The human body is a harmonious system of organs. Failure of even a small “detail” of our mechanism can lead to disruption in the work of others. One of the symptoms of a problem in the body is swelling of the extremities. The process usually begins with the fingers of the hand, then passes to the whole hand. If you notice that in the morning the ring cannot be put on your finger, do not leave the swelling unattended. Observe if everything recovered in a few hours, which means that you can calm down by understanding the reasons yourself. Maybe before bedtime you drank tea or compote, ate something sharp or salty. Try not to allow this anymore and double-check your fingers the next day.
If all repeated, it is better to consult a doctor for advice and identify the cause of the incident. However, if the swelling of the hand does not subside during the day, you must definitely go to an appointment with your doctor. Such processes are the first “bells and whistles” of serious disorders in the functioning of internal organs - the liver, pancreas, kidneys, thyroid gland and even the heart.
In the article, we will consider what swelling of the left arm and leg is talking about, what organs need to be checked so as not to miss the onset of a serious illness.
What is swelling
Edema itself is not a disease. However, the appearance of stagnant processes in the tissues tells the specialist about the presence of the disease. The causes of edema are in violation of the outflow of blood. A prolonged period of stagnation of blood in the venous vessels causes hydrostatic pressure on the walls. In this case, the liquid is squeezed out, passing into the capillaries and tissues, fills the interstitial space. So it turns out to be swelling. Consider the possible reasons why the left arm swells. Some of them are evidence of malnutrition, while others report a problem with other organs and require an immediate solution to the problem.
How to recognize edema
Swelling of the fingers or hands can be recognized by a simple visual inspection. Compare the left and right limbs by placing them side by side. Edema is clearly visible to people who wear rings. In the morning it is impossible to remove the jewelry or, conversely, put on what was removed for the night. Another option for checking the appearance of swelling of the limb is pressing on the skin with a finger.
First, a white spot and a dent appear, then the skin evens out within 30-60 seconds. If recovery takes much longer - this is a signal to urgently go to the doctor.
Swelling of the legs can be recognized either by comparison with another limb, or putting on shoes, which suddenly begins to crush.
Causes of edema
The most common cause of swelling of the left hand is considered to be an excess of drunk fluid at night. They appear mainly on the fingers after sleep and pass in a couple of hours. If this happens often, then do not leave it unattended.
Swelling of the fingers of the left hand may indicate an allergic reaction of the body. It can be skin contact with detergents, detergent, cosmetic products. If you are taking medications, then read the instructions carefully, maybe in the list of side effects there is swelling of the limbs.
Swelling of the hands may appear after a large amount of alcohol and overeating. If, after the next feast, you notice that the left arm is swelling, then think about the right lifestyle, as the problem may concern the kidneys or liver.
Often suffer from swelling of the left arm and legs, however, like the right limbs, pregnant women are especially visible swelling in the last trimester, when the stomach is already large, the grown child puts pressure not only on other organs, but also on blood vessels, increasing the onset of fluid on neighboring tissues, which causes edema. The legs swell from the pressure of the fetus in the uterus to the veins of the pelvis.
Tight leg trousers are now in fashion. Edema of the legs may also appear from wearing tight clothing, as long squeezing of the veins leads to the release of excess fluid beyond the vessels into the tissue.
Swelling of the extremities can before menstruation. Most often this happens 1 or 2 days before they start. This phenomenon is not observed in all women, but about 8% suffer from swelling of the hands during this period.
Bruises and injuries
Bruising, bone fractures, or fractures can cause left hand swelling. After the injury, you need to put the limb on a hill and apply cold to a bruised place.
To do this, you can use the ice from the refrigerator, just be sure to wrap it in a napkin or waffle towel. If the sore spot is still swollen after night, consult a surgeon, take an X-ray to exclude a fracture. Injuries can also cause swelling of the left hand or right hand.
Overweight swelling
Another common cause of edema is considered extra pounds. Being overweight makes physical activity more difficult and constricts blood vessels, creating stagnation of venous blood. To get rid of this problem, take your health seriously.
If you can’t lose weight on your own, seek the help of an experienced nutritionist, be more in motion, sign up for fitness or in the gym. The trainer will select exercises for weight loss, blood will better circulate through the vessels, will not linger, and put pressure on the walls. Thus, problems with edema will go away by themselves.
Chronic fatigue
In the morning they discovered that the left hand was swollen? What can it talk about? Nervous overstrain, fatigue from long and tiring work, short sleep or insomnia, irregular diet, improper day regimen, where there is no alternation of work and rest. All this, in the end, will lead to malfunctions of the debugged system of the body.
Stop! Think about your health! Change the mode of the day, take a few days off, go to the resort and have a good rest. Try to organize proper, fractional nutrition, arrange snacks even at work. If the swelling does not go away after rest, then consult a doctor and conduct an examination. Maybe the cause of the disease lies in other organs.
