A huge number of people suffer from swelling of the legs, which can appear both as a result of various diseases and any mechanical impact. Swelling causes discomfort, a feeling of heaviness and even pain.
Sometimes severe swelling occurs due to a fall or injury to the lower limb. This situation requires the immediate participation of a medical professional who can make the correct diagnosis and provide first aid. If a person who has been injured experiences severe pain even with slight movement of the swollen leg, then he should not be transported independently. Without wasting time, you need to call an ambulance and wait for the specialists to arrive. In this case, it will be possible to avoid unpleasant consequences manifested in the form of hemorrhage or displacement of bone tissue.
If, after a fall or injury, a person, despite the swelling, continues to actively move the limb and can move independently, then a special cream or ointment can help him. When using modern decongestants, you should not forget to read their instructions, in which the manufacturers indicate both the daily dosage and possible side effects.
Very often, the cause of swelling of the legs is an unbalanced diet, eating unhealthy foods, etc. Too salty food has a negative effect on many internal organs and systems and interferes with the body’s full water supply. It is the violation of the water-salt balance that in most cases becomes the main cause of swelling in the legs. In this case, you need to reconsider your daily diet, try to eat low-salt foods and control the amount of liquid you drink. At the same time, you should give up fast and light carbohydrates, which are capable of retaining fluid in the body twice as much as salt.
It is very easy to identify a person who frequently drinks alcohol, even among a large crowd of people. Even stylish clothes and fashionable makeup will not be able to hide the traces of a “fun evening.” In drinking citizens, swelling appears both on the face and on the upper and lower extremities. This is due to the fact that alcohol has a negative effect on internal organs, such as the liver, kidneys, pancreas, etc. A poorly functioning liver is not able to cope with the toxins contained in alcohol-containing drinks. In this regard, fluid begins to linger in the body, thereby causing swelling.
In most cases, any course of treatment is accompanied by taking various medications. Some medications, when retained in the body, interfere with the removal of fluid. As a result, in parallel with the therapeutic effect, the medications cause swelling. Very often, swelling is observed in people preparing for or undergoing surgery. This is due to the fact that such patients are given a huge amount of liquid medications intravenously (through IVs) every day. The kidneys cannot cope with large amounts of fluid and patients experience severe swelling. In this case, you can contact your doctor who will prescribe diuretics. As soon as the course of treatment comes to an end, the swelling will begin to go away on its own.
Any degree of obesity can be accompanied by the appearance of swelling in the legs. When playing sports, overweight people regularly experience swelling, especially when running for a long time or walking at a brisk pace. During such activities, a large load is placed on the athlete’s legs, which causes swelling.
Typically, overweight people have health problems, in particular with the endocrine system. There is one very dangerous disease called diabetes, which is usually accompanied by swelling. As the disease progresses, patients' blood sugar levels increase significantly, resulting in swelling of the lower extremities.
High temperatures, usually observed in the summer, often cause swelling of the legs. This is primarily due to the fact that during this period people lead a sedentary lifestyle, spending most of the day lying on the beach. At the same time, the amount of liquid consumed increases, with which vacationers try to quench their thirst. A sharp change in climatic conditions can also cause swelling in the legs. For example, in the winter season people go to exotic countries on vacation. Many citizens have a very difficult time with acclimatization, which can manifest itself in the form of fever, chills, fever, swelling, etc.
With the advent of old age, the human body begins to malfunction. During active youth, people pay little attention to their health, considering it eternal. Bad habits, difficult working conditions, and constant lack of sleep have their negative impact. Elderly people develop various diseases related to the heart, blood vessels, etc. The body is no longer able to fully cope with the tasks assigned, as a result of which fluid begins to be retained, causing edema. The cause of edema in older people can also be a sedentary lifestyle, since not every pensioner does exercises and takes long walks every day.
