Among disturbances in the functioning of the excretory system, renal edema occupies one of the first places. Since the kidneys are the main organ of the human body's filtration system, they experience a lot of stress and are susceptible to various diseases, which often cause edema syndrome.
Kidney edema is a pathology characterized by a violation of the filtration function of the organ, which leads to an imbalance of substances and stagnation of fluid both in the kidneys themselves and in the intercellular spaces of the body.
Why does swelling occur? The causes of renal edema are usually divided into two groups. The first includes pathological mechanisms - the direct causes of edema, the second - diseases of the organ, which are accompanied by the action of these mechanisms.
So, the pathological mechanisms that cause disruption of the filtration organs include:
The pathogenesis of renal edema is associated with various pathologies of the organ. The most common of them are:
In addition, disturbances in kidney function may be associated with complications of diabetes mellitus, liver failure, vascular and heart diseases, as well as reactions to various medications.
In women, renal edema can occur in late pregnancy.
Renal edema itself is a symptom of the presence of serious pathologies in a person, but there are a number of signs by which they are distinguished from edema of other origins:
Kidney stones can cause kidney swelling
Externally, the disease manifests itself as swelling on the face - bags appear under the eyes, the skin becomes stretched and becomes glossy. The area of swelling is mobile, of normal temperature, but slightly paler than the surrounding skin. The swelling goes away as quickly as it appears.
Symptoms of renal edema are a signal to immediately seek qualified help. The patient should make an appointment with a general practitioner, cardiologist and nephrologist as soon as possible. To establish the exact causes of swelling and determine the course of treatment, specialists will conduct an examination and prescribe the following tests to the patient:
Pathologies of the filtration apparatus are not the only cause of edema. Often the problem lies in diseases of the cardiovascular system. In order not to confuse one type of edema with another, it is worth knowing the distinctive signs of “cardiac” edema:
Appearance of edema with “cardiac” edema
After diagnosis, the patient undergoes a course of therapeutic therapy, which usually includes:
In rare cases, when an organ is destroyed and its cells are replaced by connective tissue, a kidney transplant or hemodialysis is performed.
Doctors strongly recommend not to self-medicate for kidney swelling and to seek qualified help from specialists as soon as possible. It is also necessary to monitor the diet and the amount of salt and liquid consumed, since the consequences of renal edema are easier to prevent than to treat for a long time.
There are many reasons why legs swell, the main ones can be found here: http://nashinogi.ru/simptomy/oteki-opuholi/pochemu-otekayut-prichiny.html. This may be swelling after injuries associated with a sedentary lifestyle or prolonged standing on your feet in an uncomfortable position and in poor-quality shoes. Limbs become swollen due to cardiovascular diseases, joint problems, allergies, and also during pregnancy. Swelling under the eyes, hands, feet, pale skin in places of swelling can signal problems with the kidneys.
The kidneys are a paired organ that is part of the body's urinary system. The main purpose is to remove excess fluid, waste products, and toxic compounds from the body along with urine (during metabolism, many toxic substances are formed in the body, including ammonia).
During the day, about 150 liters pass through the kidneys. primary urine, after filtration they separate excess liquid and remove it from the body (from one and a half to two liters). Urine is a product of processing blood plasma; it is devoid of proteins and glucose, but contains many metabolic products. Urine is released after the blood in the kidneys is filtered and cleared of harmful and unnecessary impurities. The kidneys control the volume of blood in the body, influence blood clotting, and stabilize acidity.
The kidneys also regulate the amount of fluid in the body and monitor the correct ratio of mineral salts and trace elements (maintain water-salt balance). Another important function of the organ is the production of hormones that help retain water in the body.
The human body consists of seventy percent water, two thirds of which is in the cells, one third - between them. If the volume of fluid in the intercellular space increases, edema appears, which indicates the development of pathological processes in the body.
