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Swelling of the legs does not go away for several days. My legs are very swollen - what should I do? Why do my legs swell a lot?

The problem of edema can be encountered for various reasons. In our article we will tell you what exactly can serve as a prerequisite for swelling of the legs and how to get rid of this problem.


Many people have swollen feet, and overweight people usually suffer from this disease. Most people mistakenly believe that this is a cosmetic problem that occurs due to drinking large amounts of liquid.

Causes of leg swelling

If your legs swell, it’s not without reason. Among the most common reasons are heat, tired legs, pregnancy, and the consequences of the habit of crossing your legs.

Legs swell mainly due to muscle insufficiency of the vein walls. This is facilitated by genetic predisposition, poor nutrition, and poor physical activity. Gradually, the vein becomes weaker and begins to cope worse with its job - returning blood to the heart.

The blood begins to stagnate, and the veins gradually stretch, as a result of which the legs swell, characteristic pain and burning sensations appear. Therefore, if your legs are swollen, this suggests that the most likely cause is venous insufficiency.

At first, the legs feel as if they are on fire, the legs swell and hurt, walking becomes more difficult, the skin looks transparent and blue or red wreaths appear on the surface. If venous insufficiency is not treated, it can develop into more serious problems, for example, phlebitis - venous thrombosis. Later complications such as venous eczema and hypodermatitis may appear.

Also, the causes of leg swelling can be flat feet, abnormal metabolism, lymph stagnation, heavy load on the legs and kidney problems.

If the ankles of your feet swell, this is a good reason to see a doctor, as these may be signs of a serious illness - heart failure. At a young age, swelling of the legs also causes vascular problems. And in older people, edema is most often caused by cardiac diseases.

Varicose veins can be recognized by the characteristic capillaries and wreaths on the legs, if swelling of the legs is accompanied by heaviness. Particular attention should be paid to the veins of those who have someone in the family who suffered from varicose veins. It is better not to look for the cause of edema on your own and not to diagnose yourself, but to consult a doctor. It is advisable to consult a therapist, cardiologist and phlebologist.

What to do if your feet are swollen

If the cause of swelling is orthopedic in nature, then in this case it is important to choose the right shoes. She should not wear high heels, but no heels at all are also undesirable. It is best to find comfortable shoes with small heels; they should also be loose and wide enough so as not to squeeze the foot and toes, they should be in a natural position.

Daily wearing of special therapeutic compression socks and tights will be a good help in solving the problem of varicose veins and edema. They will help the vessels stay in good shape and prevent blood stagnation and promote its outflow. Such therapeutic products are made in such a way that the strongest compression is on the bottom of the legs, and the weakest on the upper part, this promotes good blood circulation. It is preferable to choose knee socks or tights. Ideally, varicose jersey is selected by a doctor.

To cope with swelling, try not to drink a lot of fluid after seven in the evening and remove excess fluid from the body. For this purpose, it is good to use decoctions of medicinal plants. A decoction of berries and elderberry bark is very effective for swelling of the legs and kidneys. Steamed elderberry leaves can be applied to varicose veins on the legs.

Diuretics

Herbs and plants

An excellent diuretic are decoctions of linden flowers, birch leaves and buds and horsetail extract. You can prepare this infusion: take 2-3 tablespoons of horsetail, knotweed and birch buds. Mix them and take 1 teaspoon of the mixture. Pour a glass of boiling water and leave for about 30 minutes, then strain. Drink 3 days with breaks for 1 day, 1 tablespoon after meals 3 times a day. Carry out a course of treatment for three weeks.

The astragalus plant will also help. A decoction of it can not only reduce swelling of the legs, but also has a beneficial effect on the cardiovascular system. Pour boiling water over 10 grams of astragalus, cool and strain. Take it 2-3 tablespoons for 2 weeks 2-3 times a day. After a 3-day break, the course can be repeated.

Baths and massage

Swollen and tired feet can benefit from foot baths or rubbing with ice cubes. Immerse your feet in a cold bath for 5-10 minutes, and then massage the swollen areas with light pinches, moving from bottom to top. You can also add sea or regular table salt to the water, or a few tablespoons of pine extract. Place your feet in this healing bath for 15-20 minutes - fatigue will go away as if by hand, and swelling will go away.

