Swelling of the legs is the result of excessive accumulation of fluid in the body or an inflammatory process in injured areas: tissues or joints. Most often, this condition is a symptom of a disease, however, the most likely cause is excessive physical exertion on the legs. In this article, we will try to find out why the legs are swollen.
Heart dysfunction
The heart is one of the most important organs. If the heart does not function properly, and can not cope with the load, then this may cause the legs to swell. Cardiac edema has a number of characteristic signs:
- They develop slowly: over the course of weeks, months, and therefore practically do not disappear.
- Try an experiment: press on the front of the leg above the bone, hold your finger for 1-2 seconds. If there remains a cavity that slowly disappears, then the problem is poor heart function.
- Edema characteristic of heart failure begins with the legs and lower abdomen, spread symmetrically.
- They are combined with shortness of breath, tachycardia, pallor.
Edema of this kind occurs with severe heart failure, and disappears with compensation.
Phlebeurysm
For the swelling of the legs with this disease, some features are characteristic:
- At the beginning of the development of varicose veins, leg edema is not very pronounced.
- It is noticeable in the afternoon, disappears by morning due to a long horizontal position, and then reappears.
- Over time, swelling becomes more pronounced, ulcers and pigmentation appear on the skin.
- With this disease, edema is asymmetric (unlike heart), and, as a rule, are located on one leg.
Impaired renal function
When legs swell due to impaired renal function, special attention should be paid to this, since an acute inflammatory process is likely, leading in some โneglectedโ cases to a fatal outcome. Renal edema is easy to identify:
- Swelling in the area under the eyes, gradually spreading to the entire face.
- The skin of the face is pale, the swelling itself is loose and soft.
- Swelling occurs quickly, within one night or several days.
- Unlike cardiac edema, the kidneys are not accompanied by shortness of breath.
- Other symptoms of kidney pathology occur: headache and lumbar pain, general weakness, as well as a change in the color and amount of urine.
- May occur some time after a sore throat or ARVI.
Allergy
With allergic reactions, edema often occurs. They are very specific, therefore their identification does not cause difficulties:
- If the legs swell due to an allergy, then this only happens after contact with the allergen.
- Swelling occurs quickly (this may take several minutes).
- It often begins with the region of the eyelids, lips and has no limitation in distribution.
- Accompanied by itching.
When confirming allergic edema, you should immediately take an antihistamine (for example, "Ketotifen", "Diazolin", "Tavegil" if a large area is captured, you can give an injection of "Suprastin"). The fact is that edema can spread to the larynx in a short time, and in this case suffocation will occur, so an ambulance is so important.
Too much fluid intake
Excessive drinking can also cause swelling that goes away after a while without special treatment. To speed up the recovery process, you can take a diuretic and a harmless remedy - rosehip tea.
Long walking and overweight
With a heavy load on the legs in combination with running or walking, edema can also develop. This is the borderline between the disease and the norm, therefore, it is not worth treating this type of edema with medications. The problem is solved by reducing weight and reducing physical activity. As a rule, edema passes quickly after rest.
If your feet swell for an unknown reason, do not self-medicate, but seek qualified medical help from a doctor.