Renal edema forms after the kidneys stop coping with their work and begin to remove excess fluid from the body in smaller quantities, instead directing it into the intercellular space, which causes edema to form (they are especially noticeable in the morning). Renal edema is distinguished from edema caused by heart disease by a more uniform distribution over the surface of the subcutaneous tissue. They are also softer and doughy. The skin over the swelling is pale and dry.
What also distinguishes renal edema from cardiac edema is that swelling caused by the heart first forms on the legs, while in case of problems with the kidneys, the feet swell last. First they appear under the eyes, then slowly move down, moving to the hands, then the person notices that his calves and feet have begun to swell. Very rarely, edema forms in the abdominal and chest cavity, or in all tissues at once.
The kidneys are a very vulnerable organ of the body: since it is here that the blood is filtered and unnecessary substances are eliminated through them, they are constantly exposed to attacks by harmful microorganisms. Among the reasons why problems arise in the kidneys are poisoning, infectious diseases, allergic reactions, and abnormalities in the structure of the organ. Swelling of the legs due to the kidneys may appear if the following ailments are observed in the body:
If the kidneys malfunction, the fluid that they remove from the body is retained, and it cannot be in the vascular bed, so its excess seeps through the wall and accumulates in the interstitial spaces and cavities, forming edema. Another reason why swelling of the limbs and face appears is too high capillary permeability. They also affect the appearance of swelling and increase the production of the hormone aldosterone, which leads to the retention of water and sodium ions in the body.
Another reason why legs swell due to kidney disease is a decrease in the amount of proteins in the blood, which the kidneys, as a result of the disease that has affected them, begin to excrete them from the body along with urine. Their lack leads to disruption of the removal of excess fluid from the intercellular space.
Any malfunction of the kidneys results in a disruption of the body's metabolism, as well as water-salt and protein balances. Swelling of the legs is just one of the symptoms, and not the first. You need to pay attention to the following signs:
Swelling of the legs due to the kidneys may indicate a fairly serious stage of the disease. If swelling is accompanied by the symptoms described above, you cannot hesitate and you need to urgently consult a doctor: if the kidneys completely refuse to perform their functions, then death should be expected.
The first symptom of renal edema is an unreasonable increase in body weight, which appears due to fluid retention in the body. There are not only obvious, but also hidden edemas; to detect them, patients are given diuretics. If there is hidden edema in the body, patients may lose from one to two kilograms during the day, since excess water will be released along with urine.
To determine whether the kidneys are the cause of your leg pain and swelling, your doctor will order blood and urine tests. If the interpretation of the results shows the presence of protein in the urine, this is a clear sign of kidney disease. To determine exactly why the swelling appeared, you will need to consult with specialists in various fields and you will need to undergo additional studies: ultrasound, computed tomography or magnetic resonance imaging.
If the case is not advanced, renal edema disappears within a few days after the start of therapy . Once the tumors have subsided, the course of treatment should under no circumstances be stopped: kidneys are very difficult to treat, some diseases subside for a while, after which relapses occur.
To remove excess water from the body, the doctor prescribes diuretics, in parallel with which, to support the functioning of the heart and to prevent urine from removing potassium from the body, you need to drink Asparkam or another medicine with a similar effect. If an organ is sick, you need to avoid drafts, overwork, monitor your health, and not self-medicate.
Usually, for this purpose, a salt-free diet is prescribed throughout the course of therapy, since salt retains fluid in the body. It is advisable that the menu include as many vegetables as possible, as well as products that contain the required amount of protein (lean meat, fish, boiled breast). After consulting with your doctor, you can use herbal infusions (for example, dandelion tea).
If the situation is more serious, it is quite possible that treatment will take many years. During therapy, you must adhere to all the doctor’s recommendations and the treatment regimen prescribed by him. If this is not done, kidney disease may lead to surgery in which one kidney will be removed, with a high risk of death.
Peripheral lower edema is a problem that worries a large number of people on our planet, especially women. Sometimes the problem can arise due to fatigue and is associated with physiology; in other cases, swelling indicates the presence of a serious pathology that requires urgent and competent treatment.
