Complaints that the foot is swollen (swollen) can often be heard from women and men. This phenomenon is caused by an increased content of fluid, which accumulates in the body and makes the tissues looser. As a result of this process, an increase in the volume of the lower limb occurs, which brings a lot of discomfort to a person. However, it should be borne in mind that edema that occurs in the foot area is not at all classified as an independent pathology. This is only a symptom that needs to be correctly interpreted and is the body's response either to an external stimulus or to an internal disease. Anyone who asks the question “what to do - is the foot swollen?”, it is necessary to understand that this phenomenon will require treatment, in which the main attention should be paid to causal therapy.
First manifestations of puffiness
At the beginning of the development of the disease, a person may not even notice that the foot is swollen. However, despite minor changes, this phenomenon can be identified by the presence of the following symptoms:
- the occurrence of pain whenwalking;
- feeling of heaviness in the legs in the evening hours;
- brighter expression of the venous bed;
- difficulty putting on or taking off shoes due to a slight increase in foot volume.
It should be borne in mind that if the foot is swollen, and the cause of this phenomenon is not eliminated in time, then the symptoms of swelling will gradually increase, bringing even more discomfort.
Clinical stages
The increase in symptoms of swelling of the legs goes through certain stages.
Among them:
- the appearance of a noticeable trace after pressing on the area of swelling;
- spread of edema to the calf area, which brings discomfort not only when putting on shoes, but also while walking;
- spread of the tumor up to the knee joints;
- the occurrence of severe stretching of the skin due to fluid accumulated in the tissues, which causes cracks, tears, dermatitis and trophic ulcers.
Causes of edema in he althy people
Why is my foot swollen? This question worries all those who are faced with a similar phenomenon.
The reason that the leg is swollen in the foot area may be:
- Injury to limbs. People often complain that the foot is swollen after a fall. There is swelling and as a result of any injury to the leg. If, in the event of a similar situation, the foot is swollen and hurts, what should a person do? He needs immediatelyconsult a doctor for diagnosis and first aid. With severe pain in the leg after an injury, an ambulance should be called. This will avoid negative consequences in the form of bone displacement and hemorrhage. If, after a fall or injury, despite the occurrence of edema, a person is able to move independently, then he should smear the foot with a special ointment or cream with a decongestant effect. Very often situations arise when a person twisted his foot, and it swelled up within a short period of time. In this case, the lower limb will need to be fixed, allow the person to lie down and apply ice or any cold object to the affected area. This will relieve pain and prevent further spread of edema. If the joint is damaged before the arrival of the doctor, you should not try to set it. It is better to attach a splint to the leg and bandage it as tightly as possible.
- Irrational nutrition. Often, complaints that the foot is swollen can be heard from people who eat unhe althy foods and have an unbalanced diet. Excessively s alty food can have a negative impact on the internal systems of our body, preventing its full supply of liquid. In connection with the violation of the water-s alt balance, many people complain that the leg is swollen around the foot. What to do in such cases? To fix the problem, you will need to adjust your diet by including more low-s alt foods in your daily diet, while controlling the amount of fluid you drink. In addition, you will have to give uplight and fast carbohydrates that retain fluid in the body twice as intensely as s alt.
- Frequent drinking. Alcohol negatively affects the pancreas, kidneys, liver and other internal organs. That is why a drinking person can always be distinguished by swelling of the face, as well as lower and upper limbs. The fluid in his body is delayed due to a malfunction in the liver, which cannot cope with the toxins from alcohol-containing drinks.
- Passing a course of therapy. Complaints that the foot of the foot is swollen can also come from a person who takes medication prescribed by a doctor to get rid of a particular disease. This is due to the ability of certain drugs to prevent the removal of fluid from the body. Sometimes swelling of the lower extremities is observed in people before or after surgery. After all, such patients are prescribed droppers every day and inject into the body a large amount of liquid medicines that the kidneys cannot handle. What to do if the foot of the foot is swollen for this reason? The patient should consult a doctor for the appointment of diuretic drugs. After passing the necessary course of treatment, the swelling of the feet will begin to go away on its own.
- Overweight. Edema in the legs occurs with any degree of obesity. This is due to the he alth problems that obese people have, as well as the heavy load on the body during physical activity.
- Climatic conditions. Often, the legs swell in the summer due to high temperature conditions. This is due to the high fluid intake in the heat andsedentary lifestyle while on vacation. Sometimes swelling of the legs occurs with sudden changes in climatic conditions. This happens, for example, during holidays in hot countries, where tourists go in winter.
Swelling in men
Representatives of the strong half of humanity often suffer from swelling of the legs due to venous insufficiency. After all, their professions are often associated with lifting weights and heavy physical exertion. In addition, sometimes a man's foot swells after an intensive sports training. A similar phenomenon occurs due to fluid stagnation against the background of profuse sweating and lack of moisture replenishment.
Swelling of the feet in men is also provoked by their taste preferences. After all, representatives of the strong half of humanity prefer spicy, fatty and richly s alted food. Sometimes overweight men, in order to get rid of extra pounds, begin to adhere to painful diets. At this time, they may experience swelling of the foot due to insufficient protein intake.
Edema in women
Tumor of the foot in the fairer sex is often associated with hormonal changes. This happens:
- before menstruation;
- during menopause;
- during pregnancy;
- after giving birth.