Garlic compresses

Garlic is also suitable for relieving swelling. Chop a head of garlic and pour a glass of boiling water over it. Rub the cooled paste onto the swollen areas and leave for 30 minutes, then rinse. If you have varicose veins, it is very important to avoid taking hot baths and showers, as hot water causes blood stagnation and dilates blood vessels.

How to prevent swelling?

To prevent swelling and heaviness in your legs, perform a set of exercises regularly.

  1. Place your right foot on top of your left, raise your left toe as high as possible, then repeat the same with your right leg. Stand on your toes and stand there for a few seconds. Do 10 easy jumps on your tiptoes.
  2. While sitting on a chair, raise your legs and make circular movements with your feet. Bend your toes down and then sharply straighten them.
  3. Shift your weight from heel to toe, from inside to outside of your foot, and vice versa.

If your legs are swollen, you can use ointments

Also, to combat swelling of the legs, it is worth purchasing special ointments: troxevasin, lyoton, heparin ointment. They contain the substances heparin and rutin, which strengthen the capillary system. Horse chestnut-based ointments are also good.

Lemon infusion with parsley

A unique folk remedy helps get rid of swelling in the legs.

Grind about 200 g of parsley with roots using a meat grinder. A glass of the resulting mass is poured with boiling water (2 glasses), wrapped and left overnight. In the morning, strain and add the juice of a whole lemon. The product is taken twice a day, 1/3 cup. Take it for two days, and then take a break for three days. The course of therapy is carried out until complete recovery.

Compress with salt

A good remedy for puffiness. A kilogram of chicken fat is mixed with 0.5 kg of iodized salt. The mixture is left to cool and then used as a compress. The application should be done before bed, and in the morning the feet should be washed with a contrast shower.

Review your diet, give up spices and salt. Watch your weight and try to exercise; water aerobics is perfect. Also stop smoking, as it negatively affects the walls of blood vessels, slowing down blood flow.

Do you have swelling? How do you deal with them? Share with us!

Swelling of the legs can occur in anyone. Often this condition is preceded by excessive stress. This may include standing for a long time or walking for a long time. Swelling is caused by wearing tight clothes and uncomfortable shoes that compress the blood vessels. But sometimes such a problem is a symptom of various ailments. And in some cases - quite serious. Therefore, we will consider, if your legs are very swollen, what to do with such manifestations.

Main reasons

Why do my legs swell a lot? Unfortunately, there is no clear answer. Doctors identify many different causes that lead to swelling of the lower extremities. Among them, harmless sources occupy a special place. As a rule, they are associated with wrong habits and a negative lifestyle. In this case, it is not difficult to understand, if a person’s legs are very swollen, what to do. Just fix your lifestyle.

The main causes of swelling of the legs are:

  1. Poor nutrition. According to statistics, this is the main source of an unpleasant condition. An unbalanced diet leads to fluid retention in the body.
  2. Consuming a lot of salt. It retains fluid in the body. The heart does not have time to cope with such a load. As a result, blood stagnation occurs. As a rule, it is in the lower extremities.
  3. Prolonged or excessive loads. Swelling can be caused by being in an uncomfortable position or walking for a long time. Any stress on the legs, especially for an unfamiliar person, can cause an unpleasant effect.
  4. Overweight. It is much more difficult for the heart of such people to push blood through fatty tissue.
  5. Age-related changes. Severe swelling of the legs is often observed in older people. With age, blood vessels lose their elasticity. In addition, such individuals may be diagnosed with pathologies that can also cause swelling.

Systemic reasons

Sometimes completely different sources provoke severe swelling of the legs. The reasons may be hidden in pathologies developing in the body. Only a specialist can determine what causes these symptoms. Therefore, people who experience systematic swelling are advised to go to the doctor. Only a doctor can recommend, if your legs become very swollen, what to do in such a situation.