If a patient's foot swells, it is imperative to seek help from a general practitioner, who will prescribe the necessary tests. If a symptom occurs day after day, then you should not experiment with your health and self-medicate, this can lead to serious consequences.
Peripheral edema occurs due to stagnation of fluid in the cells and intercellular space. More often, the legs swell for a simple reason; they bear the heaviest load, in particular the entire weight of the person’s body.
Reasons why legs swell:
Any causes of swelling of the lower extremities indicate that you need to see a doctor and get treatment, otherwise the condition will only get worse. Edema is not a cosmetic problem, but a serious disruption of the body, the consequences of which can be tragic.
Almost every pregnant woman faces this problem; they are interested in why their legs swell, especially in the last weeks of pregnancy. In this case, peripheral edema can be physiological and pathological. Depending on the cause of the symptom, a woman may be indicated for different treatments.
Physiological edema occurs most often; they are not associated with any disease, but arise due to the body’s ability to retain fluid. During pregnancy, the load on the legs increases greatly, hormonal changes occur, and salt consumption aggravates the condition.
Usually, in this case, no special treatment is required; the woman is advised to follow a diet, not drink a lot of water at night, and rest for a sufficient amount of time. Symptoms go away after childbirth and the body recovers completely, so there is no need to worry.
Pathological edema indicates the onset of gestosis - late toxicosis. This condition requires diagnosis and competent and timely treatment, otherwise the child may suffer. With gestosis, fetal hypoxia often occurs, which is life-threatening. To avoid sad consequences, if edema appears during pregnancy, you should immediately consult a doctor and get tested, and begin treatment, if necessary.
The following types of edema are distinguished, depending on the cause of their occurrence:
Allergic is also called Quincke's edema; it is associated with a violent reaction of the body to some allergen. Such allergies can also be cumulative in nature, that is, a person uses a product for a long time or is exposed to a substance, then swelling suddenly appears.
When hydremic, kidney function is disrupted. In mechanical cases, the symptom occurs due to injury, soft tissues swell or blood vessels are compressed, as a result of which fluid exchange is disrupted. Also, the cause of such swelling can be a large tumor. Congestion occurs when vascular permeability is impaired.
Neuropathic edema occurs exclusively in people with diabetes or alcoholics. It is impossible to name the exact cause of this pathology; it may be due to several factors. The diagnosis is made by a doctor, excluding other types of pathology, after testing.
Swelling of the legs is always accompanied by a number of symptoms. It is worth noting that the symptoms can be expressed to a greater or lesser extent; in some cases the swelling is stable, while in others it is constantly increasing. In any case, you can talk about the presence of pathology only after examination by a doctor.
The following symptoms are characteristic of pathological edema:
In all of the above cases, you should consult a doctor as soon as possible. This situation indicates serious disorders in the body, which can even lead to death.
It is not difficult to detect swelling; just press your finger on the skin. If the skin has not changed, then there is no swelling, but if a white spot appears that does not disappear for several seconds, then the problem is definitely present. In this case, you need to make an appointment with a therapist.
The doctor will examine the patient, conduct a survey and listen to complaints, and prescribe general blood and urine tests. If there is a suspicion of pathology, the patient may be sent to specialized specialists, for example, a neurologist, nephrologist, cardiologist, endocrinologist and other doctors.
The doctor usually pays attention to an enlarged liver, changes in the color of the skin of the legs, fluid accumulation in the abdominal cavity and enlarged veins. Such symptoms may indicate serious pathologies that do not require delay, then the doctor can refer the patient to a hospital, where he will receive prompt assistance and undergo further examination.
Patients are interested in how to relieve swelling quickly. Treatment of pathology begins with identifying its cause, and therapy will depend on it. So, if the functioning of the kidneys is impaired, it is necessary first of all to treat them, and if there are problems with the heart, to normalize the contraction of the heart muscle. For varicose veins and allergies, the treatment will be completely different.
