Almost every person at least once in his life noticed that his leg was swollen in the ankle area. If young men are a little negligent in their health, then women and older people pay attention even to small swelling, as they indicate a malfunction in the body, and sometimes quite serious ones. In addition, puffiness spoils the appearance of the legs and makes it impossible to wear short skirts and tight heeled shoes.
The most common reasons ankle swells are long stays in the same position, long standing or sitting, obesity, pregnancy,
old age. If the ankles swell precisely because of this, then eliminate or at least reduce this unpleasant effect by placing tired legs above the level of the heart.
Why do the ankles swell?
The foot in the ankle swells quite often, and there are a number of dangerous reasons for this, associated with the malfunctioning of organs or the whole organism. These include renal, hepatic, or cardiac congestive failure. If the leg is swollen in the ankle region, this may indicate a previous infectious disease or problems associated with the thyroid gland. This may be thrombocytosis, venous insufficiency or varicose veins.
Less dangerous reasons include insect bites, burns to the skin of the legs, starvation, prolonged stay in one position. Why are women more often faced with this problem? The answer is simple: because of their desire for beauty. They wear uncomfortable high heels, since the studs visually lengthen the legs and make them slimmer, but the girls do not take into account the fact that such beauty comes at a high price. Orthopedists recommend wearing comfortable shoes that do not squeeze the foot and ankles. If the lady cannot live without heels at all, then they should be worn only a couple of hours a day.
Almost every girl is faced with the problem of leaking ankles during pregnancy.
This is due to a sharp increase in body weight, changes in the water-alkaline balance, and disturbances in the microcirculation of blood and lymph in the body.
You need to carefully listen to your feelings, then it will be possible to identify various serious diseases in the early stages. Below are the main reasons that cause an ankle swelling.
Arthrosis as a result of joint subluxation
If the patient’s speech at the doctor’s appointment begins with the words “My ankle is sore and swollen,” the doctor may diagnose arthritis. As a rule, with this disease, other joints also swell and hurt. In this case, immediate treatment is necessary, because, firstly, the disease brings severe inconvenience: the legs are very aching and disturb the person, especially at night; secondly, if proper treatment is not done on time, the consequences can be very dire.
After jogging
If the leg is swollen in the ankle area after physical exertion, especially after running, then, most likely, the matter is in the wrong shoes. It is necessary to carefully choose sneakers. If you can’t do it yourself, the seller’s consultation will help. Special running sneakers have been developed , but for some reason people ignore this fact, believing that the sneakers will perfectly cope with this role. But here the phrase is relevant: "You can’t save on health." It’s better to splurge on athletic shoes once than treat ankles later. In addition, you should not rush into sports, as in a whirlpool with your head. Loads should increase gradually and in moderation.
After an insect bite
If after the bite of some insects the ankle is swollen, then the first thing to do is to attach ice wrapped in dense tissue. In addition, it is necessary to wipe the affected area with any alcohol-containing solution. This will disinfect the site of the bite, anesthetize, and if necessary, stop the bleeding. If the foot itches, soda solution will help.
Ankle edema can persist for up to several weeks. If the recovery is delayed, then the help of a specialist is necessary, since the blood circulation is disturbed as a result of the outflow.
Sprains and fractures
If the ankle is swollen sharply, then most likely the person has understood the muscles, since it is in this case that hemorrhage occurs, accompanied by severe pain. It penetrates the entire leg while trying to turn the foot inward. In this case, qualified assistance is needed, do not self-medicate. It is the doctor who will be able to distinguish stretching from a more serious problem - a fracture. He will prescribe you an X-ray and, if necessary, apply a cast.
Swollen ankles: what to do?
If the causes of leg edema are not serious, then you can try to eliminate this nuisance by reducing the amount of fluid you drink per day, and try to limit, or even completely eliminate, salt and alcohol from your diet. If the leg is swollen in the ankle area, then rubbing tired ankles with frozen cubes of chamomile broth will help. Legs should be given more frequent breathing, putting them on a slight height. Pamper your legs after a hard day with salt baths and a contrast shower.
Moderate physical exertion will help cope with puffiness: a "bicycle" with your feet lying on your back, walking on toes, rotation of the feet, as well as squeezing and unclenching your fingers.
In no case do you need to prescribe diuretics for yourself. They will undoubtedly eliminate edema by removing excess moisture from the body, but they will not eliminate the cause.
In folk medicine, there are several ways to relieve ankle swelling, but it is better to use them in combination with traditional treatment. If you drink a decoction of flax for 2 weeks, then the legs will again become slim and light. To do this, take 2 tablespoons of flax seeds, pour a liter of boiling water and let it brew for 2 hours. The resulting broth should be drunk per day.
If you make it a rule to monitor your health, walk only in comfortable high-quality shoes, then such a problem as swelling of the ankles will be unfamiliar to you.