Among the diseases that can provoke this situation are the following:

  1. Varicose veins. Swelling of the limbs is the initial stage of the pathology. Often this condition occurs in the evening. In this case, the patient experiences a feeling of heaviness, pain, numbness, and fatigue.
  2. Heart failure. With this pathology, swelling is observed in the evening, because during the day the heart “gets tired” of pumping blood. In the morning, these symptoms practically do not occur. Swelling may be accompanied by a bluish discoloration of the legs. There is shortness of breath and blood pressure rises. As a rule, patients experience heart pain. In addition, they are prone to fatigue. Sometimes the legs and feet swell greatly. In some cases, only the fingers are affected. It depends entirely on the heart. More precisely, it depends on how much the organ fails to cope with its function.
  3. Thrombophlebitis. This is a disease in which blood clots form in the lumen of the veins. Swelling of the legs is accompanied by unpleasant symptoms: tingling, numbness, “crawling sensations.” If you are ill, you may experience an increase in temperature. Inaction can lead to pulmonary embolism. In other words, the blood clot can break off and block the vein. The result will be death.
  4. Kidney pathologies. As a rule, swelling is observed on both legs. In this case, it is mainly the back side that suffers. The patient does not experience itching or pain. Dark circles under the eyes and puffy eyelids may indicate kidney problems. The color of urine changes, and a decrease in its quantity is observed. In addition, swelling is observed not only in the evening, when the legs are tired. Unpleasant symptoms appear in the morning.
  5. Thyroid diseases. Such pathologies can also cause swelling of the legs. As a rule, such a symptom is accompanied by lethargy, chilliness, drowsiness, and a tendency to constipation. Swelling of the shoulders and tongue may be observed.
  6. Liver diseases. Unpleasant symptoms are often caused by cirrhosis. In this case, the patient may experience: jaundice, exhaustion, accumulation of fluid in body cavities, itching.

Local sources of swelling

Some disorders can cause severe swelling of the legs. The reasons are hidden in a variety of pathologies:

  • injuries, fractures, bruises;
  • allergic reactions;
  • rheumatoid arthritis;
  • cellulite;
  • snake bites, insect bites.

Edema during pregnancy

Almost all women who are preparing to become mothers face a similar problem. The question arises: if your legs swell very much during pregnancy, what should you do? Initially, you should determine the reason why these symptoms are observed. After all, most often swelling is caused by physiological changes and is temporary.

Severe swelling of the legs during pregnancy can be caused by the following reasons:

  1. Enlarged uterus. The growing organ compresses the veins located in the pelvis. This leads to impaired blood flow. As a result, swelling of the legs is observed. As a rule, when positioned horizontally, the uterus stops putting pressure on organs and blood vessels. The swelling goes away quite quickly.
  2. Changes in diet. Very often, pregnant women abuse salty foods. After all, they are simply drawn to salty foods. To eliminate such symptoms, you should limit your consumption of table salt.
  3. Gestosis 2nd half of pregnancy. This is a rather unpleasant reason. A woman may experience increased blood pressure and headache. With this pathology, not only the legs, but also the arms and face swell. In this situation, the expectant mother requires adequate treatment in a hospital.

Despite the fact that most often the culprit for this symptomatology is a physiological reason, it is necessary to consult a doctor if a woman notices that her legs are very swollen during pregnancy. Only a doctor can tell you what to do in such a situation.

It is strictly forbidden to resort to diuretics without the prescription of a specialist. A pregnant woman should understand that such medications affect not only her, but also the baby’s body. Some diuretics can wash away minerals necessary for the full development of the baby.

Symptoms of swelling

Unfortunately, some people cannot always identify this condition. Unpleasant manifestations are completely ignored. A person notices a negative condition only when the swelling is clearly visible visually. But, as a rule, in this case, the ailments developing in the body are already progressing. There are several simple recommendations to help identify pathology.

So, if your legs begin to swell very much, then use these tips:

  1. Unpleasant symptoms can be identified by the increased volume of the feet and legs.
  2. Puffiness is indicated by stripes left after removing a sock or shoe.
  3. When you press your finger on the skin, a mark remains on the surface. It will quickly disappear, but this phenomenon indicates swelling.

Do not forget that you should not joke with such symptoms. Therefore, consider the following question: “If your legs begin to swell very much, what should you do?”

Treatment methods

Patients who have severe swelling and pain in their legs are advised to start with a visit to the doctor. After all, sometimes unpleasant symptoms are provoked by illnesses. It should be remembered that fighting pathologies on your own is extremely dangerous. Therapy will be selected depending on what disease is causing the severe swelling of the legs.

