations, and reserpine. After discontinuation of the appropriate medications, the swelling goes away.
People whose work involves standing for long periods of time (salespeople, elevator operators) may experience orthostatic edema. Such swelling appears on the feet and legs, mainly in the evening. They are moderately expressed and go away on their own after rest.
If swelling in the legs has appeared recently, is mild or moderate, its appearance was preceded by a long period of standing or other unusual physical activity, and there are no other alarming symptoms, then you can postpone visiting a doctor.
At home, you need to wash your feet, you can take a contrast shower, and then you need to give your feet a rest. To do this, take a horizontal position, your legs should be slightly raised (you can put a high pillow under your feet).
If the swelling does not go away (or partially goes away) by morning, and you do not have the opportunity to visit a doctor, you can take a diuretic. A quick effect can be obtained after using furosemide (Lasix). However, furosemide, together with liquid, promotes the removal of potassium from the body, which can negatively affect the functioning of the heart. Therefore, the safest diuretic drugs are potassium-sparing diuretics - veroshpiron (spironolactone). Take it 1 tablet (25 mg) for several days, preferably in the morning. If you take diuretics before bedtime, the diuretic effect of the drug will reach its maximum at night, which will entail sleep disturbance.
Leg swelling itself is not a symptom requiring emergency medical attention. But in some cases, when they are a manifestation of serious diseases and occur simultaneously with their other symptoms, emergency assistance is necessary. For example, when swelling of the legs is combined with other manifestations of a severe allergic reaction (swelling of the whole body, the appearance of an extensive rash, an attack of suffocation in asthmatics, etc.), with a disturbance in the heart rhythm, and the release of foam from the respiratory tract (in acute heart failure). If such conditions develop, it is necessary to urgently call an ambulance.
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Even “standing firmly” on our feet in every sense, we quite clearly understand what load our lower limbs bear in anatomical and physiological terms. Swelling of the legs, which is a response to trouble, will tell us that they are overly tired or some kind of “accident” has occurred in the body.
Such problems especially often plague women. Trying to relieve swelling on their feet, they abolish high heels, followed by other outfits and accessories that no longer fit with simple shoes. Isn't this a disaster? Meanwhile, it’s not just a matter of fashion, because swelling of the legs, if it becomes permanent and is also accompanied by pain, in most cases indicates some kind of pathology.
The causes of swelling of the legs can be various factors that interfere with the removal of fluid from the body. In most cases, it is difficult to immediately determine why fluid is retained and stagnated in the lower extremities. Usually, for this purpose, you have to take tests, go for an ultrasound, or resort to other methods of finding out the cause of this condition. However, it is obvious that the body responded to some not very favorable effect in this way.
The causes of leg swelling may arise from the following circumstances:
When discussing the causes of swelling and pain in the limbs, one cannot help but think about infection. Of course, swelling in such cases is one of the symptoms (by no means the only and not the main one), since the clinic of general intoxication comes first, high temperature, often a rash, and at the same time the legs hurt and swell.
swelling and articular syndrome in rheumatism
The most well-known disease to us is rheumatism, caused mainly by β-hemolytic streptococcus and complicated by inflammatory damage to the membranes of the heart (endocarditis, myocarditis, pericarditis), begins a couple of weeks after upper respiratory tract infections (tonsillitis, ARVI). Rheumatism debuts with a significant increase in temperature (sometimes up to 40°C) and migrating arthritis with swelling, that is, with swelling in the joints. Usually the knees are affected - one or both.
Infectious processes such as Lyme disease, typhus, brucellosis, as a rule, in addition to fever, erythema and other symptoms, are accompanied by arthritis, polyarthritis and myalgia. Of course, in such cases, swelling of the legs in the ankle area or swelling of other joints (knee, hip, elbow) is possible.
The reader will probably be interested to know that there is a disease (pathogen Loa loa, transmitted by humans or monkeys) called Calabar edema. The pathogenesis of this infection is based on toxic-allergic reactions, manifested by pain in the legs and arms, rash, paresthesia, fever and limited swelling in exposed areas of the body. Perhaps only the left leg (arm) or only the right one will swell, or the lesion will affect both sides at once.
Of course, in such cases, it will be possible to relieve swelling in the legs if you manage to completely defeat the pathogen before it leaves complications.
In women, swelling in the legs appears much more often than in men. This is not so much due to the desire to follow fashion, although this fact does exist, but rather due to the physiological characteristics of the female body, which greatly contribute to:
Taking oral contraceptives for years (men are not burdened with such worries) also leads to the problems described above. For example, women who use birth control pills are more likely to see their doctor with swelling in only their left leg (or just their right leg). Usually the cause of this phenomenon is considered to be spontaneous thrombosis of the veins of the limb , which, as is known, is not particularly bright in the clinical picture. True, in other cases arthrosis is diagnosed, but it has its own characteristics (pain, swelling of the joints, swelling of the leg in the ankle area, where there is little subcutaneous fat and virtually no muscle layer).
