10 Things Your Swollen Feet And Ankles Are Trying To Tell You About Your Health
1. Excess weight.
Excess body mass can decrease blood flow, causing fluid to build up in the feet, legs and ankles.
2. Standing or sitting for long periods of time.
When muscles are inactive, they cannot pump body fluids to the heart. Retaining water and blood can cause swelling in the legs.
3. Venous insufficiency.
This condition occurs when the veins are unable to pump blood adequately, causing blood to pool in the legs.
4. Your heart may not work properly.
Leg swelling, or edema, can also be caused by heart failure. When your heart doesn’t have enough pumping power, it can’t push blood from your feet to your upper body. Be especially careful if you notice other symptoms of heart disease, such as chest pain, fatigue or shortness of breath.
5. You may have kidney disease.
One of the main functions of our kidneys is to get rid of excess fluid in our bodies. When the kidneys cannot perform this function, extra fluid and sodium stagnate in the body and cause swelling.
6. There may be problems with your liver.
This is severe scarring of the liver, often caused by alcohol abuse or infection (hepatitis B or C). This condition can cause high blood pressure and poor circulation in the feet, legs and ankles.
7. Your lymphatic system may fail to drain body fluids.
Along with blood vessels, our lymphatic vessels bring oxygen and nutrients to tissues and organs and remove waste and CO2. When lymphatic vessels are blocked and fail to perform their drainage function, it can result in an abnormal accumulation of fluid called lymphedema.
8. The medications you are taking may not be right for you.
Swelling of the foot, leg and ankle may also occur with certain medications, such as: steroids, estrogen or testosterone
Some antidepressants, including tricyclics and monoamine oxidase inhibitors (MAOIs) Non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs), including ibuprofen and aspirin These types of medications can cause fluid retention, resulting in swelling of the legs.
9. Blood clot in the leg.
A blood clot is a solid mass of blood. When a blood clot forms in a vein in the leg, it can impede blood flow, causing swelling and discomfort.
10. Injury or infection.
An injury or infection in the foot, leg or ankle causes increased blood flow to that area. This results in swelling.
Source:medicalnewstoday.com
