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Edema in pregnant women is one of the most common pathological phenomena during the period of gestation. Most expectant mothers have to deal with them, regardless of whether they had a predisposition to such a symptom before conception or not.
The reason for this symptom is the accumulation of fluid in the tissues, cellular and intercellular space. Moreover, far from always such an unpleasant condition simply indicates only hormonal changes in the body. Rarely, it is a sign of a more serious illness. Sometimes only a certain part of the body swells, which may indicate an allergy, which sometimes leads to swelling of the entire body. In addition, widespread edema often occurs with those who have chronic or acute kidney disease.
Standard classification of puffiness
Each pregnant woman experiences such an important period for herself in her own way. At the same time, the majority believes that the appearance of edema is a direct consequence of a spoiling appearance, but still a natural process. In fact, doctors can call such changes relatively normal only if the swelling is irregular, mild and without concomitant painful symptoms.
In this case, future mothers simply have to put up with some physical disabilities, as well as overcome the psychological barrier. But all this is easy to fix, knowing why puffiness occurs. You can get an answer to a question of interest, as well as qualified assistance, only from an experienced specialist. Using a thematic forum for this, looking for ways of traditional medicine to make you feel better, is a bad idea, because during pregnancy a woman is responsible not only for her life, but also for the life of her baby.
The main reason for the feeling that the body was filled with liquid from the inside is a change in the water-salt balance. An important factor that can worsen health is the failure of the outflow of blood, which occurs due to destabilization of the venous blood flow of the legs. Sometimes the pathology even affects the lymph, which, as a result, leads to significant changes in the blood cell composition along with the vascular wall.
Schematically, puffiness in women in position can be divided into four phases according to the development parameter:
- swelling of the lower parts of the legs – feet, legs;
- swelling throughout the lower limb, in the lower abdomen, lumbosacral region;
- swelling that captures the hands;
- completely captivating body.
It is not difficult to independently determine the degree of damage if you know what to do. To do this, you will need to conduct a small test with pressure on the supposedly problematic area of uXNUMXbuXNUMXbthe skin with your finger. If the skin almost instantly returned to its original position, then everything is in order. But when a hole remains at the site of pressure for a long time, this suggests the need to immediately contact a specialist for detailed advice.
Swelling with localization on the legs
In most cases, women are faced with situations where only their feet and ankles swell. The cause of this symptom is the lack of fluid in the body. The body requires increased amounts of pure water, which is expressed in an unquenchable feeling of thirst, which lasts literally around the clock.
If you continue to ignore the negative manifestations, do not look for how to remove the excess influx of fluid, then after a while the fair sex will face:
- the inability to wear a ring due to the fact that the fingers have greatly increased in size;
- the need to purchase shoes several sizes larger simply because the foot no longer fits into the old pair;
- puffiness of the face.
Moreover, the last point with the lion’s share of probability indicates that there is a high probability of developing preeclampsia. So in medical terminology they call late toxicosis, which has many serious consequences for both the mother and the fetus.
This condition occurs not earlier than the twentieth week. During this period, the attending physician will definitely send the patient to undergo an additional examination in order to identify its root cause, since the chance that this is not preeclampsia at all still remains.
When worries of this kind occur in the last month, then it is almost always the fault of the natural outflow of urine that is to blame. The deterioration is catalyzed not only by an increase in the uterus, but also by compression of the ureters.
According to medical statistics, most often pregnant women become victims of the following physiological problems, accompanied by edema of varying severity:
- standard pathologies;
- renal destabilization;
- diseases of the cardiovascular system;
- phlebeurysm.
Considering the main reasons for the beginning of the accumulation of fluid instead of its natural waste along with urine and sweat, you should pay attention to the fact that the fetus is getting larger every day. He needs increased space, stretching the uterus for this. The muscular walls have to literally “push” the nearest internal organs, which negatively affects their ability to perform the tasks originally assigned. “Under the distribution” are large arteries, veins.
In this scenario, even nose enlargement is not uncommon. Especially often it is necessary to fight against the accumulation of fluid in the intercellular space for those who are too lean on salinity, smoked meats, and preservation with an prohibitively high sodium content. But it is the ladies in the position that are famous for the fact that they love pickled cucumbers and other salty foods.
Separately, gestosis is considered, which is known for covering the entire body, and not just the lower limbs. If you find such a dangerous sign, you need to immediately seek help from a doctor who will tell you what to do, because standard methods of therapy here will not have the desired effect.
The categoricalness is explained by the fact that in addition to edema, a pregnant woman is faced with:
- a sharp weight gain;
- high blood pressure;
- vascular spasms;
- deterioration of the rheological properties of blood.
At the most neglected phase, even the onset of tissue death is possible.
No less often, glomerulonephritis is a source of pathology among those bearing a fetus. Some of the patients know about their chronic illness even before pregnancy, so they are ready for new difficulties, but there are also women who find out about their illness only in the antenatal clinic. They have to not only explain how to remove external unpleasant symptoms, but also facilitate the work of the kidneys.
