When Should You Be Concerned About Swollen Feet
Are you concerned about your swollen feet?
Relax, it is mostly normal! Here is a guide on when to be concerned and when to take it easy. Also, these easy remedies will help you to reduce the swelling.
Ankle swelling and pain are usually temporary and do not require treatment unless or until it stays very long. A person's feet may become swollen for a number of reasons. Some causes are minor injuries, that is normal and simple to treat. On the other hand, it may be due to symptoms of a serious underlying health condition that necessitates immediate medical attention.
To efficiently carry out the routine activities one has to take steps to reduce the swelling. If the swelling does not reduce or stays a little longer please consult a doctor immediately.
Common Causes of swollen feet
Common feet swelling causes are -
- When there is some injury in the foot or ankle.
- When some medications have side effects.
- A sedentary lifestyle may cause swollen feet.
- Wearing footwear that is not comfortable or not the correct size.
- Sometimes due to hot weather also feet gets swollen.
- Some allergies or infections related to food also can cause swollen feet.
Causes Which Needs Concerns Related to Swollen Feet
There are some health conditions to which swollen feet can be an early warning. One should be concerned about swollen feet when-
Edema
It is a condition when water becomes trapped in the body's tissues. Swelling and puffiness under the skin of your feet along with the stretched or shiny skin are the symptoms of edema. It can be a matter of serious concern
Chronic venous insufficiency - Sometimes one can experience continuous pains and swelling on the legs, this might be due to damaged valves or a leak in the blood vessels.
Blood clots
Sometimes swell and pain is there because of internal blood clots in the vein and causes blockage.
Heart disease
Swelling can also be a sign of some heart diseases. Better consult a doctor when you see swelling in feet for a longer period of time. Some serious heart diseases can be foot swelling reason.
Kidney disease
People who have poorly functioning kidneys may have swelling as a warning sign where their body is unable to flush out fluid and it gets accumulated in the body. So if you have kidney problems and feel that there is swelling, immediately consult a doctor.
Liver disease
Swelling can be a sign of blood leakage from blood vessels. It will lead to chronic liver diseases. Consult a doctor if you have liver disease and swelling.
Preeclampsia
If swelling occurs during the 2nd or 3rd trimester of pregnancy or up to 6 weeks after birth and stays longer, it might be a sign of preeclampsia. It is a potentially fatal condition of high blood pressure and the presence of protein in the urine. It can also harm the fetus.
When should you seek emergency medical attention?
Some cases of swollen feet and ankles necessitate immediate medical attention. If you have swollen feet and ankles and the following symptoms, seek medical attention right away.
- Swollen and extremely painful legs for no reason.
- Fever after swelling
- During pregnancy, there is a new swelling of the foot.
- Only one limb is swollen
- Edema pitting
- Pain and swelling that does not go away.
- The affected area may experience warmth, redness, or inflammation.
- The upper skin of the affected area is stretched or broken.
- Blisters or ulcers on the legs.
- Breathing difficulty
- Pain, pressure, or tightness in the chest
- Kidney problems
- Swelling with the color change of the skin
How to control swelling
Remove ankle bracelets or any kind of toe rings immediately if your ankle is painful and swollen. Then, to alleviate your symptoms, try t he "RICE" method. RICE stands for "rest, ice, compress, and elevate." This is how it works:
- Give rest to your ankle (use crutches if needed)
- Place ice on the ankle for 20 to 30 minutes every 2 to 3 hours.
- Use an elastic bandage or ankle brace to lightly compress (wrap) the ankle.
- Elevate (raise) your ankle higher whenever you're lying down for the first 48 hours.
Home remedies for treating swollen legs
Regular exercise and maintaining a healthy weight can help to reduce the risk of swollen feet. Other methods for treating swollen feet include:
- Drinking a lot of water.
- Using compression socks or stockings
- Immersing the feet in cool water
- Staying active
- Losing weight if you're overweight.
- Eating a healthy diet controlling salt intake.
- Massage of the feet with oils.
- Consuming more potassium-rich foods.
Sitting too long in your workstations also causes swelling
Yes, you heard it right!
Nowadays people doing work from home, sitting at the same place in beds or sofas for very long hours and complaint about swollen ankle, or swelling in the legs and feet. When you sit in the same position for more than 10 hours while working it stops proper blood circulation and causes swelling.
Here’s what to do:
- Keep moving.
- Do some exercises.
- Keep drinking water.
- Take intervals and lay down straight for at least 10 minutes.
Swelling legs or ankles can be treated. It is a common condition and can be managed easily. It is important to eat good food, drink more water, do regular exercise and change sedentary lifestyle habits.
Citations
- https://www.mountsinai.org/health-library/symptoms/foot-leg-and-ankle-swelling
- https://patient.info/news-and-features/when-should-you-worry-about-swollen-legs
- https://health.clevelandclinic.org/when-is-leg-swelling-a-sign-of-something-serious/
- https://www.keckmedicine.org/blog/6-possible-reasons-why-you-have-swollen-feet-ankles-or-legs/
