Most pregnant women are susceptible to edema. But before starting treatment, it is necessary to find out what is the cause of constant swelling. Why pregnant women's legs swell and how to deal with this problem, we will tell you in this article.
Most often, swelling is associated with increased needs for water. The volume of amniotic fluid gradually increases, and more blood is needed. Changed hormonal levels often provoke severe thirst. As a result, a woman is racking her brains, deciding how to get rid of swelling in her legs during pregnancy. As a rule, the body itself retains water, storing it for future use. This is normal. But there are other reasons for which it is necessary to undergo examination:
The question of how to get rid of swelling in the legs during pregnancy should definitely be asked to your gynecologist. Only he will be able to determine whether swelling is normal or pathological. If a woman is not susceptible to chronic diseases, discomfort can be significantly reduced by using standard recommendations that are useful for any pregnant woman. So, what should you do during pregnancy so that your legs don’t swell so much:
Almost every pregnant woman is aware that the period of waiting for a child is accompanied by swelling of the arms, legs, face and other parts of the body. Statistics say that only 20% of women do not face such trouble at this time. During the normal course of pregnancy, about 7 liters of additional fluid accumulates in the body of the expectant mother, which is distributed rather unevenly: about 5-6 liters are retained outside the tissues, the rest is in the tissues of the body. In recent weeks, about 3 liters of fluid accumulates in the form of amniotic fluid in the placenta and the baby’s body.
The cause of swelling can be both normal physiological processes and the manifestation of such a complication during pregnancy as late toxicosis - gestosis. In order to determine the cause of increased fluid accumulation in the extremities, it is necessary to consult a gynecologist who accompanies the woman during pregnancy.
What to do when your legs swell during pregnancy, because folk remedies should be used with great caution, and it is advisable to abandon them altogether and engage in prevention. Only a doctor should prescribe a diuretic for edema during pregnancy, because self-medication can be dangerous for both the expectant mother and the baby.
There are a number of tips to help a pregnant woman cope with the appearance of edema:
If the arms and legs swell, and no protein was found in the urine, and the pregnant woman’s blood pressure is within normal limits, then most likely the reasons lie in slower blood circulation in the extremities. This usually occurs in the second half of pregnancy, after about 30 weeks. When a woman does not control her diet and consumes a large amount of salt and then liquid, the consequence is quite obvious - mild or severe swelling that goes away after a night's rest, but returns during the day. This is not considered a dangerous condition, but it still causes the pregnant woman some discomfort, and therefore requires certain actions to adjust the diet and other preventive actions.
There are 4 stages of swelling:
There are also hidden swellings that cannot be noticed by the appearance of a pregnant woman. A doctor may suspect them when a woman experiences a sharp jump in weight gain, while her usual diet has not changed much.
Swelling of the legs is especially common among pregnant women who suffer from cardiovascular diseases, kidney problems or varicose veins. In this case, the woman’s condition must be monitored by a specialist.
When this problem occurs due to gestosis, the fluid first accumulates in the area of the feet, gradually rising up to the face. Sometimes the first manifestations of late toxicosis occur in the form of weight gain of more than 350 grams per week. When swelling begins to appear throughout the body, we can conclude that dropsy in pregnancy has occurred. If protein in the urine and high blood pressure are added to this, then treatment of this condition occurs in a hospital setting. In mild cases, a woman can simply be prescribed a number of medications and sent home, but she will need to see a doctor much more often than usual.
Very often, pregnant women face the problem of swelling of the legs. However, in this case, as in many others, you should not hastily resort to radical measures. First, it is important to determine the reason why your legs swell during pregnancy and what to do. How to determine? How to treat? We'll talk about this further.
A woman may panic if her legs become swollen during pregnancy. What to do? Why? However, there is no need to worry. Often the reason is very simple, as is the solution. Usually during pregnancy, the mother's body does not have enough water. As the amniotic fluid expands, the fetus grows, more blood is required, and there is a lack of clean drinking water. During pregnancy, a significant change in hormonal levels occurs, which, in turn, also entails a strong desire to drink a lot of water. Quenching her strong thirst, the woman does not notice how little by little her legs swell. This is the most common cause of leg swelling in pregnant women. But there are other situations.
Here are some of them:
1. Swelling can be affected by varicose veins. The growth of the uterus significantly increases the load on large blood vessels. As a result, blood flow in the body is disrupted, especially from the legs. Due to the fact that too much blood is retained in the legs and feet, the woman’s legs become very swollen.