  1. Varicose veins. In the initial stages, coping with unpleasant sensations is quite easy. The doctor will prescribe a special ointment that will eliminate swelling. If necessary, it will be recommended to wear special stockings or wrap the limbs with elastic bandages. It is necessary to periodically take cold baths for your feet and do gymnastics. When sleeping, it is recommended to place your limbs on an elevated surface. This will ensure free blood flow.
  2. Heart failure. For this pathology, treatment is prescribed only by a cardiologist. Therapeutic measures include: the prescription of diuretics, medications that support the functioning of the heart. The doctor will prescribe medications that can fight the underlying disease (hypertension, atherosclerosis, ischemia). The patient is recommended to do gymnastics and improve nutrition. As a rule, with this pathology, the legs at the ankles become very swollen. What to do? Patients are often prescribed to wear elastic stockings.
  3. Thrombophlebitis. Therapy is prescribed by a phlebologist. In case of pathology caused by infectious diseases, antibiotic therapy is prescribed. In some cases, surgery may be recommended.
  4. Kidney pathologies. The patient needs treatment. Therapy is prescribed by a nephrologist.
  5. Liver diseases. The patient must be observed by a hepatologist. If symptoms are caused by viral hepatitis, then consultation with an infectious disease specialist is necessary.

How to relieve fatigue?

An unpleasant condition is most often provoked by harmless reasons. Sometimes, as a result of excessive stress and fatigue, the legs become very swollen. What to do in such a situation?

  1. Special baths. However, it should be remembered that with dilated veins this procedure is contraindicated. So, if your legs are very swollen at the ankles, what should you do? It is recommended to resort to contrast baths. Soak your feet in hot water for 5 minutes. Then put it in cold for 10 seconds. It is recommended to add salt and herbs to the water.
  2. Massage. This event is very useful for tired legs. Use ointment or cream. Gently rub the medicine into your feet, ankles, and calves.
  3. Lift your limbs up. Sit comfortably on the sofa. At the same time, place a cushion under your feet. The feet should hang freely. You can place your limbs on a chair or stool in a sitting position. It is enough to spend 15-20 minutes in this position.
  4. Therapeutic stockings, tights. Such products can be easily purchased at a pharmacy. They allow you to relieve your legs from fatigue. In addition, tights and stockings are an excellent preventive measure against varicose veins.
  5. Cold compresses. They can quickly relieve swelling. You can use this method if your legs are tired. It is quite effective for swelling caused by inflammatory processes.

Diuretics

It is fluid retention in the body that causes severe swelling of the legs. Treatment includes diuretics. However, such medications can only be prescribed by a doctor, since they all have contraindications and can cause a wide variety of side effects in humans.

However, there are also folk remedies that allow you to achieve the desired result. They have fewer contraindications and often do not cause negative reactions. However, before using such recipes, be sure to consult a specialist.

The following drugs have a diuretic effect:

  1. Parsley infusion. It is necessary to carefully wash the whole plant (with roots). Pass it through a meat grinder. To make the medicine you will need 1 glass of the green composition. Transfer the resulting mass into a thermos. Pour boiling water - 0.5 l. This product should be infused in a thermos overnight. In the morning, strain the mixture. To this remedy you should add the juice of 1 lemon. This amount of medicine is designed for 1 day. It should be drunk in 3 doses. The use of the infusion is completely independent of eating. The treatment regimen for this remedy is as follows. For 2 days you need to take parsley infusion. Then there is a short break - for 3 days. And the 2-day course is repeated again.
  2. Flax seeds. They also help remove excess fluid from the body. You will need 1 tsp. flaxseed. This component is poured into 1 liter of boiling water. The mixture must be boiled over low heat for about 15 minutes. Then close the pan tightly and leave the broth warm for about 1 hour. It is recommended to use this product hot. Every 2 hours you should drink 0.5 cups of the medicine. During the day you will get 6-8 doses. This therapy should last about 2-3 weeks. Its duration depends entirely on the patient’s well-being.
  3. Medicinal collection. It is necessary to mix the following components in equal proportions: calendula flowers, linden flowers; fruits of hawthorn, rose hips, viburnum; leaves of birch, blueberry, plantain. Grind all ingredients thoroughly and mix them. You will need 2 tbsp of this composition. l. Pour boiling water over them - 0.5 l. This product should be infused in a thermos all night. You should take the medicine 3-4 times a day, ⅓ - ¼ cup. The duration of therapy can be 2-3 months.
  4. Watermelon rinds. It is necessary to grind the dry component. Fill it with water in the ratio: 1:10. This mixture should be boiled for about 5 minutes. Strain the cooled broth. You should take 0.5 cups 3-4 times a day.