The reasons described above are normal physiological phenomena. That is why they do not require special treatment. However, in cases where such phenomenaare persistent or occur too often, you should definitely consult a doctor.
Often, the legs in the foot area of women swell due to wearing high-heeled shoes. In this case, the support moves from heel to toe. The leg takes an unnatural position, which impairs blood flow in it. It provokes swelling and too narrow shoes. How to eliminate puffiness that arose for this reason? Doctors advise wearing loose shoes with medium heels or changing shoes throughout the day.
Edema in diseases
Swelling of the lower extremities can be caused by:
- Heart disease. In this case, the doctor without fail prescribes diuretics to his patient.
- Kidney disease. Urological pathologies very often cause swelling of the legs. The kidneys stop working at their normal rate, making them unable to handle the large amount of fluid.
- Diseases of the joints. The consequence of these pathologies are strong changes in the articular tissue, which leads to the accumulation of a large amount of fluid. If swelling is detected, the patient should urgently consult a doctor who will prescribe, in addition to analgesics, other medications that have an anti-inflammatory effect.
- Allergic reactions. Sometimes the cause of foot edema is the body's reaction to medicines, food, plant pollen, etc. Allergy symptoms, including swelling, may disappear after taking antihistamines.drugs.
- Vascular diseases. Such pathologies are certainly accompanied by swelling of the lower extremities. As a rule, patients complain that this phenomenon occurs after dinner, passing by the morning. In these cases, doctors prescribe drugs to their patients that help strengthen the walls of blood vessels and veins, as well as improve blood quality.
Types of edema
Depending on the cause of the negative phenomenon, experts distinguish:
- Congestive edema. They, as a rule, are formed due to an increase in vascular permeability and the occurrence of excess pressure in the capillaries. This happens with thrombophlebitis and varicose veins. Blood begins to stagnate in the veins, penetrating through their walls into the tissues.
- Hydermic edema. Their occurrence is associated with the accumulation of excess fluid caused by kidney pathologies. These organs lose their filtering abilities, which is accompanied by damage to the tubules. In this regard, the fluid gradually leaves the bloodstream, moving into the tissues.
- Neuropathic edema. They occur in people suffering from diabetes or alcoholism.
- Cachexic edema. The reason for their appearance is alimentary insufficiency, which occurs with malignant tumors, low intake of proteins, chronic anemia.
- Allergic edema. A similar phenomenon is associated with a negative reaction of the body to certain substances.
- Mechanical swelling. Their appearance is caused by injuries, as a result of which there is a reaction of soft tissues or bones to the lesion.
Diagnostics
As you can see, the causes of a tumor in the foot can be very different. If the swelling of the legs is of a short-term nature and is associated with a large amount of liquid drunk or with heat, then you do not need to go to the doctor. This phenomenon will pass on its own. However, if the swollen foot hurts or has signs of allergies, difficulty breathing and shortness of breath, then a visit to the doctor is required.
The causes of swelling of the legs should not be looked for on your own. The therapist will identify them by conducting a visual examination, analyzing the circumstances of the symptom and, if necessary, prescribing certain studies in the form:
- blood test (deployed and clotting);
- ultrasound examination of blood vessels, abdominal cavity and pelvic organs;
- electrocardiograms;
- hormone checks;
- radiography;
- tomography, etc.
If necessary, the therapist will send the patient for a consultation with other specialists - a cardiologist, gynecologist, endocrinologist, phlebologist, angiologist or nephrologist.
Elimination of external manifestations
But, as you know, any diagnosis will require some time, and swelling in the feet already today causes discomfort and complicates life.
That is why there are some general guidelines that can bring relief before an accurate diagnosis is made. They include:
- s alt restriction;
- drinking no more than 2-2.5 liters of liquid during the day;
- water treatments in the form of swimming in a pond or pool, taking foot baths and a contrast shower;
- rest in a horizontal position with the legs on the pillow or on the roller;
- carrying out a light massage with movements directed from the bottom up;
- Performing simple gymnastic exercises in the form of walking on tiptoe, rolling a ball on the floor with your feet and rotating your feet.
Doctor prescribed treatment
After diagnosing, the doctor will recommend the necessary course of therapy. Depending on the reason that caused the swelling of the foot, the following methods can be applied:
- following a special water and s alt restricted diet;
- wearing compression underwear - tights, stockings or stockings;
- use of various anti-inflammatory gels and ointments that improve blood circulation, eliminate microthrombosis and strengthen the walls of veins and capillaries;
- taking diuretics, which must be drunk only as prescribed by the doctor courses to avoid dehydration, the occurrence of sudden jumps in blood pressure and the appearance of many other side effects;
- lymphatic drainage hardware massage that relieves not only swelling, but also tired legs, restoring their former attractiveness;
- prescribing a complex of drugs for cardiac edema, which can increase myocardial contractility, reduce vascular tone and stress on the heart muscle.
Prevention measures
Sometimes in orderto prevent the occurrence of swelling on the legs, it is enough to follow simple tips.
If the doctors, after diagnosing, did not find serious problems, then they should:
- when sedentary work, get up and walk around the room every hour, while doing light gymnastics;
- make sure that the edge of the chair does not put pressure on your legs;
- when standing upright for a long time, take a few minutes to rest, sitting down every hour;
- do not sit cross-legged;
- lubricate the legs with a special anti-fatigue gel during the daytime and in the evening;
- remove stilettos for at least a couple of hours and put on beautiful and comfortable shoes.