2. Swelling of the legs may occur if there are kidney problems. Then swelling is possible at any stage of gestation. This is caused by overexertion of the kidneys during pregnancy. Then they may not be able to cope with the load.
3. In the last months of pregnancy, the legs may swell due to gestosis. To check this diagnosis you need to get tested and monitor your blood pressure.
4. If only one leg is swollen, then the reason is that the uterus has pinched a large blood vessel on one side. This leads to poor blood circulation in that side and swelling of the limb. In this case, you can simply turn over more often when lying on your side, which is not swollen.
Firstly, if your legs become swollen during pregnancy, it is important to contact your gynecologist. It is within his competence to consider all the symptoms and say for sure whether the legs are swollen, that the body is reacting to pregnancy and the abundance of water, or whether some pathological failure has occurred.
If a woman does not have any chronic diseases, then some generally accepted procedures aimed at reducing leg discomfort for a pregnant woman may well be effective. Also, some of these activities can be done in advance to prevent severe swelling of the legs.
Here are some good tips:
1. Don't put too much stress on your legs. But you shouldn’t stop loading them completely. The main thing here is moderation.
2. It is also important to choose the right shoes. It should be soft, preferably leather. Under no circumstances wear high-heeled shoes. This is even more important for those who are prone to varicose veins.
3. Be mindful of your eating habits. You may need to change the components of your diet. People often like to eat salted, smoked and pickled foods. However, a pregnant woman may want some drastic dietary changes. For example, there may be a strong desire to eat fast food. But this is not entirely useful. Therefore, in order to avoid unpleasant consequences, you need to listen to the advice of nutritionists. He or she may suggest special pregnancy diets to reduce leg swelling.
4. It is advisable not to wear too-tight trousers or tights, as they have a strong impact on the blood vessels, increasing swelling. When taking a horizontal position, it is better to keep your legs at a slight angle - this also relieves swelling.
5. Avoid all diuretics, even natural ones. They greatly affect the fetus.
6. If you are thirsty, then drink as much water as your body requires. However, refrain from excess fluid after seven o'clock in the evening.
These are methods that can help cope with leg swelling in a pregnant woman. But a wise decision would be to consult with specialists. They will tell you the exact causes of swelling and further actions.
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 in pregnant women is a very common phenomenon. About half of all pregnant women experience swelling around the ankles, especially during the last few months of pregnancy. This problem also often manifests itself in the toes and shins.
The worst usually happens towards the end of the day, especially if you spend a lot of time on your feet.
Leg swelling during pregnancy occurs because your body contains more fluid than usual. Increased pressure in the leg veins and pressure from your growing baby on the large veins in the groin also add to the problem. The whole point, surprisingly, is the force of gravity, which seems to concentrate the liquid at the lowest points of your body.
Some doctors associate swelling with the production of a special hormone that impairs the elasticity of blood vessels. Also, the cause may be excess sodium in the body, since it delays the removal of fluid from the tissues.
The following factors increase the severity of edema:
Leg swelling can vary in severity, and sometimes you may not even notice it. But this does not mean that they should be ignored, otherwise they can develop into more serious diseases. Moreover, their external expression can also mean internal changes, which is much more serious. If your shoes or rings on your fingers begin to press on you, if you begin to gain weight quickly or unevenly (more than 300 g per week), this is a sign of edema.
«Normal" edema in a healthy woman:
Such swelling of the legs during pregnancy does not need to be treated.
We don’t want to scare you, but it’s better to consult a doctor immediately if you notice the following symptoms:
It’s better to play it safe and go to your doctor again, especially since the lives and health of two people are at stake.
Within about 24 hours after giving birth, most women will already notice that the swelling has decreased. Don't worry if it takes a few days for the swelling to subside, this is normal: your body needs time to recover and get back into shape after prolonged stress. Keep following the tips to reduce swelling and things will get better soon.
You cannot stop the swelling process, but you can limit and reduce its manifestation. So, what do experts advise to prevent leg swelling and reduce its severity?
If you want to reduce swelling, follow these simple rules:
In general, every expectant mother quickly determines which method is right for her. Some people benefit from active pastime, others from maximum rest, others from group yoga or gymnastics classes.
By “treatment” we mean reducing the severity of the manifestation, since edema in a healthy woman is a normal and harmless physiological phenomenon that does not require full, serious treatment.
What does traditional medicine offer us?