Also useful:

  • decoction of birch buds;
  • cranberry juice;
  • decoction of bearberry leaves;
  • lingonberry juice;
  • infusion of horsetail.

If unpleasant discomfort is caused by poor nutrition, you should definitely reconsider it. As a rule, such measures are enough to get rid of discomfort.

  1. Eliminate salt. It is advisable to reduce such seasoning to a minimum if it is not possible to completely avoid it. In some cases, doctors prescribe a salt-free diet to the patient.
  2. Drink plenty of fluids.
  3. Avoid drinking coffee and alcoholic beverages.
  4. Diversify your diet with vegetable dishes. Steamed food is very healthy.

If the patient is prescribed diuretics, then foods that protect the body from potassium leaching should be consumed. Dried apricots, beans, baked potatoes, and cabbage have these properties.

It is useful to introduce into the diet foods that have a diuretic effect: celery, pumpkin, garlic, parsley. It is recommended to diversify your diet with the following foods: onions, watermelons, black currants, grapes. We should not forget about fermented milk products - yogurt, cottage cheese, kefir.

Gymnastics for swelling

These events are very useful. They will relieve the patient of discomfort if the ankles of the feet are severely swollen as a result of wearing tight shoes or fatigue.

  1. Can be performed in a standing or sitting position. It is necessary to alternately press the toe to the floor surface, then the heel.
  2. Walk around the room on your toes for a few minutes (1-2).
  3. Try to pick up a pencil or a small ball from the floor surface. The exercise should be performed with bare feet. Hands should not help.
  4. Squeeze your toes. Then spread them out. Do this exercise several times.
  5. Rotate your feet. Draw circles with them in one direction, then in the other.

Be sure to consult a doctor if you experience very severe swelling of your legs. In most cases, your doctor will recommend using an ointment. However, we should not forget that this remedy is a medicine. Therefore, resorting to self-therapy is highly undesirable.

The doctor may prescribe the following remedies to effectively get rid of swelling of the lower extremities:

  1. Heparin ointment. It stimulates blood circulation in the damaged area. This ointment is capable of dissolving microscopic blood clots. In addition, it has anti-inflammatory properties.
  2. "Essaven gel". The medicine has a beneficial effect on the damaged area. The gel strengthens the walls of veins and capillaries. The drug significantly improves blood circulation and is able to eliminate microthrombi.
  3. "Venitan." The medicine is based on horse chestnut extract. The ointment perfectly strengthens the walls of blood vessels.
  4. "Troxevasin". The drug has a cooling effect and analgesic effect on the body. This ointment also helps strengthen veins and capillaries.

Now you know the answer to the question: “If your legs are very swollen, what should you do?” However, remember that it is important to correctly identify the cause of the problem. Unpleasant symptoms are the consequences of an illness developing in the body. Therefore, in order to get rid of puffiness, it is necessary to eliminate its cause.

Edema can be permanent or episodic and is the body's response to an internal disease or external irritant. They should be treated symptomatically, with special attention to causal therapy.

Reasons

Why do my feet swell? The triggering mechanism for this phenomenon may vary, but pastiness is always the result of increased pressure in the capillaries or a decrease in oncotic pressure in the blood plasma with the exudation of excess fluid into the tissue. Swelling of the legs is often adaptive in nature, but can occur as a manifestation of a serious illness.

Temporary swelling

What causes the top of the feet to swell in completely healthy people? In this case, the malaise is caused by overload of the limbs or deterioration of blood circulation in the tissues.

Common causes of leg swelling in the foot area include the following:

  • standing or sitting work;
  • uncomfortable sleeping position;
  • excessive passion for salty and spicy foods;
  • premenstrual tension syndrome (PMS);
  • hot weather;
  • pregnancy;
  • taking medications.

If the foot of only one leg is swollen and painful, the cause of the ailment most likely lies in a rupture of the muscles or ligaments of the ankle. With fractures or injuries to joints and after surgery, swelling of the foot is a very common phenomenon. The pastiness in this case lasts up to several months.

All the considered factors are temporary and after their elimination or a short rest, the swelling subsides.

Chronic swelling

Pastosity caused by internal diseases does not go away quickly. To get rid of it, it is necessary to identify and eliminate the underlying ailment.