If you ignore the kidney malaise, then it very quickly reaches the cardiovascular system. It makes itself felt in shaky health in the later stages, when instead of normal cardiac activity, the victim has to deal with:
- pain syndrome in the heart muscle;
- difficult breathing;
- sudden onset of weakness.
Here, no unloading day will help, and emergency hospitalization will be needed in a hospital, where specialists will monitor the patient.
Varicose veins stand apart, which is dangerous in itself. Varicose veins can begin even in those who have not previously experienced these problems, but now, with pressure on the vessels of the growing uterus, they are forced to put up with heaviness in the lower extremities, venous nodules.
With a mild degree of the course of the pathology, even a diuretic is not required. Doctors simply advise to rest more, avoiding significant physical exertion, including long walking, being in an upright position. Lunch rest on your side helps a lot, as well as reducing the intake of food that is rich in sodium, refusing to constantly add salt to food.
During an exacerbation, when more severe manifestations are noted, it is possible to use special pharmacy fees that have a mild diuretic effect, without affecting the fetus. But it is strictly forbidden to appoint them yourself.
The problem lies in the high risks of an allergic reaction of the body to an unfamiliar component, individual intolerance to the active substance. Also, the determination of the dosage, the regimen of administration, the duration of the therapeutic course should be carried out exclusively under the supervision of a physician.
It is extremely necessary to consult a doctor if, instead of a relatively minor swelling, various complications begin to manifest themselves. The most common of them are:
- weight gain exceeding the maximum allowable mark;
- pain in the lumbar region;
- distribution of swelling from the legs throughout the body.
A severe form of pathology is characterized by rapidly rising blood pressure. During a laboratory study of urine, which cannot be done on your own at home, an excess of protein is detected. Together, this indicates the risks of an unfavorable course of pregnancy.
What to do with swelling in the hands
The principle of how to deal with edema in the upper extremities is similar to how, if necessary, to deal with this problem when localized in the lower extremities. Here, fingers and wrists fall under the scope, which explains the need to temporarily stop wearing rings, bracelets, and other jewelry that can additionally cause problems.
As soon as the swelling in the hands becomes excessively pronounced, the hands lose their usual sensitivity, which causes significant discomfort to the victim.
Hormonal changes can provoke even hidden swelling of the internal organs, which are even more dangerous than their external counterparts. At the physiological level, the answer to the question should be sought in the production of the hormone progesterone. Because of it, women constantly experience sudden mood swings, and water, previously successfully removed naturally, begins to accumulate even when following their own daily rate.
Most people are familiar with what classic allergic edema looks like. Moreover, expectant mothers should be prepared for the fact that edema may appear as a reaction to products that the body previously tolerated quite well.
The mucous membranes of the respiratory system will have to be protected from atypical allergens. Even your favorite cream can provoke Quincke’s edema.
The indicated clinical picture requires immediate intervention by a doctor who will send a detailed diagnosis to find the root cause of the deviation and choose a treatment strategy.
If the test results show deviations within the physiological norm, then the help algorithm will only affect traditional tips like proper sleep and reduced physical activity.
But there are a number of clues that indicate that everything is not in order.
They include:
- numbness of the hands;
- wrist discomfort;
- tingling in the fingers.
The risk group included those representatives of the weaker sex, whose professional activities or hobbies are closely related to fine motor skills of the hands. We are talking about knitting, embroidery, weaving with beads. The same applies to those who, even during an “interesting situation”, continue to work at a computer for hours without interruption, constantly typing text. Such people, during the period of increase in the size of the upper limbs, will still have to be puzzled by how to remove the so-called tunnel syndrome, which is characterized by pain in the wrists.
You can work against the development of unpleasant symptoms in advance by engaging in effective prevention. It provides for the compilation of the most useful menu for every day. Also, the medical protocol provides for simple gymnastics for two to three minutes, pauses every hour of work.
When a swollen stomach, back, and sacrum are added to the relatively natural, asymptomatic swelling of the hands, these are the first warning signs of a deterioration in health. In such situations, you can not do without the help of a specialist. Delaying the visit to the clinic is life-threatening.
How to deal with swelling of the face
But if the swelling of the feet is, for the most part, a problem in reducing the quality of life of the expectant mother, then the puffiness on the face of many worries because of external unattractiveness, including.
Before deciding what you can drink, you need to figure out what phase of the pathology a particular patient is in.
To prevent a possible complication, the doctor will prescribe a diagnosis, and based on the results obtained, he will tell you what is taken in such cases. You will also have to come to terms with the fact that you will need to rebuild your own nutrition. Emphasis should be placed on a balanced water-salt metabolism.
Assistance Rules
In order not to miss serious complications caused by edema, you need to pay attention and be examined already when pastosity of the lower and upper extremities of the face appears.