You can place green or white cabbage leaves on swollen areas to “draw out” excess fluid and reduce discomfort (heaviness). There is no need to wash the leaves; you can cool them in the refrigerator (but not in the freezer), it will even be more pleasant for you. Wrap the cooled leaves around the most swollen parts of your legs and feet to make a compress. Wait until they are damp and then repeat with fresh leaves. Repeat this several times until you feel more comfortable.
Herbal remedies are usually diuretics that remove fluid from the body. However, you should not overuse this method, as you can overdo it and remove too much fluid. This can be dangerous. Therefore, we strongly recommend using herbal teas and tinctures only after consulting a doctor!
Here are some common recipes:
Myth No. 1. If you limit your intake of liquids and salty foods to a minimum, swelling will quickly subside.
This is wrong. We have already written that salty foods can only serve as a provoking or additional factor in the appearance of edema. A lack of fluid in the body can lead to dehydration and danger to the baby’s health. A complete restriction of salt and water is dangerous, so listen to your needs and simply do not overindulge in such foods.
Myth No. 2. Diuretics will quickly remove swelling.
This myth can be dangerous, since uncontrolled use of such drugs can lead to dehydration. Therefore, as we already wrote above, do not overdo it with diuretic teas - this, one might say, is an extreme case. And frequently running to the toilet is a rather tiring activity for women in the last months of pregnancy.
Myth No. 3. If your legs are swollen, you should not play sports.
In fact, any sports activity that you can do will strengthen your body muscles and maintain tone, so that it will be easier for you to give birth. Here, as in other matters, you cannot be too zealous. The following sports are recommended: cycling, swimming, gymnastics, yoga.
Myth No. 4. Swelling in the legs is a sign of gestosis.
This is not so, edema itself does not indicate gestosis (“late toxicosis”, preeclampsia - complications at the end of pregnancy). Only in combination with high blood pressure, impaired kidney function, loss of consciousness, and convulsions can edema be a symptom of this disease. It seems that you and your doctor will not miss such signs and will take action in time.
Listen to your body: it usually tells you what it needs. Pregnancy is not a disease, but a temporary change in your body. Health to you and your baby!
Chumachenko Olga, medical observer
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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 in pregnant women (dropsy is older, more common - gestational edema) complaints of fatigue, malaise, symptoms: swelling, 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.
During pregnancy, I moved a lot, and every day in the morning I did exercises for about 20 minutes, and then doused myself with cold water. Here are the exercises I did every day, until the last day of pregnancy:
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.
Obstetricians-gynecologists consider a number of conditions that can be observed in a woman in the first trimester of pregnancy to be toxicosis. In addition to nausea and vomiting, which is sometimes called morning sickness in pregnant women, toxicosis can manifest itself as skin changes, benign jaundice, runny nose, and bone pathology.
A miscarriage, or in other words, spontaneous (spontaneous) abortion, is the exit of a non-viable fetus from the uterus. Miscarriages are more common than you might think: About one quarter of pregnancies end in miscarriage, often long before the woman even knows she's pregnant.
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Taking care of your health should be constant, because any disease is easier to prevent than to treat. And every woman should carefully monitor herself, regularly conduct self-examinations in order to see the first symptoms of diseases and promptly seek medical help.
For every self-respecting woman #40; however, lately some men have become more and more confident #41; one’s body is an exclusive object of care #40; and for some - even ardent love! #41;. A well-groomed woman always radiates a very definite aura of confidence and a peculiar gloss, even if there is nothing “sort of” or flashy in her appearance.
Women in the “position” are often interested in how to relieve swelling of the legs during pregnancy. Already from the first weeks of pregnancy, expectant mothers notice that previously comfortable shoes suddenly begin to put pressure, become tight and uncomfortable.
In the evening, unbearable heaviness in the legs prevents you from relaxing and falling asleep. And externally, the legs don’t look so attractive anymore.
Doctors associate swelling of the legs during pregnancy with a weakening of the vascular wall due to the intense production of progesterone, which sharply reduces the tone of smooth muscles. The main task of this hormone is to rebuild the female body for conception and successful bearing of a child.
But this is only one of the reasons - expectant mothers themselves become the culprits of edema.
Due to changes in taste preferences, pregnant women can easily empty a jar of pickled cucumbers or enjoy salted fish to their heart's content!
After devouring such delicacies, it is already difficult for the expectant mother to comply with the drinking regime recommended by the doctor: much more water will be drunk than normal.
To cope with swelling of the legs, a woman must follow the recommendations of her doctor and diet.
