If you are not short of breath, elevate your legs above the level of your heart to keep swelling down. You also should avoid drinking too much fluid. Treatment of edema focuses on correcting the cause of the fluid accumulation. This will help the veins move blood back toward the heart. If that's not possible, then exercise your feet and lower legs while sitting. To avoid leg swelling on long trips, stand up and walk around often. Congestive heart failure most often is caused by coronary artery disease, high blood pressure or drinking too much alcohol. Smoking is the main cause of chronic lung disease. The only way to prevent edema is to prevent the cause. Expected DurationĮdema can be temporary or permanent, and it can come and go depending on the cause. Blood tests, a chest X-ray and an electrocardiogram (EKG) also may be done. A urine test will show if you are losing protein from the kidneys. If both legs are swollen, your doctor will ask about other symptoms and will examine you. You should see a doctor to determine the cause of leg swelling. ![]() ![]() If you have edema, you will see an indentation where you pressed. To check for edema that is not obvious, you can gently press your thumb over the foot, ankle or leg with slow, steady pressure. In general, the skin above the swollen area will be stretched and shiny. Symptoms vary according to the type of edema and its location. If a blood protein, called albumin, gets too low, fluid is retained and edema occurs, especially in the feet, ankles and lower legs. The proteins help to hold salt and water inside the blood vessels so fluid does not leak out into the tissues. Low protein levels in the blood caused by malnutrition, kidney and liver disease can cause edema. Fluid retention during pregnancy also can be caused by a more serious condition called preeclampsia. Pregnancy can cause edema in the legs as the uterus puts pressure on the vena cava, a major blood vessel that returns blood to the heart from the legs. Swelling is often most visible in the feet and ankles. The higher pressure causes swelling in the legs and feet.Ĭongestive heart failure, a condition in which the heart can no longer pump efficiently, causes fluid buildup in the lungs and other parts of the body. Severe chronic (long-term) lung diseases, including emphysema and chronic bronchitis, increase pressure in the blood vessels that lead from the heart to the lungs. This problem makes it more difficult for the veins to pump blood back to the heart, and leads to varicose veins and buildup of fluid. ![]() Tiny valves inside the veins of the legs can become weakened, causing a common problem called venous insufficiency. Prolonged standing or sitting, especially in hot weather, can cause excess fluid to accumulate in the feet, ankles and lower legs. Edema is swelling of both legs from a buildup of extra fluid.
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