Edema: Causes, Symptoms & Treatment

What is Edema?

The medical term for swelling brought on by fluid becoming trapped in your body's tissues is edema. Edema can affect your face, hands, abdomen, and legs, but it most frequently affects your feet, ankles, and legs.

 Causes of Edema

Finding the reason for the fluid buildup in your tissues is the next step your healthcare professional will take after diagnosing you with edema. A diagnosis of edema may result from a number of factors, including:

• Gravity: Water will inevitably pull down into your arms, legs, and feet if you spend a lot of time sitting or standing still for an extended period of time.
• Veins with weak valves: Veins with weak valves have a difficult time pumping blood back up to the heart, which causes varicose veins and an accumulation of fluid in the legs.
• Underlying medical conditions: Edema is a symptom of underlying medical conditions, such as heart failure and lung, liver, renal, and thyroid diseases.
• Medication side-effect: Edema is a side effect of several medications, such as those used to treat high blood pressure or chronic pain.
• Inadequate nutrition: Fluid may accumulate in many parts of your body if you don't eat a well-balanced diet or if you consume a lot of foods heavy in salt (sodium).
• Pregnancy: Pregnancy causes swelling in the legs because the uterus puts pressure on the blood vessels in the lower part of the body.
• Immune system compromised: Edema can be brought on by an allergic reaction, an infection, burns, trauma, or clots.

Symptoms of Edema

Your bodily swelling is a sign of edema. When there is an accumulation of fluid in your tissues, swelling happens when a portion of your body enlarges. Although swelling can occur everywhere on the body, it typically affects the feet, ankles, and legs.

Swelling signs and symptoms include the following:

• Your body has changed in size from the previous day in one location.
• On the swelling area, the skin appears stretched and glossy.
• You might face walking challenges if your feet, ankles, or legs swell.
• You might be coughing or having breathing issues.
• Your enlarged body part feels tight or full to you.
• You might experience a slight ache or soreness in the afflicted area.

When to see a doctor for Edema?

If you encounter any of the following, contact your doctor right away:

• Pain or discolored skin in an area that is swollen
• A visible wound on a swollen area
• Respiration difficulty
• Swelling in only one limb
• You have problems moving or you have trouble walking