And in addition to this, a simple massage will help relieve swelling of the legs during pregnancy, the regular implementation of which will definitely help your legs.
You will need a terry bath towel. It is desirable that the fibers on it be hard and slightly prickly.
If your tummy has grown and it’s difficult for you to bend over, put your leg on an ottoman or sofa, or better yet, find an assistant for this pleasant activity: for example, your husband.
If you pay attention to your feet for five or ten minutes a day (morning and evening before bed), then leg swelling will not bother you.
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How to relieve leg swelling during pregnancy
Most women experience swelling of the legs during pregnancy, especially in the later stages towards the end of the third trimester. In most cases, leg swelling is normal and is no cause for concern. In other cases, when swelling is associated with any disease, be sure to consult your doctor without delay.
Edema during pregnancy affects almost all pregnant women, starting around 22 or 27 weeks. More severe swelling of the legs, as well as the arms and face, may appear by the 35th week of pregnancy.
Swelling of the legs can vary depending on the time of day and season. As a rule, more severe swelling occurs in the evening and in the summer. Swelling also depends on weather conditions: on hotter days it is greater, on cool days it is less pronounced.
For most women, swelling goes away after childbirth within the first two weeks.
Many pregnant women ask the question “Why do my legs swell during pregnancy?” There is nothing criminal about this. Swelling occurs due to an increase in the amount of fluid. About 25 percent of the weight gained during pregnancy is the result of fluid retention. This certainly causes anxiety and discomfort for women, but it is necessary. This accumulated fluid plays an important role during childbirth.
First, the fluid softens the body, allowing it to expand as the baby grows.
Secondly, it helps prepare the pelvic bones and tissues for childbirth.
Usually only the legs swell: legs and feet. In some cases, the face and hands may swell. Normal swelling during pregnancy should build up slowly, not suddenly. Sudden swelling, especially in the face and hands, can be a sign of preeclampsia, a dangerous disease in which blood pressure rises sharply and blood supply is disrupted. Typically, this condition can appear after the 20th week of pregnancy.
In addition, the growing uterus puts pressure on the veins of the pelvis, causing blood to pool in the large vein on the right side of the body, which carries blood from the lower extremities back to the heart. The pressure of the growing uterus slows down this process, resulting in swelling in the legs and feet. The appearance of such swelling of the legs most often occurs in late pregnancy in the third trimester.
Other causes of swelling of the legs, ankles, and feet may be a lack of potassium, consumption of salty foods, canned and smoked foods, and high consumption of caffeine.
Swelling of the legs during pregnancy is not dangerous and is normal in most cases, especially in late pregnancy.
However, if your legs, arms, or face become puffy and the swelling does not subside at night, you should immediately consult a doctor.
Severe swelling, as mentioned above, can be a symptom of preeclampsia. Preeclampsia affects kidney function as well as the central nervous system. Symptoms of preeclampsia are a sharp increase in blood pressure, swelling of the legs, arms, face, excessive weight gain (more than 450-500 grams per week), and the presence of protein in the urine.
More severe cases of preeclampsia can cause blurred vision, headaches, irritability, and abdominal pain.
Swelling in just one leg or pain in any part of the leg could be a sign of a blood clot.
The presence of red streaks and spots on the legs may be a sign of infection.
Swollen red feet may be a sign of poor circulation or diabetes.
Other symptoms may indicate heart or kidney failure. In any case, if sudden severe swelling appears, you should immediately consult a doctor.
It is not possible to completely relieve swelling during pregnancy. As you already understand, this is a normal occurrence for every pregnant woman. Of course, if the swelling is not associated with more serious diseases.
It is possible to alleviate the condition caused by swelling of the legs. Here are some tips to help improve swelling and relieve discomfort caused by swelling.
If you have to spend a lot of time standing or sitting, take five-minute breaks every hour to rest. If you have a sedentary job, take a walk. When standing, sit down and it is advisable to place your feet on some elevation to improve blood circulation.
Elevate your legs whenever possible. At work, you can put a special stool under your feet or place a stack of books.
Stretch your legs whenever possible: extend your heel first and gently flex your foot to stretch your shin.
Move your feet in circles and curl your toes.
When sitting, do not cross your legs or place one on top of the other. These positions impair blood circulation in the legs.
Try sleeping on your left side. This position improves kidney function and swelling subsides by morning.
Wear comfortable shoes without high heels, preferably with widening inserts, so that they can stretch as swelling increases towards the end of the day.
Do not wear knee socks or socks with a narrow elastic band.