That is why you should not treat leg swelling on your own by taking diuretics, hormonal drugs and other medications. Uncontrolled use of medications usually only worsens the condition, although at first the patient sees the result, but over time it will only get worse.
The following recommendations may temporarily alleviate the condition:
For kidney problems, the following treatment is prescribed:
For problems with blood vessels, the following treatment is prescribed:
In all cases, nutritional adjustments, unloading of the limbs, therapeutic exercises, physiotherapy and massage have a beneficial effect.
It is important to know how to alleviate the condition and how to relieve mild swelling, especially after a hard day at work. If swelling appears every day, it is not recommended to treat yourself with folk remedies and medications; you should definitely consult a specialist.
How to relieve swelling of the legs with folk recipes:
It is important to know how to get rid of edema with the help of diet; this method is quite effective even in the complex treatment of serious pathologies. If you are worried about swelling in your legs, you need to follow the following rules when eating:
If the cause of the symptom is an allergic reaction, then therapeutic fasting will most likely be required, and after the symptoms are relieved, the patient is prescribed a special hypoallergenic diet. Only the attending physician can give exact recommendations on what you can eat in this case. As a rule, it is forbidden to eat red vegetables and fruits, starchy foods, sweets, foods with dyes and preservatives, fried, smoked, spicy and fatty foods.
To avoid the appearance of edema at the end of the working day and in the morning, you need to follow the following recommendations:
If the methods described above are ineffective and swelling still appears every day, and even increases over time, then we can talk about the presence of serious problems. In this case, you should not postpone visiting a specialist; the doctor will conduct an examination and recommend how to quickly relieve swelling of the legs.
Facial swelling and bags under the eyes are not always a sign of fatigue. Their cause may be associated with insidious kidney disease.
Puffiness of the face, bags under the eyes, swelling of the body and limbs primarily suggest kidney problems. In reality, renal edema and impaired renal activity do not always manifest themselves in this way. Even renal vein thrombosis may not show itself by external signs for a long time.
Fluid retention can be caused by other reasons: liver or heart failure, vascular diseases, injuries, and simply an unhealthy lifestyle. But renal edema is easy to distinguish from others. Their symptoms are so indicative that it is quite easy for an experienced therapist to suspect the disease and prescribe adequate treatment. Laboratory tests in this case are necessary only to clarify the diagnosis and control the progress of the disease.
A face that is swollen in the morning and puffy bags under the eyes is a clear illustration of poor kidney function. Excess water, tea or something stronger before bed, too much salty or spicy food at dinner can worsen kidney function and cause renal edema. Facial swelling can also act as part of nephrotic syndrome, which can occur with:
Diseases of other organs also affect the kidneys. Most often, swelling under the eyes and other symptoms of kidney failure occur:
Each disease will have its own factors that retain fluid in the body. Renal edema has the following pathogenetic mechanisms of formation:
Basically, renal edema occurs due to the loss of protein in the urine, which leads to a decrease in the oncotic pressure of the blood plasma and complicates the removal of intercellular fluid.
A similar result, on the contrary, results from a reduction in urination - in this case, sodium retention in the body leads to an increase in blood volume with the same protein content.
An increase in the volume of circulating blood during glomerolonephritis, when renal blood flow and fluid filtration by the kidneys are disrupted, is the cause of nephritic swelling of the face, especially under the eyes. Compression of the kidney veins by neoplasms and thrombosis also leads to impaired blood circulation and edema.
An excess of a hormone such as aldosterone, produced by the adrenal cortex, disrupts the body's water-salt metabolism, causing renal swelling, first under the eyes, and then in other parts of the body.
Nephrotic syndrome accompanies most cases of kidney disease and is accompanied by edema. In its symptoms it has the whole complex of mechanisms that cause renal edema. The onset of massive proteinuria (loss of protein in the urine) stimulates fluid retention under the eyes, which then spreads to the entire face, lumbar region, and genitals.