Diseases that cause swelling of the nostrils include:
In most cases, heart failure is accompanied by severe swelling of the lower extremities. Patients are required to be prescribed diuretic medications. When collecting a history of the disease, doctors observe the presence of symmetrical swelling in both legs.
Their appearance can be caused by various factors:
Prolonged stay in a vertical position;
Taking medications;
Any physical activity, etc.
When diagnosing heart disease, doctors pay great attention to edema. They check their density, frequency, etc. Swelling in the legs, accompanied by shortness of breath and rapid heartbeat, should prompt a person to urgently visit a cardiologist.
Many patients in the urology department regularly experience swelling of the legs, since their kidneys cannot work at their normal rhythm and cannot cope with the volume of fluid consumed. In this category of patients, swelling manifests itself not only in the evening, but also in the first half of the day. Excess fluid accumulates not only in the lower extremities, but also in the bags under the eyes.
The causes of kidney disease can be simple infections, as well as an overabundance of medications in the body (usually after long-term surgical treatment). Patients who have serious kidney problems may experience large swelling, which is the main indicator for urgent hospitalization.
Edema of the lower extremities sometimes indicates the presence of various joint diseases. Many diseases are accompanied by severe changes in the joint tissue, resulting in the accumulation of large amounts of fluid.
If a patient discovers swelling in his leg, he should immediately contact his doctor so as not to exclude the development of side effects that could affect the further functionality of the musculoskeletal system. In such cases, treatment takes a fairly long period of time and requires the patient to take, in addition to analgesics, other medications that have an anti-inflammatory effect.
Sometimes the cause of swelling in the lower extremities can be an allergy: food, medication, flowers, etc. All symptoms of this disease, including swelling, completely disappear when taking antihistamines. Knowing their predisposition, patients should avoid direct contact with any allergens so as not to provoke an attack.
Any problems with blood vessels are accompanied by swelling in the lower extremities, and many patients experience uneven manifestations. With vascular diseases, patients complain of a regular periodicity of edema: they appear in the afternoon and disappear by the morning.
One of the main reasons for the appearance of swelling in the legs may be poor circulation or varicose veins. This disease in most cases affects the female half of the population. The reason for the stagnation of blood in the vessels is the loss of elasticity of their walls. In the first stages of the disease, a venous network appears, nodes and swelling appear.
Causes of circulatory problems include:
Sedentary lifestyle;
Regular physical activity, sometimes excessive;
Blood clotting rates are too high;
Poor condition of blood vessels, veins and arteries, etc.
Such patients undergo long-term treatment, which is usually carried out in several directions. The main task of the attending physician is to strengthen the walls of veins and blood vessels. For this purpose, medications are prescribed that can tone them down. Patients are also prescribed medications that can improve blood quality. Modern anticoagulants thin the blood to the desired consistency in record time. In parallel with drug treatment, patients must wear special compression garments that can provide the necessary support to the vessels and veins.
Constant swelling accompanies such a serious disease as thrombosis. Its characteristic symptoms include:
The appearance of heaviness in the lower extremities;
The appearance of swelling in the legs;
The appearance of a feeling of heaviness;
There is stagnation of blood in the veins;
The sensitivity of the skin is lost in places where excess fluid accumulates, etc.
Similar signs of the disease are present in thrombophlebitis. At the same time, it is also worth noting the appearance of inflammation of the walls of the veins, as a result of which their deformation occurs. The development of this disease is caused by infections, mechanical damage to blood vessels, blood transfusions, etc.
A survey of patients shows that with thrombophlebitis, swelling of the lower extremities appears already at the first stage of this disease. Very often, swelling is accompanied by pain that occurs against a background of heaviness and fatigue.
In order to obtain a positive effect from the treatment of this disease, the attending physician first prescribes anti-inflammatory drugs. In case of severe swelling, diuretics may be prescribed that can very quickly remove excess fluid from the body. In parallel, patients diagnosed with thrombophlebitis are prescribed anticoagulants, which help improve blood quality.