You can wear special tights, stockings or knee socks with a supportive effect that support the leg muscles.
Drink enough water. It may seem strange, but this helps the body retain less fluid.
If possible, walk and go swimming. There are special water aerobics exercises for pregnant women. If there are such courses in your area, sign up for them. Such water activities help reduce the discomfort caused by swelling.
Avoid eating salty, canned, smoked foods.
Avoid stuffy, humid rooms.
Avoid wearing tight clothes, especially those that are tight around the hips.
Apply cool compresses to tired, swollen feet.
For severe swelling that is not accompanied by any disease, after consultation with your gynecologist, you can drink tea with diuretic herbs, do a light massage of the legs and feet, baths with essential oils or Epsom salts.
During pregnancy, expectant mothers experience many different changes in their bodies, but which ones are normal and which ones should be wary?
Almost everyone knows that legs swell during pregnancy. But besides this, it is known that outside of pregnancy, swelling of the legs can become a sign of kidney disease or cardiovascular failure. But does this mean that edema during pregnancy is a pathology that requires treatment?
If you want to improve the condition of your hair, you should pay special attention to the shampoos you use. A frightening figure - 96% of shampoos from popular brands contain components that poison our body. The main substances that cause all the troubles are designated on the labels as sodium lauryl sulfate, sodium laureth sulfate, coco sulfate, PEG . These chemical components destroy the structure of the curls, the hair becomes brittle, loses elasticity and strength, and the color fades. But the worst thing is that this nasty stuff gets into the liver, heart, lungs, accumulates in organs and can cause cancer. We advise you not to use products that contain this chemical. Recently, experts from our editorial team conducted an analysis of sulfate-free shampoos, where products from Mulsan Cosmetic took first place. The only manufacturer of completely natural cosmetics. All products are manufactured under strict quality control and certification systems. We recommend visiting the official online store mulsan.ru If you doubt the naturalness of your cosmetics, check the expiration date; it should not exceed one year of storage.
During pregnancy, a woman's weight increases by 10-15 kilograms, but about six of them are due to water. All the liquid that enters the body of the expectant mother is retained in almost all tissues, except, of course, bone. The largest amount of water is retained in fatty tissue and connective tissues.
A pregnant woman’s body does not begin to retain water immediately. During the first three months this process is almost invisible. Afterwards, the skin on the abdomen, legs and arms begins to lose elasticity and firmness. In the last three to four months of pregnancy, the roundness of the face increases, swelling of the legs, abdomen, lower back, face and arms appears.
Obvious swelling of the legs can be recognized independently by noticing that your favorite shoes are too tight or when you gain weight quickly, that is, more than three hundred grams per week.
When pregnancy develops normally, the weight of the pregnant woman increases gradually, which is why a pregnant woman regularly weighs herself at the doctor.
Most often, the legs begin to swell first, followed by the arms, face and stomach. In the morning, swelling in the legs is almost unnoticeable, since during the night the liquid spreads evenly throughout the body. But towards evening, the liquid gradually sinks downwards, it accumulates most often on the feet, in the area of ice and on the legs.
By pressing your finger on the skin of the lower leg in front, in a place where there are no muscles, but only skin, a small hole is formed that slowly fills, this is the most basic sign of swelling of the legs. With swelling of the legs, the skin is smooth, tense and pale.
If obvious swelling appears, it is better to consult a doctor who will help get rid of it without harming the normal development of the fetus.
In addition to medical diagnosis, you need to monitor your changes yourself.
First of all, you need to weigh yourself regularly.
Examine diuresis, that is, compare the amount of fluid drunk per day and urine excreted. A healthy pregnant woman should excrete three-quarters of the fluid she drinks. For example, if 1000-1200 milliliters of liquid were drunk during the day, this also includes tea, coffee, soups, etc., at least nine hundred milliliters should be excreted in the urine. The rest of the fluid is released during breathing and in the form of sweat.
Regularly measure your leg circumference at the same level. If within a week the circumference of the ankle joint has increased by one centimeter, then this is a clear sign of fluid retention in the body.
Foreign doctors confidently claim that swelling of the legs in pregnant women is a physiological phenomenon that does not require treatment, however, only if it does not increase blood pressure and does not contain protein in the urine.
Obstetricians in the CIS countries argue that swelling of the legs in expectant mothers must be treated, since they can become the first stage of gestosis, and in most cases, after swelling, high blood pressure and protein in the urine appear. Timely treatment of edema will protect against the development of gestosis.