What can cause chronic fluid accumulation in tissues? Among the most common causes of foot swelling are the following:

  • heart failure - manifests itself as weak pastiness at the beginning of the disease and severe swelling in the final stage. In this case, the leg swells from the foot to the knee;
  • circulatory disorders in the lower extremities ( , ) - swelling is often unilateral;
  • pathologies of the liver and kidneys (cirrhosis, nephritic syndrome, renal failure) - swelling is especially pronounced in the first half of the day and is equal on both limbs;
  • diseases of bones and joints - manifest as one-sided pastosity. Swelling of the left or right foot is accompanied by pain and difficulty moving;
  • inflammatory, viral and purulent lesions of the legs - soft and uniform pastiness is localized on the affected limb;
  • violation of lymph outflow (, lymphovenous insufficiency) - the swelling is located on one side and is persistent and dense. It is characterized by swelling in the form of a cushion on the top of the foot.

The limbs may swell in other cases, for example, with adrenal hyperfunction, anorexia or severe cachexia, and neuroparalytic disorders.

Often, swelling in the foot appears in patients suffering from malignant tumors. Pastosity forms after surgery or a course of chemotherapy. When the lymphatic system is affected, edema develops at the very beginning of the disease.

Is swelling normal during pregnancy?

With liver pathologies, swelling of the feet is accompanied by yellowing of the skin and itching, general exhaustion, nausea or vomiting. With damage to the endocrine system, pastiness develops simultaneously with weight gain, lethargy, and constipation.

The inflammatory process in the legs causes redness and painful swelling on the top of the foot, and an increase in temperature. General intoxication of the body, fatigue, and drowsiness appear. With lesions of the central nervous system, accompanied by unilateral paralysis, swelling of the right or left limb develops.

Which doctor treats leg swelling in the foot area?

If your leg is very swollen and hurts, you need to see a therapist. The doctor will order tests and, based on their results, refer you to a specialist - a cardiologist, endocrinologist, phlebologist or traumatologist.

Diagnostics

During a diagnostic examination, the doctor interviews the patient, asking about his diet, lifestyle and habits. After palpation of the swelling, the specialist prescribes a series of studies:

  • general blood and urine analysis;
  • hormone test;
  • Dopplerography;
  • Ultrasound and ultrasonography.

The results of the studies help to identify the cause of edema and prescribe adequate treatment.

First aid

What to do if your feet are constantly swelling, how to help yourself? First of all, you need to prepare a cool bath, and then take a horizontal position, raising your limbs. After 20 minutes, remove the swelling by rubbing special ointments or an ice compress. A foot massage from the toes to the groin helps a lot.

Physical exercises that improve blood circulation - squats, swings, cycling - will also help relieve swelling. You can just sit on a chair and dangle your legs, like in childhood.

Treatment

How to treat swelling? It should be noted that targeted therapy for pastiness is a thankless task and, from a medical point of view, not entirely correct. The exception is temporary edema that occurs in healthy people. In this case, it is recommended to reduce physical activity, give your legs rest and use compression stockings.

If the cause of pastiness is internal diseases, symptomatic therapy must be combined with causal therapy., Venogepanol, Hepatrombin;

  • blood-thinning medications - Clopidogrel, Aspirin, Lospirin, Cardiomagnyl, Aspecard.

    • All these drugs differ in the speed of action, duration of influence and effectiveness, have contraindications and are prescribed only by a doctor.

    Prevention

    Avoiding the appearance of temporary swelling is not so difficult. To do this, you must adhere to the following recommendations:

    • when standing or sitting, periodically perform simple exercises for the legs;
    • walk barefoot more;
    • massage your feet and legs regularly;
    • wear comfortable shoes;
    • maintain a normal weight and maintain a drinking regime.

    To prevent chronic edema, it is necessary to promptly treat pathologies that can provoke malaise.

    Only a caring attitude towards your health will help you get rid of an unpleasant condition and prevent serious illnesses. Therefore, if even mild swelling appears, you should be wary and consult a doctor.

    Useful video about leg swelling

    From time to time, the lower limbs can swell and swell even in completely healthy people, but if this trouble manifests itself regularly and quite often, it makes sense to take care of this issue and, perhaps, seek advice from a medical specialist. Ankles and feet may swell in some women during menstruation, causing fluid retention in the body, as an allergic reaction to something, etc. If your legs become very swollen, the reasons for this phenomenon are often quite ordinary, but in some cases it becomes a completely threatening symptom, a sign of a particular disease.