Found an error in the text? Select it and a few more words, press Ctrl + Enter
Some people often experience problems caused by swelling that appears in the evening.
The root cause of such swelling may be:
Staying on your feet for a long time;
Wearing high heels;
Wearing shoes that are too narrow;
Excessive physical activity;
Sedentary work (swelling usually appears in the evening among office workers);
Stagnation of lymph and blood occurs in the vessels of the legs;
Drinking fluids in quantities exceeding the daily norm;
Various diseases of internal organs and life support systems of the body;
Congenital abnormalities of the feet (flat feet);
Prolonged stay on a protein diet;
Pregnancy and lactation;
Obesity of any degree;
Congenital tendency to edema, etc.
If swelling is detected in the evening, you should first of all take a cool shower, followed by a relaxing massage. You can use special creams and gels that help eliminate swelling on the legs. Before using them, you should consult a specialist, since some products contain medicinal components that cause a number of side effects. You can also wear special stockings or knee socks that secure your legs tightly and do not allow fluid to accumulate in their lower part.
To avoid the appearance of edema after a busy day at work, you should:
choose a comfortable position in the chair;
take frequent breaks and get up from the table and move whenever possible;
while at the workplace, you need to change into comfortable shoes that do not have heels and do not squeeze your feet;
if there is a need to visit another department, try to abandon the elevator in favor of a flight of stairs;
During lunch, you should give up unhealthy fast food, giving preference to vegetables and fruits, etc.
Millions of people around the world are waiting for the onset of summer. Most citizens spend this period of time on vacation, choosing either a relaxing time on the beach or active travel to unexplored places. Unfortunately, the vacation of some vacationers can be overshadowed by the appearance of edema, which can ruin all plans.
In most cases in the summer, swelling appears in the afternoon. With the onset of dusk, swelling becomes visible even to the naked eye. Along with this, problems arise related to the choice of shoes, since your feet may not fit into the usual flip-flops.
With the arrival of summer, the human body begins to work at a faster pace, as it is subjected to heavy load associated with high temperatures, as well as an increase in the amount of fluid consumed. At this time, the vital systems of the body must ensure that the body does not overheat, as it will begin to produce sweat in large volumes. During sweating, water, which is necessary for the normal functioning of cells, begins to evaporate. The cardiovascular system is “responsible” for all these processes, which, if the load is too heavy, may not cope with its responsibilities. As a result, people begin to experience discomfort from swelling in the legs and other parts of the body.
Regardless of what time of year swelling in the legs was detected, their appearance must be taken with full responsibility. Regular swelling that appears and takes a very long time to subside should cause great concern. In such cases, you should not hesitate and urgently make an appointment with your local physician, who will determine the further plan of action.
Each person can independently identify the first signs of edema. To do this, you need to carefully examine your feet if you notice the following signs:
Shoes became difficult to take off and put on;
While walking, discomfort, unpleasant and sometimes painful sensations occur;
The veins in the legs became difficult to see;
Towards evening you feel heaviness in your legs;
When you press on the swelling, a clear dent remains, etc.
If you notice any of these signs, you should immediately contact a medical facility, as swelling may be a consequence of a serious illness. If during a medical examination by specialists no pathologies were identified, then you can resort to traditional methods of combating swelling.
Sometimes the cause of swelling in the legs is not a disease at all, but various external factors.
In this case, people can very quickly give themselves first aid and get rid of swelling:
Significantly reduce the amount of fluid consumed (the daily intake should be taken into account). If swelling occurs in the summer, then you only need to drink clean water in small sips;
Massage your feet regularly;
Lying on the sofa, you need to slightly raise your legs and fix them in this position for a while (you can put a pillow or a folded blanket under your legs);
Try to limit the amount of salt in your daily diet (salt greatly retains fluid in the body).