Possible swelling of internal organs - hydrothorax, hydropericardium. Blood thickening in nephrotic syndrome can provoke renal vein thrombosis. Therefore, its treatment is carried out in a hospital setting and requires equal attention with the treatment of the underlying disease.
The formation of renal edema occurs during sleep, when excess fluid does not leave with urine, and the body’s activity slows down. They are formed primarily in the loose tissue of the skin under the eyes, and then in other parts of the body. Symptoms are more pronounced in the morning, decreasing towards the end of the day. Therefore, if the legs swell more in the evening, then the culprit is likely to be veins damaged by varicose veins or disturbances in cardiac activity.
The mobility of swelling depending on changes in body position is a significant sign. After waking up, the fluid retained in the body “descends”: first the face swells, then the torso and arms, and then the thighs, calves and feet increase in size.
Another hallmark of renal edema is that it increases rapidly in size and then rapidly returns to renal function.
Symmetry also confirms the renal nature of edema of the face, body or limbs. Thus, thrombophlebitis and thrombosis of the deep veins of the pelvis or legs are more likely to present unilateral edema along the damaged vessel.
In addition, kidney disease is indicated by symptoms such as a change in the color and smell of urine (which often happens with pyelonephritis), a decrease in its amount, lower back pain, and general weakness.
Kidney diseases are not always accompanied by edema. As already mentioned, such a serious disease as renal vein thrombosis, developing gradually, may not show itself in any way. The closure of the vein will occur so slowly that blood flow will bypass the closed area, which means there will be no pain or noticeable swelling. Heaviness of the eyelids and bags under the eyes will be attributed to allergies or lack of sleep, and kidney function may already be impaired.
Therefore, if you suspect renal edema, it is recommended to consult a physician and undergo the following tests:
Before treatment with a nephrologist begins, consultation with an endocrinologist, cardiologist or neurologist may be required.
Acute forms of kidney disease are always accompanied by renal edema. But their rapid disappearance creates the illusion of recovery. As soon as noticeable symptoms disappear, treatment is stopped voluntarily. This leads to relapses of diseases or their transition to a chronic state.
In chronic kidney disease, edema is again not given enough attention. However, fluid retention in the body is not only a spoiled appearance, but also a failure of all internal organs. Therefore, renal edema should always be under medical supervision.
For pyelonephritis, glomerulonephritis, or when thrombosis of the renal or hepatic vein occurs, treatment will be different. It is aimed at the underlying disease. But to combat concomitant renal edema, the same means are used. These may be diuretics (furosemide, spironolactone, hydrochlorothiazide) or herbal diuretics.
Anticoagulants based on heparin or acetylsalicylic acid are often prescribed to avoid complications with renal vein blockage. A special diet protects against excess sodium; for the same purpose, to prevent an increase in blood volume while the amount of protein remains unchanged or decreases, the intake of any liquid is limited. They try to eliminate proteinuria by intravenous administration of protein drugs (blood plasma albumin).
With proper treatment of a disease that causes fluid retention under the eyes or in another part of the body, renal edema disappears earlier than others. The prognosis of most diseases is also favorable, provided that the recommendations of the attending physician are followed.
Puffiness of the face, bags under the eyes, swelling of the hands are the first signs indicating fluid retention in the body. The development of edematous syndrome is facilitated by diseases of the endocrine system, heart, liver and kidneys, taking medications, dietary errors, drinking disorders and individual manifestations of allergies. Determining the main provoking factor is necessary to effectively solve the problem. Edema in kidney diseases is most common. To eliminate them, it is necessary to identify and eliminate the cause of their occurrence, to exclude cross-disturbances in the functioning of other organs and systems, therefore, it is impossible to do without consulting a doctor and specialized examination.
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The work of the organs of the urinary system is normally aimed at eliminating excess fluid and metabolic by-products. With diseases and functional disorders, the function of the filtration system becomes difficult, the kidneys cannot cope with the increased load and edema syndrome occurs. It is associated not only with external manifestations in the form of edema, but is also accompanied by changes in the biochemical parameters of the blood and urine, which is caused by the pathological functioning of the renal tubules.