Such pathology in women in most cases is preceded by hormonal fluctuations, which are especially pronounced during pregnancy and menopause, although even the menstrual cycle itself in phase 2 is often accompanied by swelling of the arms and legs, and the appearance of pastiness on the face.
The appearance of swelling in the second half of pregnancy, especially closer to childbirth, is explained by the influence of such factors:
In addition to the described changes, which can accompany the normal course of pregnancy and after childbirth, as a rule, tend to disappear, swelling of the arms and legs can be a sign of gestosis (hydropsis of pregnancy, nephropathy). A complication of this condition is the extreme (most severe) degree of gestosis - eclampsia , which externally resembles epilepsy (loss of consciousness, convulsions) and leads to the development of coma (post-eclamptic). In turn, eclampsia also gives complications in the form of:
This is why so much attention is paid to the presence of edema during pregnancy.
As for the appearance of pastiness in women during menopause, in addition to hormonal problems and weight gain, it is more associated with atherosclerotic changes in blood vessels, formed varicose veins, the presence of diabetes mellitus and other changes that a person acquires during life.
In older people in general (men and women combined), their legs hurt and swell for reasons that are often called, although this is not entirely correct, age-related changes: age, weight, atherosclerosis, arterial hypertension, varicose veins, diabetes. After all, it is not at all necessary in old age to have diabetes mellitus, swelling of the feet, which threatens to develop into diabetic foot, and so on... However, one must agree that rare elderly people have clean vessels, untouched by atherosclerosis, and do not know what arterial hypertension is , do not have heart problems. Basically, age takes its toll, and people start preserving their health when it is already pretty damaged.
Arthrosis and arthritis in old age are not uncommon. Swelling of the joints, inflammation, and pain in the legs significantly poison life. Many patients are initially saved by ointments and folk remedies, which over time cease to help, and the patient switches to more effective medications.
Fluid retention in heart failure is manifested by swelling of the feet, legs, thighs and the enrichment of the clinical picture with other symptoms: shortness of breath, arrhythmia, cardialgia... We all know well how heart failure can end: with decompensation of cardiac activity, death occurs. However , we should not forget that heart failure also occurs in young people. It originates from:
symptoms of heart failure
How to find out the cause of pastosity and distinguish cardiac edema from renal edema? Everything is simple here:
Considering that each reader considers his own case to be special, and a general description of diseases rarely suits him, we will try to dwell in more detail not only on the causes of swelling of the legs, but also on ways to eliminate them.
Sometimes, to relieve swelling in the legs, it is enough to take a horizontal position and rest. And sometimes, if you want to urgently relieve swelling, it is better to simply remove the heel and preferably forever. It is known that young girls, especially those who are shorter (about 150 cm), look for shoes with heels of at least 10 cm (severe swelling in the evening is guaranteed). A simple solution to the problem is to lower the heel height to normal (4 cm). It will ensure the disappearance of pastiness, although it will reduce a person’s height by several centimeters.
Treatment of leg swelling is, first of all, eliminating the root cause:
Furosemide is prescribed by a doctor, who adds Asparkam or Panangin (potassium preparations) to the diuretic (to avoid undesirable consequences). Due to the fact that high blood pressure is often accompanied by swelling in the legs, patients with arterial hypertension are prescribed antihypertensive drugs with a diuretic effect. This group includes medications whose active ingredient is a thiazide diuretic, for example, Indapamide (Indal, Indapafon, Arifon, etc.).
It would probably be wrong to end the story without paying due attention to folk remedies, especially since they are very popular for swelling. Not only decoctions and infusions prepared as medicine, but also food products of plant origin can relieve swelling in the legs. By the way, it would be a good idea to start the fight against edema with a diet, because loading the body with food that retains fluid (salty, sweet, pickled, smoked), you should not naively believe that everything will pass without a trace.
It is unlikely that anyone will doubt the diuretic properties of watermelon, melon, persimmon, blackberry, and chokeberry. However, perhaps not everyone knows that rice porridge (or pilaf, if it is not too spicy and fatty) will help relieve swelling. Why are green tea and cranberry juice not recommended for drinking in the evening? Because sleep will be disturbed when excess fluid begins to come out.
Folk remedies for the treatment of swelling of the legs are most often prepared on the basis of horse chestnut, because even official pharmacology has taken advantage of the unique properties of these beautiful fruits. Crushed chestnuts are infused with vodka and drunk drops for varicose veins, which are known to lead to swelling.
It’s good to make infusions of chopped parsley roots (1 tablespoon + half-liter jar of boiling water) in a thermos at night, so that you can strain it in the morning and drink it throughout the day.
In the summer, when your feet are swollen, it is very pleasant to “run barefoot through the dew” (as the song says), but baths with “sea salt” for tired, swollen feet can be done all year round. You don’t have to be upset if you don’t have such salt or iodine in your house. It is enough to take Art. a spoonful of table salt, a glass of iodized salt and dilute in 10 liters of water.
In short, there are plenty of simple and effective ways, you can find any recipes on the Internet, but the main thing is to find out the reason and don’t forget about the doctor. Self-medication also leads to edema.