In some cases, folk remedies that can relieve swelling in the legs, but not eliminate the cause of their occurrence, can also help:
Wet a towel with cold water and apply to areas where swelling is observed. You can put pieces of ice inside the towel, thanks to which the towel will maintain the desired temperature for a longer time;
Grate raw potatoes on a fine grater. Make a compress from the resulting mixture and apply it to the problem area for an hour (placing the paste first on a piece of cloth or gauze). This procedure should be repeated several times a day until the swelling completely disappears;
Instead of regular teas, brew herbs that cause a diuretic effect, etc.
To prevent the appearance of swelling in the legs, it is necessary to regularly carry out preventive measures:
Take many hours of walks in the fresh air (preferably in a park area or in a coniferous forest);
Exercise regularly;
Buy comfortable shoes;
Regulate the amount of liquid you drink;
Try to eat foods that are not too salty;
Quit completely (or significantly limit) alcohol and tobacco products;
Try to go to bed and get up at the same time every day, etc.
Author of the article: Yulia Valerievna Vafaeva, nephrologist
By evening, pain and swelling appear in the legs - sometimes this is how the veins tell us about their
And a good helper here is preventive compression stockings.
Our expert is phlebologist Anna Simonova.
Many of us have more than enough reasons for vein problems. A sedentary lifestyle, sedentary or standing work, extra pounds, flat feet, smoking, plus in women a love of high heels, taking hormonal contraceptives and, of course, pregnancy and childbirth. There are also temporary factors - for example, frequent long (more than three hours) air flights or trips on an intercity bus or car.
The danger of vein damage is especially high when parents suffer from their diseases. Doctors advise: if there are risk factors, you definitely need to take preventive measures in time - that is, wear preventive compression stockings: knee socks, stockings or tights. Thanks to special materials, they exert pressure on the venous walls, carefully support the vessels, improve blood circulation, thereby preventing dysfunction of the venous system. Unlike therapeutic products, prophylactic products have a low pressure force - from 10–15 mm Hg to 18 mm. A consultant at a salon or pharmacy will help you choose the right size.
However, if the discomfort in your legs becomes more and more frequent, cramps occur at night, the area of the vascular networks increases, swelling and pain become constant - do not delay in visiting a phlebologist. The examination will help establish an accurate diagnosis, and the doctor will write a prescription for therapeutic compression stockings. These products help to “slow down” the disease, prevent complications and are divided according to the degree of compression. For example, the second class is indicated for people with uncomplicated varicose veins, the third is used for more severe stages. You need to know: there are contraindications for wearing medicinal products: inflammatory skin diseases, diabetes, in which the circulatory system is affected, and some others.
It is very important to use compression products correctly - the preventive and therapeutic effect depends on this. The higher the degree of compression, the more difficult it is to put them on, especially difficult for overweight people with a large belly. To facilitate the process, you can use a thin sliding sock, preferably a silk one (by the way, in high-quality products it is included in the kit). You need to put rubber gloves on your hands - putting on stockings or tights will become much easier, and they will also protect the product from being pulled. First, the product is pulled onto the heel, then lifted up, evenly distributed along the leg. Do not pull on the top edge of your stocking or stocking! When removing the product, carefully turn it inside out. They pull it off the heel by inserting their palm. Compression hosiery should be worn in the morning, before swelling appears.
If you use it occasionally, for example before a flight, then before putting it on you need to lie down for about 15 minutes to normalize blood circulation in your legs.
How long do compression products last? This largely depends on how you care for them. The question is relevant, especially for those who wear them every day - high-quality medical knitwear is very expensive. But, unfortunately, not everyone knows the “rules of care.”
These products need to be washed after each use and only by hand - in the machine they are easily deformed, stretched and lose their healing properties. The water temperature should not exceed 30 °C. Capricious knitwear does not tolerate chemicals: washing powders, bleaches and other things - only mild soap is suitable, there are also special shampoos for washing such products. These things cannot be wrung out by twisting them - they are wrapped in a terry towel and “wet” with light squeezing movements. And never dry them on a radiator; it is best to lay the product on a dry towel.