Edema of the lower extremities

Edema of the lower extremities is a condition when the cells and intercellular space of the subcutaneous tissue is overfilled with fluid. The main localization of such a pathology of various origins are the legs and feet.

The phenomenon is explained by the fact that these parts of the body are subjected to a greater functional load in the process of active human activity and are remotely distant in relation to the central parts of the body, provided that they are in a vertical position.

Despite the fact that the limbs swell almost equally often in both sexes, it is believed that women during pregnancy are the first at risk. Regardless of who has become a victim of pathology, his condition is assessed on a scale of severity. The result demonstrates an imbalance between the actual capabilities of the body and the physiological mechanisms of the victim.

Symptoms of the onset of a serious illness

Swelling of the legs can sometimes act as a marker of the body’s ability to adapt to external negative conditions. But in most cases, such a signal indicates infection or functional disorders in the body.

To understand whether the deviations are of a stable physiological nature, which is a relatively safe condition, or we are talking about a disease, it is necessary to identify the causes of the development of the condition.

One of the main common signs that you need to start treatment immediately, clinicians call pastosity. The condition is due to the accumulation of fluid in the skin and fiber in the lower third of the limb or around the entire circumference of the ankle joint.

Checking for pastosity is easy at home. It is enough to press on the problem area. If the trace remains, then this is a reason to make an appointment with a therapist, since this phenomenon is an indicator of the start of the process of destabilization in the body.

The next important clue is local swelling. Outwardly, this condition is expressed in edema with localization in the ankle area, or around the circumference of the ankle joint. Moreover, the lesion can affect only one or both legs. To accurately answer the question: why is this happening, only the attending physician can.

Separately, the so-called pronounced swelling of the lower leg with the foot is considered, which often covers the space up to the knee, or can spread even higher. A typical sign of this symptom is a long-lasting trace after pressing on the problem area. Usually, in people who experience this, complaints are not limited to discomfort, as a rule, a feeling of heaviness is added, which is aggravated by active walking.

Trophic skin disorders are called one of the most difficult forms to treat. This classifies the extreme degree of swelling, constantly recurring, which leads to stretching and changes in the anatomical contours of the skin. With the presented clinical picture, the victims experience significant pain, which is caused by varying degrees of severity of skin anomalies:

• dermatitis;
• erosion;
• trophic ulcers;
• open wounds that turn into “open gates” for pathogens.

If you do not help the victim in the early stages of the development of the first symptoms of the disease, the manifestation of which is edema, then the pathology can cause the launch of irreversible processes in the body.

Causes of recurring edema

The most important point in the diagnosis and treatment of edema includes the realization that this condition is not an independent disease, but is a symptom of more dangerous diseases. In the prevention of such a condition, or the treatment of deviations in the early phase of development, damage to the capillaries, veins, and arteries of the lower extremities is quite successfully prevented.

It is easiest to correct violations for men and women if its primary source was a prolonged overvoltage provoked by a hydrostatic effect on the vessels due to a long stay in an upright position, which is typical for people of certain professions. Externally, this is expressed in:

• uniform swelling of both legs;
• pastosity around the entire circumference of the affected part;
• deterioration of health in the late afternoon, or almost immediately after a physically heavy physical load.

With irregular physical exertion, swelling disappears on its own during the night.

The constant presence of a symptom may indicate heart failure, which is characterized by:

• uneven swelling of the right and left legs with varying degrees of damage along the length of the limb;
• only a slight decrease in the feeling of fullness of blood vessels from the inside in the morning;
• different damage density.

With such symptoms, local treatment is ineffective and it is necessary to contact a cardiologist to draw up a scheme for helping with heart failure. Only the impact on the essence of the problem will neutralize the manifestations that cause discomfort.

But what if the ECG and other tests, examinations of the cardiovascular system showed that everything is in order with the heart muscle, but it didn’t get better? In this case, it is necessary to diagnose renal failure, because problems that cause aesthetic inconvenience are often a direct consequence of nephrotic syndrome.

Functional renal disorders may indicate:

• the same degree of expression;
• deterioration of health in the morning;
• subsidence of symptoms closer to sleep;
• puffy face.

No less often one has to deal with edema in venous pathologies, a striking example of which is varicose veins. The same can be traced with thrombophlebitis. Here, a typical picture provides for a greater severity of the lesion of one of the legs. Moreover, any prolonged stay in an upright position leads to a sharp deterioration in well-being. Often, the area around the ankle is most affected.

