Some of the many common causes of fluid retention include: Gravity – standing up for long periods of time allows fluid to 'pool' in the tissues of the lower leg. Hot weather – the body tends to be less efficient at removing fluid from tissues during the summer months. Burns – including sunburn.
Moving and using the muscles in the part of the body that's swollen, especially the legs, might help move fluid back toward the heart. A health care provider can talk about exercises that might reduce swelling. Raise. Hold the swollen part of the body above the level of the heart several times a day.
Kidney disease.
Kidney disease can cause fluid and salts in the blood to build up. Edema linked to kidney disease usually occurs in the legs and around the eyes.
Seek medical care right away if your legs swell for no apparent reason, especially if you have unexplained leg pain, difficulty breathing, chest pain or other warning signs of a blood clot in your lungs or a heart condition. Many factors — varying greatly in severity — can cause leg swelling.
It's very important to see your healthcare provider if you experience edema or swelling in your body. Edema can stretch your skin and if not treated, swelling could increase and cause serious health problems. Edema can be a short-term or long-term condition, depending on its cause.
Swelling (edema) in your lower legs is another sign of a heart problem. When your heart doesn't work as well, blood flow slows and backs up in the veins in your legs. This causes fluid to build up in your tissues. You may also have swelling in your stomach or notice some weight gain.
When you have heart failure, your heart cannot pump blood around your body as well as it should, so fluid builds up in your body. This fluid can collect in your lungs, making you breathless, or in your legs and ankles, making them swell (oedema).
Seek emergency medical care if you have leg swelling and any of the following signs or symptoms, which can indicate a blood clot in your lungs or a serious heart condition: Chest pain. Difficulty breathing. Shortness of breath with exertion or lying flat in bed.
If left untreated, leg swelling can lead to associated infections, wounds and the development of permanent swelling. Any leg swelling associated with chest pain, dizziness, breathing difficulty or confusion warrants an emergency medical evaluation.
Water retention can also be the result of a medical condition involving organs such as the liver, heart, or kidneys. When an area of the body is not functioning properly, the body tends to retain fluid in that area of the body.
Walking and biking are also key forms of exercise. They utilize our calf muscles which help to reduce leg swelling by pumping blood back to the heart.
These types of edema cannot be cured, so the goal is management. Exercise, particularly involving the affected limbs, can help veins return blood to the heart. So does spending time with the affected limbs elevated above the heart.
Severe water retention can be a symptom of heart or kidney disease. More often, it is temporary and goes away on its own or with some simple lifestyle changes.
When the right side of the heart (right ventricle) starts to fail, fluid begins to collect in the feet and lower legs. Puffy leg swelling (edema) is a sign of right heart failure, especially if the edema is pitting edema. With pitting edema, a finger pressed on the swollen leg leaves an imprint.
If your injury continues to swell for more than a few days, it might be best to call a medical professional. The same goes for injuries that stay swollen for more than a few weeks ” it won't hurt to check in with a doctor to make sure everything is healing properly.
Leg swelling can result either from fluid buildup (fluid retention) or from inflammation in injured or diseased tissues or joints. Many of the causes of leg swelling, such as an injury or prolonged standing or sitting, are common, easily identified and no reason for concern.
Common reasons for swelling are conditions such as 'leaky' blood vessels, fluid or kidney issues, obesity, prior blood clots and more. Swelling can happen when excess fluid builds up, and the legs is a relatively common place for this to happen.
Uncontrolled hypertension can also lead to heart disease, which may present as swelling in your feet and legs.
Some of the most common signs and symptoms of cardiac edema include: Difficulty breathing when lying flat. Extreme shortness of breath. Swelling in your lower extremities.
The swelling of the feet, ankles, and lower legs is a common sign of heart failure. The condition, known as peripheral edema, is caused by the reduced force of blood flow through the body, causing blood to pool in the lower extremities.