Symptoms of Serious Disease
If the left arm swells severely, this can signal a heart problem (after a stroke or heart attack), with lymph drainage, for example, after surgery. Often immobilized hands swell in paralyzed people.
If the area of the hand swelling swells, this indicates compression of the subclavian vein. This large vessel tells about neurology, a tumor or trauma.
Swelling of the fingers of the left hand, which quickly spread first to the hand, and then rise right up to the shoulder, report problems with metabolism and excretion of moisture by the kidneys.
Blood poisoning or an onset of an abscess may also be accompanied by swelling of the hands.
We list the main diseases that have swelling of the hands as a symptom:
- Phlebeurysm.
- Thrombosis.
- Arthritis or arthrosis.
- Polio.
- Syringomyelia.
Danger Signals
A doctor’s consultation and a serious examination of internal organs are urgently required if:
- Unilateral edema, for example, only the left arm swells.
- In addition to limbs, edema appears on the neck, eyelids or legs.
- Asymmetric edema indicates the presence of pathology.
- The swelling does not subside for a long time during the day.
- When a dent is pressed on a swollen limb, several minutes are restored.
The presence of at least one of the listed symptoms should alert the person. Without putting off going to the doctor in the "long box", make an appointment. The doctor is a phlebologist.
Diagnosis and treatment
After visiting a doctor, you need to undergo a diagnosis of internal organs, pass basic blood and urine tests. They check the lungs, and women can be referred for a consultation with a mammologist.
In order for moisture to leave the body faster, diuretics are prescribed. However, diuretics have the ability to remove potassium from the body, so the doctor must prescribe potassium preparations to make up for the loss.
If there are problems with the veins, you need to choose compression linings with the doctor that will support the vascular structure.
The use of ointments or medicinal gels will help with swelling of the left hand.
Be sure to treat the underlying disease. It is also necessary to reduce fluid intake, this includes not only water, but also tea, coffee, soups, juicy fruits and vegetables. The last intake of fluid should be at least 3 hours before bedtime. Do not eat spicy and salty, give up completely on alcoholic beverages and products that contain alcohol.
It is necessary to normalize the alternation of work and rest, not to lift weights, to give the hands the smallest load. Relax more, do not be nervous, sleep at least 8 hours.
Exercise stress
With edema, activity of movements is recommended. Warming up the muscles will lead to better blood circulation in the vessels, which eliminates the formation of swelling in the hands. The load should not be too large, gymnastics in the mornings and two hours before bedtime, as well as long walks throughout the day will be enough.
Good contributes to good blood flow swimming. Keep your muscles in good shape and soon you will forget about swelling. It helps massage the hands and fingers. Movement should be gentle, fingertips.
Water treatments
If your fingers swell, then contrasting bathtubs will help to cope with the problem. From a sharp drop in water temperature, blood circulation in the vessels improves, which will relieve the veins of stagnation.
You can use a full-body contrast shower. First warm up the body, and then turn on cold water. So repeat several times, and then rub the body well with a bath towel.
It is recommended during the treatment of edema of the left hand at least once a week to visit a sauna or a Russian bath, combining temperature contrast with excellent cleansing of the pores of the skin and sweat ducts.
Salt baths for both hands and the whole body will help cope with edema. The temperature should be 42-45 degrees, not less. On a full bath you need to fill up 300 grams of sea salt. Lying in salt water is recommended no more than 30 minutes.
Alternative methods of treating edema
- Pumpkin juice. Squeeze on a juicer and drink one glass of fresh juice per day for a month.
- Caraway seeds are poured with hot water in the proportion: 1 tbsp. liquids - 2-3 teaspoons of seeds. They insist a couple of hours, then they drink a little during the day. Treatment lasts one week, then you need a break.
- One teaspoon of pine buds is boiled in a glass of water for 15 minutes, then the solution should be infused for a couple of hours. Drink in small portions in one day.
- One Art. a spoon of stalks of cherry is poured in a glass of boiling water and boil everything for 15 minutes. Drink one third of a glass 3-4 times a day. It is advisable to brew fresh broth daily.
- 4 teaspoons of flax seed is poured with a liter of water in an enameled container. After boiling, cook for 5 minutes. And removing from the heat, cover with a thick towel or blanket. Thus, the tincture is gradually cooled over several hours. You need to drink every 2 hours for half a glass, having previously filtered through several layers of gauze. For taste, you can add a slice of lemon.
- Take equal parts of herbs - nettle, St. John's wort, plantain and bearberry, for example, 1 tbsp. l., and mix in a bowl. Then one tablespoon of the mixture (preferably finely chopped herbs) is poured into 600 ml of water. Put a bowl on the fire and after boiling boil for 5 minutes. Then for 1 hour, everything is insisted at room temperature and filtered through gauze or a fine sieve before use. You need to drink the broth in one day in several stages.
With the right treatment, swelling will disappear quickly. It is only necessary to undergo an examination to exclude serious diseases of the internal organs. Be healthy!