Many people completely do not pay attention to various ailments, postponing until the last their visit to the doctor. A person usually seeks medical help even when the disease reaches its peak, and its symptoms are very pronounced. Doctors do not like this attitude to health, because treatment at an early stage of the disease helps to avoid a large number of complications, such as, for example, anasarca. What it is? This is a pronounced edema of the subcutaneous tissue due to the presence of excess fluid in it, which the body is not able to remove. In this article, we will take a closer look at this formidable complication.
Anasarka - what is it?
Anasarca is a diffuse swelling of the soft tissues, which is most often formed in the lower body. Various diseases contribute to its occurrence, and it is considered to be their complication. If the anasarka is not cured in a timely manner, this will lead to a severe deterioration in the state of health, since the liquid begins to accumulate not only in the subcutaneous layers, but also in all internal organs. The patient’s condition in this case is already regarded as very serious, requiring immediate medical correction. Thus, if anasarca occurs, symptoms and treatment should be monitored by a doctor.
Causes of anasarca
Swelling provokes various diseases. Since this is edema, the causes of anasarca are associated with a violation of the transcapillary fluid exchange between tissues and blood. This is a very serious complication requiring immediate medical attention.
Why are edema considered a formidable complication? The fact is that anasarca quite often accompanies severe, chronic diseases of the heart and blood vessels. Often, edema occurs as a result of the development of cancer. If there are pathologies of the urinary system, then swelling is formed as a result of a violation of the normal excretion of fluid from the body, which is very noticeable on the legs, arms and in the morning on the face.
With diseases of the heart and blood vessels, especially with heart failure, swelling is more pronounced in the evening. There is heaviness in the legs, tingling, pain, cramps of the calf muscles. When the foot is bent and the ankle joint turns painful.
Often anasarca occurs with circulatory disorders, insufficient heart function, when its pumping function is weakened. It provokes edema and myocardial infarction, as well as valvular defects, when connective tissue replaces muscle tissue.
Such reasons do not arise on their own, but one factor pulls another. It does not matter what causes the appearance of edema, since almost any disease can provoke the occurrence of anasarca.
Symptoms of anasarca in heart failure
The symptoms of puffiness and the degree of its progression are affected by the underlying disease. Anasarca with heart failure develops slowly, affecting the distal parts of the lower extremities. This is especially pronounced in the evenings. Why do edema occur in this area? Only here is hydrostatic pressure high due to remoteness from the heart.
If severe heart failure occurs, edema in significant quantities also begins to cover the lower back, front of the abdomen, genitals, and chest. Swelling in bedridden patients is most strongly formed in the region of the back and sacrum, which is explained by the influence of gravity. If the treatment is ineffective, then the anasarca provokes ascites (accumulation of fluid in the abdominal cavity) and pulmonary edema (hydrothorax).
Symptoms of anasarca in diseases of the kidneys and urinary system
If there is a pathology of the urinary system or diseased kidneys, the symptoms of anasarca begin to appear due to a violation of normal fluid filtration, as it begins to accumulate in the body. The volume of circulating blood increases, which leads to a lack of protein molecules in the plasma, and oncotic pressure decreases. Because of this, edema of the subcutaneous tissue occurs.
If a person has diseased kidneys, the symptoms of anasarca are diverse in degree of localization, severity, and resistance. In the first hours after waking up, bags form under the eyes, the face becomes puffy, hands begin to swell. If nephrotic syndrome begins to progress against a background of impaired mineral metabolism, an increase in swelling occurs. Anasarca develops very rapidly, and only the systemic hemodialysis can alleviate the condition of the patient.
Puffiness treatment
Many patients often have a question when the doctor recommends treating them with a disease such as anasarca: "What is it?" This is not even a disease, but a complication. If edema is of moderate severity and is manifested by a small accumulation of fluid in the soft tissues of the limbs, then drug therapy may not be necessary. In this case, the patient’s diet is revised, limiting salt intake. In addition, corrective knitwear should be worn.
If swelling is caused by heart failure and they affect all organs and systems, then the patient is prescribed bed rest using drugs of the cardiac glycoside group. In addition, the doctor may prescribe drugs that have a dilating effect on the walls of venous vessels. To eliminate metabolic disorders in the heart muscle, the patient is prescribed a group of cardiotropic metabolites.
The use of diuretics helps very well in edema. Anasarca, resulting from chronic heart disease, is treated with a combination of drugs such as Furosemide and Veroshpiron, and daily diuresis is necessarily controlled.
If diuretics are powerless, and swelling continues to progress, and respiratory failure occurs, then the doctor can decide on the surgical removal of fluid from the abdominal and pleural cavities using thoracic and pleurocentesis.
Treatment of puffiness with folk remedies
To treat edema caused by heart disease, birch leaves and buds are taken in equal amounts, chopped and added to them the same amount of bedstraw grass and parsley seeds. Mix and brew one tablespoon of this mixture in a glass of boiling water. The infusion is taken in the form of heat 3-4 times a day for a quarter cup.
Infusion of the leaves of May dandelion helps to get rid of swelling.
Output
Often patients ask the question: "Anasarca - what is it?" Now it became clear that this is a complication in the form of swelling that occurs with various diseases. At the slightest hint of this pathology, it is necessary to consult a doctor as soon as possible in order to avoid serious consequences.