Before you run and buy diuretic pills at the nearest pharmacy, you need to follow the weighing calendar, which allows you to control abnormal weight gain, which almost always leads to swelling. Even if the puffiness is outwardly little manifested, then developing so-called internal edema is possible. In this case, inpatient treatment will be required. Under the supervision of medical personnel, it will be possible to avoid one of the most dangerous scenarios – brain damage.
Also, each visit to the gynecologist should be accompanied by a urine test, which will allow time to see proteinuria at an advanced stage of the course.
If it turns out that there is puffiness of the face not only in the morning, but also an increase in the size of the labia, pharynx, bags under the eyes, then auxiliary diagnostics cannot be dispensed with. It includes:
- ultrasound examination of the kidneys;
- blood test;
- daily diuresis.
The latter implies the need to calculate the daily amount of fluid consumed and the amount of outgoing urine.
If during the examination it turns out that the condition fits within the physiologically acceptable limits, then magnesia and other medicines will be useless. Instead, it is better to drink ordinary purified water, in which lemon can be added. The preventive diet also includes a complete rejection of coffee consumption.
If it is confirmed that the provocateurs of complications are foods containing a huge amount of sodium in their composition, they will have to be excluded. These include:
- pickles;
- salty fish;
- nuts, other snacks that are still harmful and dangerous flavorings;
- olives;
- black bread;
- smoked products;
- fried food richly seasoned with spices.
In second place in importance is the fasting day. Here it is worth checking with the supervising doctor in advance what is prescribed to improve well-being. Usually limited to apples, juices. Removal of puffiness can be accelerated by taking a special pharmacy tea, decoctions of medicinal herbs.
We are talking about cranberries, lingonberries, rose hips, just a lingonberry leaf. A complete list will be provided by the doctor, who is also obliged to warn about the dangers of the listed plants if their permitted dosage is exceeded.
Another useful tip is to avoid hiking in the heat.
To avoid the appearance of edema, it is imperative to follow three common truths:
- eliminate overwork, stress factors;
- do not stay in the same position for a long time;
- engage in physical therapy.
Simple exercises will serve as a more effective tool for neutralizing unpleasant symptoms than a dubious local ointment.
But all this, like lymphatic drainage massage, is allowed to be performed if there are no significant contraindications. When feeling worse, compression stockings are recommended, but in the initial stages, many do without them, simply laying their legs on a small hill while resting in a horizontal position.
Help relieve symptoms at home:
- cool bath;
- decoction of dried apricots;
- gap stop
Some advise even resorting to yoga. We are talking about the posture of the cat, which is designed to relieve the spine a little, as well as alleviate the current condition.
Be sure to remember that the rate of salt intake during pregnancy is no more than eight grams per day.
If you know what to eat, do not exceed the allowed amount of salt, then at any stage of pregnancy it is really possible to maintain a healthy appearance, and also go to give birth without pathological conditions. But if you suspect unhealthy manifestations, you should play it safe and seek help from a doctor.
Effective Prevention Measures
Proper prevention will eliminate the need for therapeutic measures up to hospitalization.
The most common advice is the need to consume about 1,2 liters of fluid when mild swelling is detected. This number includes soups, any juices, teas, and not just pure water. But you need to refrain from the desire to drink sparkling water, because it is from it that more extensive swelling occurs.
If the condition allows and there is a desire, then you can sign up for special gymnastics for pregnant women, which helps to keep yourself in shape, and also prepares the body for the upcoming birth, reducing the risk of edema.
Instead of pickles, it is necessary to give preference to stewed, boiled, steamed food. Porridges, fruits are welcome.
Despite the fact that in recent months women become less active, they should not sit in four walls, observing strict bed rest. Not long walks in the fresh air contribute to the improvement of the general condition.
This is explained by the fact that when walking, the circulatory system begins to function most actively, distilling blood faster. This will make the fluid, including the lymphatic, move faster. Expelling excess fluid from the intercellular space, which is eliminated with sweat or urination, it will be more productive to cope with puffiness.
But before going out, you should make sure that the shoes will definitely be the right size or even a little more.
Many patients are interested in whether all pregnant women experience swollen legs and arms. No, not all. But most of it is right. Another small percentage of the fairer sex begins to prepare for the possible “side effects” of bearing the fetus as early as possible, switching to a proper diet in advance, before pregnancy.
When planning a replenishment in the family, a complete medical examination helps a lot, which will eliminate the risks of hidden kidney diseases, which further exacerbates swelling. After all, it is precisely this etiology that is most problematic.
But self-medication is the last thing a pregnant woman should deal with.
Grandmother’s recipes, unverified advice on the forum – all this can lead to a sharp deterioration in health. What can we say about those who decided to drink a decoction of medicinal herbs for the first time, without making sure that she did not have an allergic reaction to plant components. Even simple dill water can trigger anaphylactic shock.
To avoid this, at the first sign of aggravation of the situation, you should seek the help of a doctor.