Another common ailment is lymphatic changes, especially after suffering erysipelas with consequences. Here the situation largely copies the symptoms of varicose veins. By themselves, such swelling rarely goes away, and due to the fact that they are easily confused with symptoms of other diseases, only an experienced specialist can make a final diagnosis, who will conduct an examination and also check the dorsum of the foot. In the presence of a “swollen pillow” with a high degree of probability, the applicant will be prescribed drugs for the treatment of lymphedema.

A little less often, destabilization of the osteoarticular system becomes a catalyst for the onset of edema. Also, severe pain, accompanied by swelling of varying severity, may indicate purulent-infiltrative diseases of the skin, soft tissues and bones. This is characteristic of fractures, bone fractures, cracks, wounds. Here, the removal of swelling is usually postponed, resorting to urgent measures, the provision of assistance to stop the bleeding and specialized care according to the nature of the injury.

Even an ordinary insect bite, followed by an allergic reaction, can cause a deterioration in well-being. This leads to swelling of the affected area. In such situations, with insect bites, local assistance is provided, which does not require a long methodical following of instructions, as with lymphostasis.

Other reasons include:

• hypothyroidism;
• myxedema;
• condition during pregnancy, premenstrual syndrome;
• adrenal hyperfunction;
• depletion of the alimentary type;
• neuroparalytic vascular disorders, which is characteristic of progressive pathologies of the nervous system.

There are known clinical cases when swelling was only indirect evidence of liver enlargement, other pathologies that are not directly related to changes in the mechanism of filling the intercellular space.

While searching for the source of the deviation, one should not discount psychosomatics against the background of emotional overload and stress.

Approved Treatment Methods

Independently cope with the elimination of pain in edema is only allowed with a one-time hydrostatic load on the feet due to prolonged muscle strain. Chronic analogues of the development of events require seeking specialized help.

Self-treatment according to various reference books like “We treat ourselves” is a bad idea that can lead to irreversible complications in a matter of months.

If hydrostatic swelling is detected without a pathological background, the following principles must be followed:

• limit physical activity;
• perform special gymnastics;
• periodically rest with the elevation of the calves above the body;
• wear compression stockings for preventive purposes.

To eliminate cosmetic defects, it is allowed to use ointments intended for the treatment of edema of venous origin. A good effect guarantees a properly performed massage.

The above condition often worries young people, while in the elderly, the development of edematous syndrome can be both a consequence of diseases of the vascular bed or the musculoskeletal system of the lower extremities, and a manifestation of a number of internal diseases. These diseases and pathological conditions are well known to local therapists and doctors of specialized hospitals: 1) chronic heart failure; 2) pathology of the kidneys, accompanied by nephrotic or acute nephritic syndrome (glomerulonephritis, amyloidosis of the kidneys, diabetic glomerulosclerosis, nephropathy of pregnancy, rheumatoid arthritis, systemic lupus erythematosus, lymphocytic leukemia, lymphogranulomatosis); 3) increased venous pressure: insufficiency of venous valves, varicose veins, acute venous thrombosis and its consequences, compression of the veins from the outside as a result of tumor growth.

With the involvement of both limbs in the process, it is possible to prescribe drugs with a high content of potassium. With their help, microelement losses are compensated for when using diuretics. However, it is worth remembering that in case of renal failure it is strictly forbidden to prescribe them. Their prescription is carefully carried out immediately after the operation.

The treatment regimen may include cardioprotectors, which do not directly eliminate puffiness, but stabilize the work of the heart muscle, thus preventing the development of swelling.

With edema of venous origin, compression is required using special knitted stockings, tights, and socks.

When undergoing therapy in a hospital setting, treatment may include prescribing drugs from the group of phlebotonics to patients, which help strengthen the walls of blood vessels. With regard to precautions and contraindications, when some types of phlebotonics, especially of plant origin, are prohibited for thrombosis, atherosclerosis, diabetes, trophic ulcers, osteoarthritis. The final decision in favor of their appointment is made by the attending physician.

Another mandatory item on the puffiness relief program is blood thinners, which reduce the level of blood viscosity.

Separately, local medicines are prescribed if the victim complains of atypical manifestations such as itching with redness, blueness, inflammation of the joints. The decision to use an ointment or gel to eliminate symptoms is made by the doctor based on the patient’s complaints.

Given the above, it becomes clear why it is so important to immediately consult a doctor at the first sign of edema. Only in this way will it be possible to establish the true source of the disease, as well as draw up an individual treatment regimen.

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