The causes of the development of renal edema are disturbances in the internal environment of the body, accumulation of substances that retain fluid, decreased filtration and parenchyma of the kidneys, insufficient throughput of the glomerular system or blockage of the urinary ducts:
To determine the cause of edema formation, biochemical blood and urine tests, instrumental and computer examinations are carried out, the main purpose of which is to identify the pathological process and the degree of its development.
The greatest danger is posed by edema in renal failure, the formation of which can develop over a long period of time or be lightning fast. The reason for their development is always impaired renal function, a decrease in the level of urine excreted and poisoning of the body with toxic breakdown products:
Edema syndrome is a sign not only of renal pathology; differential diagnosis most often requires distinguishing between diseases of the urinary and cardiovascular systems. The main difference is that in pathology caused by heart disease, swelling will be localized in the lower extremities. Kidney diseases are characterized by swelling in the eyes, cheekbones, and hands. Difficulties arise in diagnosis in the later stages, when swelling affects all areas of the body with the formation of general fluid retention.
The causes of the development of renal edema are different, the clinical picture of the disease differs in the combination of symptoms, but in general the pathological process has a similar development mechanism in all cases:
The process of formation of edematous syndrome resembles a vicious circle, breaking which is a therapeutic task.
In the treatment of renal edema, it is important to make a timely diagnosis, establish the exact cause of the development of the pathological condition and eliminate it as quickly as possible. To combat this, medications and traditional medicine methods are used, and a special diet and regimen are prescribed.
It should be remembered that self-administration of medications is unacceptable, since it erases the clinical picture, complicates diagnosis and provokes the development of complications. It is necessary to first study the biochemical composition of urine and blood, determine the functional state of the kidneys, and the presence of inflammatory and endocrine disorders. Depending on the identified cause underlying the formation of renal edema, adequate treatment is prescribed using drugs with specific effects.
To get rid of edema caused by kidney disease, use:
Anti-inflammatory drugs are used for treatment as auxiliaries, reduce the effects of the toxic effects of breakdown products, eliminate non-infectious inflammation and relieve pain.
Hemodialysis is required in acute conditions caused by renal failure, as replacement therapy to compensate for the functioning of damaged kidneys. Radical measures to get rid of renal edema also include surgical interventions.
Traditional remedies are considered additional methods in the treatment of edema caused by kidney disease. They have a symptomatic effect and do not affect the cause of the pathology. After drinking heavily at night or indulging in salty foods, your face and eyelids may swell in the morning. In such cases, folk recipes help get rid of external signs of fluid retention and are of a cosmetic nature:
Herbal decoctions of Chamomile, corn silk, cranberry and lingonberry fruit drinks have the ability to remove excess fluid from the body. All means act by creating conditions for increased diuresis or by creating conditions for the transfer of fluid into the area by osmotic pressure.
The diet and nature of nutrition in the treatment of diseases of the urinary system are important for alleviating the functional load on the kidneys.
In the acute period, a strict diet is recommended with complete salt restriction to reduce fluid retention, an abundance of vitamins and microelements that normalize water and electrolyte balance. A split meal with a large amount of easily digestible protein is prescribed. The products are subjected to gentle processing, with predominant steaming, stewing and boiling. Salted, smoked, pickled foods, strong tea and coffee, alcohol and confectionery are prohibited.
As the condition improves, a small amount of salt is gradually introduced into the diet; the diet is allowed to be diversified with dairy products, eggs, and vegetarian soups.
At all stages of dietary nutrition, the amount of fluid consumed and daily diuresis are monitored. If there are signs of water retention and manifestations of edema syndrome, reduce water consumption.
Treatment of diseases that provoke the formation of edema must be carried out under the strict supervision of a doctor, as well as under the control of biochemical parameters of urine and blood. Timely identification of the cause of the development of edematous syndrome and its elimination is the most important principle of successful therapy.
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