The lack of protein in the body, which occurs due to poor nutrition or rapid tissue breakdown, leads to the depletion of the main systems and organs. Weakening vessels, heart, and kidneys cannot maintain normal blood and lymph circulation, which are responsible for removing excess fluid from tissues. At the same time, a person begins to display hungry edema, and tissue samples taken for examination in a hospital show an abnormally low protein level.
Causes of edema
It is important to determine exactly what causes hypoproteinemia in case of fasting edema.
The main reasons include:
- adherence to a strict diet by the patient, in which the amount of proteins, fats and other valuable substances is significantly reduced;
- lack of the right amount of food due to an unfavorable situation in the family or problems with the budget;
- blocking the path along which food passes (this happens during narrowing of the esophagus);
- damage to the gastrointestinal tract by atrophy, ulcer or fistula (in this case, nutrients lose the ability to be fully absorbed);
- loss of proteins and other nutrients due to tissue damage by tumors, purulent or inflammatory processes;
- a significant deterioration in the recovery of protein compounds in cirrhosis;
- problems with the work of the brain, the nervous and endocrine system (severe stress, emotional depression, basic disease, imbalance of the adrenal glands);
- excessive psychological and physical stress on the body, which take up too much energy (in this case, food simply does not have time to make up for the right amount of energy in the body).
Danger of disease
The disease significantly reduces a person’s weight to critical levels, and also negatively affects the metabolic process in the body. The treating specialists were able to identify that with malnutrition, “hungry” tissues begin to actively absorb protein from the blood, since its amount in the liver and other organs is at a critical level. High-molecular compounds that are in the vessels accumulate fluid around them.
With a lack of protein, the liquid from the blood stream in large quantities passes into the tissues, since there is still some of it in them. It is from this moment that the appearance of hungry edema begins.
Signs of the disease
There are a large number of causes of hungry edema. Therefore, the task of each patient is to determine them correctly. Many patients cannot independently identify the pathogenesis of hungry edema, therefore, they simply connect them with the peculiarity of their body. The lower region of the leg swells to a greater extent: from the lower leg to the foot.
To determine the presence of edema, you need to carefully consider the appearance of the leg. The limb begins to noticeably increase, changes its initial shape, and begins to prick strongly. To any person, such symptoms cause significant discomfort. For example, in the morning it can be noted that a person is free to put on shoes, and in the evening he feels that his leg no longer fits in his shoe. You can accurately determine what happens to the tissues by simply clicking on the site of the alleged swelling. If it is, then in this case, when pressed, the dent will not become smooth soon.
Symptoms of food malnutrition
With food starvation, there is a chance of a coma and even death.
In addition to swelling and a sharp decrease in weight, the symptoms of the disease can be represented as follows:
- general weakness of the body, physical exhaustion, drowsiness;
- temperature drop to 30 degrees;
- cold in the limbs;
- dry skin surface;
- stratification of nails, brittle hair;
- heart and kidney failure, anemia, hypotension, and acidosis (the pH level in the body begins to deviate towards acidity);
- frequent urination and internal swelling in the body;
- delays or complete absence of menstruation.
Disease treatment
Hungry (protein-free) edema of the legs and other organs in most cases are treated with a diet, which is based on the content of proteins, vitamins, salts and useful trace elements in food. Without going to the attending physician, it will not be possible to restore normal weight and the state of the body. Due to the insufficient amount of secreted gastric juice and other violations of secretion, the digestive tract can process the first portions of food in only a minimal amount.
In especially difficult situations, intravenous administration of nutrients into the body is used. The amount of food consumed is increased very slowly and under the strict supervision of a doctor. Over time, meat, milk, eggs and dairy products are added to the menu. Only in this case can a possible deterioration of the patient's condition be avoided.
Together with the diet, the doctor prescribes a bed rest for the patient, which will help preserve the forces that are important for the body and start all compensatory processes. If the patient is physically overworked, occasionally eats salty foods, then edema returns in a short time.
The most difficult to get rid of ascites (dropsy of the abdomen). This type of edema goes away only if you strictly follow the doctor's recommendations. In order for the hungry edema to leave the legs and other parts of the body, the doctor prescribes special medications, physiotherapy, massage, as well as gymnastics. The main goal of treatment is to increase blood circulation, lymphatic drainage, protein synthesis, muscle building, as well as strengthening the entire body.
Using traditional medicine
In folk medicine, you can find a large number of recipes against puffiness.
With hungry edema, herbal medicines are used only in complex treatment and with the permission of the doctor.
A list of the most effective recipes is given below:
- Baths with plain or sea salt have a good decongestant effect. Heated water and 150-200 grams of salt are added to the bowl. To enhance the effect of the procedure, it is best to add a few tablespoons of apple cider vinegar. The resulting mixture helps to activate lymphatic drainage, restores skin to its former elasticity. The procedure must be performed within 20 minutes.
- One liter of hot water and half a glass of sage herb are poured into the bath, insist for seven minutes. Feet dipped in water for 15 minutes.
- In two glasses of boiling water add 50 g of grape leaves and insist for a quarter of an hour. The resulting solution is poured into a basin filled with warm water. Legs with edema are placed in the basin for 20 minutes. The procedure is recommended every day.
- Chamomile flowers, mint and birch leaves are mixed in equal amounts. For one liter of boiling water, add 4 tablespoons of this infusion, leave for an hour and filter. The resulting product is added to the bath.
Juices and herbs
Infusions of herbs and juices help relieve not only external but also internal edema.
The following recipes are popular:
- Pumpkin juice will help saturate the body with the necessary minerals, accelerate the removal of fluid from the tissues. To do this, you should drink half a glass of funds daily.
- A tablespoon of field horsetail is poured with a glass of boiling water, insisted for twenty minutes. The broth is filtered and taken five times a day for two tbsp. spoons for three weeks.
Possible complications
The consequences of hungry edema directly depend on the place of their appearance, duration and severity. Long-term accumulation of water in tissues negatively affects blood circulation, reduces the flow of nutrients into cells, leads to their compression, destruction of the structure. Due to edema, the functioning of the organ affected by them and those located next to it is impaired, resistance decreases.
In some cases, edema has certain benefits for the body. For example, with inflammation or intoxication, edematous fluid helps to significantly reduce the amount of toxins in the tissues.
First, the doctor must study the pathophysiology of hungry edema. When treating the lesion, it is important to make the right diet and start taking the drugs recommended by the doctor.