    Often, the legs in the area of ​​the ankles and feet become very swollen as a result of an injury, when the ligaments are sprained, the reasons may lie in a disease such as varicose veins, in addition, there are ailments in which this manifestation becomes a completely characteristic symptom. Many experts are confident that a healthy person should not have edema, and if the legs become very swollen, then the reasons for this phenomenon most likely lie either in some kind of pathology or in the patient’s incorrect behavior. For example, swelling of the legs (as well as the arms and face) is quite possible if the day before you had to abuse alcoholic beverages; it happens that the body becomes numb if the sleep pattern is disturbed. However, if your legs are very swollen, due to such reasons, there is nothing special to worry about, you just need to lead a correct, healthy lifestyle and the body will recover on its own. It is much sadder if swollen legs are a signal of a serious disorder in the body, of the presence of some dangerous illness.

    1. Swelling of the lower extremities is one of the characteristic symptoms when a person has chronic heart failure, and it is not limited only to swollen legs - the swelling also affects the arms, face, and the patient may complain of a feeling that the whole body is swollen. Various cardiovascular diseases can lead to chronic heart failure; most often patients are people over 40 years of age. With this disease, the heart muscle does not cope well with its task, namely, pumping blood, forcing it to circulate throughout the body; the veins in the legs dilate, causing swelling.

    2. Swelling of the upper and lower extremities and face also occurs as a result of various kidney diseases, the most characteristic, obvious symptom of which is the so-called “bags under the eyes” - a consequence of edema. This occurs due to a lack of albumin, a protein produced by the liver and circulating in the required quantity along with the blood. In a healthy person, albumin is normal, but in someone suffering from some kind of kidney disease it is not enough, since the protein is excreted from the body along with urine. When a large amount of albumin is lost, the body strives to restore the protein balance; fluid enters the tissues from the bloodstream, trying to increase the albumin content in them, and it is this excess of fluid that causes edema.

    3. Swollen lower limbs can be a sign of liver disease. Most often, this symptom is not the reason for identifying the disease, since swelling of the legs in liver diseases occurs in the last stages of development, when the organ loses the ability to produce the required amount of albumin protein. As a rule, other characteristic symptoms force the patient to see a doctor and diagnose the disease at earlier stages, when the swelling has not yet fully manifested itself.

    4. A very common cause of leg swelling is venous diseases, for example, varicose veins, thrombophlebitis, phlebothrombosis. Often, in addition to the fact that the lower limbs are quite swollen, a sick person may experience pain, and sometimes the skin turns red, which may indicate increased intracapillary pressure. As a rule, it is the limb in which the inflammatory processes occur that swells, but advanced disease often affects both legs.

    5. In some cases, severe swelling of the lower extremities results from a severe dysfunction of the thyroid gland. Just as in the situation with kidney and liver diseases, in this case edema occurs due to the appearance of a large amount of fluid in the tissues, entering there from the vessels, when the body seeks to restore the concentration of the albumin protein.

    6. Other, less common causes of swelling of the legs include the following: prolonged fasting, as a complication after surgery (in particular, there is an increased risk of swelling of the lower extremities in patients who have undergone coronary bypass surgery), taking certain medications (certain steroids, hormonal drugs , antidepressants, contraceptives, drugs intended to lower blood pressure).

    So, if swelling is noticeable on one leg, most likely the cause does not lie in a general disease (lack of albumin due to diseases of the liver, kidneys, heart). Other observations include the following:

    1. With liver diseases, not only the legs, but also the stomach often swell;

    2. When you press on a swollen leg, the dent remains for about a minute - this is never observed due to a malfunction of the thyroid gland, but occurs in most other cases;

    3. With chronic varicose veins, the skin on the legs around the ankles may take on a brown tint;

    4. Severe swelling, accompanied by pain and redness of the skin, hot to the touch, may be evidence of a leg injury, inflammatory processes, or acute phlebitis. In diseases of the internal organs, swelling is not accompanied by severe pain in the legs;

    5. With heart disease, the legs swell in the evening, but if there is a lack of protein, the legs will be swollen almost constantly.