Edema can be the result of medication, pregnancy or an underlying disease — often heart failure, kidney disease or cirrhosis of the liver.
Taking medication to remove excess fluid and reducing the amount of salt in your food often relieves edema. When edema is a sign of an underlying disease, the disease itself requires separate treatment.
SYMPTOMS
Signs and symptoms of edema include:
- Swelling or puffiness of the tissue directly under your skin
- Stretched or shiny skin
- Skin that retains a dimple after being pressed for several seconds
- Increased abdominal size
When to see a doctor
Make an appointment to see your doctor if you have swelling, stretched or shiny skin, or skin that retains a dimple after being pressed. Seek immediate medical attention if you experience:
- Shortness of breath
- Difficulty breathing
- Chest pain
These symptoms can be a sign of pulmonary edema, which requires prompt treatment.
If you've been sitting for a prolonged period, such as on a long flight, and you develop swelling and pain in a leg that won't go away, call your doctor. Persistent leg pain and swelling can be a sign of a blood clot deep in your veins (deep vein thrombosis, or DVT).
CAUSES
Edema occurs when tiny blood vessels in your body (capillaries) leak fluid. The fluid builds up in surrounding tissues, leading to swelling.
Mild cases of edema may result from:
- Sitting or staying in one position for too long
- Eating too much salty food
- Premenstrual signs and symptoms
- Pregnancy
Edema can be a side effect of some medications, including:
- High blood pressure medications
- Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs
- Steroid drugs
- Estrogens
- Certain diabetes medications called thiazolidinediones
In some cases, however, edema may be a sign of a more serious underlying medical condition. Diseases and conditions that may cause edema include:
- Congestive heart failure. When one or both of your heart's lower chambers lose their ability to pump blood effectively — as happens in congestive heart failure — the blood can back up in your legs, ankles and feet, causing edema. Heart failure can also cause swelling in your abdomen. Sometimes it can cause fluid to accumulate in your lungs (pulmonary edema), which can lead to shortness of breath.
- Cirrhosis. Fluid may accumulate in your abdominal cavity (ascites) and in your legs as a result of liver damage (cirrhosis).
- Kidney disease. When you have kidney disease, extra fluid and sodium in your circulation may cause edema. The edema associated with kidney disease usually occurs in your legs and around your eyes.
- Kidney damage. Damage to the tiny, filtering blood vessels in your kidneys can result in nephrotic syndrome. In nephrotic syndrome, declining levels of protein (albumin) in your blood can lead to fluid accumulation and edema.
- Weakness or damage to veins in your legs. Chronic venous insufficiency, in which the one-way valves in your leg veins are weakened or damaged, allows blood to pool in the leg veins and cause swelling. Abrupt onset of swelling in one leg accompanied by pain in your calf can be due to a clot in one of your leg veins. Seek medical help promptly.
- Inadequate lymphatic system. Your body's lymphatic system helps clear excess fluid from tissues. If this system is damaged — for example, by cancer surgery — the lymph nodes and lymph vessels draining an area may not work correctly and edema results.
RISK FACTORS
Due to the fluid needed by the fetus and placenta, a pregnant woman's body retains more sodium and water than usual, increasing the risk of edema.
Your risk of edema may be increased if you take certain medications, including:
- High blood pressure medications
- Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs
- Steroid drugs
- Estrogens
- Certain diabetes medications called thiazolidinediones
If you have a chronic illness such as heart failure, liver or kidney disease, your risk of edema increases, as well. Surgery can sometimes obstruct a lymph node, leading to swelling in an arm or leg, usually on just one side.
COMPLICATIONS
If left untreated, edema can cause:
- Increasingly painful swelling
- Difficulty walking
- Stiffness
- Stretched skin, which can become itchy and uncomfortable
- Increased risk of infection in the swollen area
- Scarring between layers of tissue
- Decreased blood circulation
- Decreased elasticity of arteries, veins, joints and muscles
- Increased risk of skin ulcers.
7 Natural Treatments for Peripheral Edema
1. Reduce Sodium Consumption
Your kidneys work to control the amount of salt that stays in your body by excreting salt through urine. This is also regulated by certain hormones and physical factors. But when the kidneys aren’t working properly, which can be the result of kidney disease or decreased blood flow due to heart problems, the body retains salt. Retaining salt leads to water retention and swelling because water follows sodium in the body.
People who are prone to peripheral edemas should reduce their consumption of sodium foods , like table salt, soy sauce, olives, ham, salami and bacon. Many processed and packaged foods are also high in sodium. Stick to eating fresh produce, lean protein and healthy fats instead. It also helps to cook more foods at home so you can control the amount salt you use in your meals.
2. Move Around
To keep your bodily fluids pumping back to your heart, you need to stay active and move around throughout the day. If you work at a desk for several hours a day or you’re on a long flight, take frequent breaks. Stand up and walk around a bit. You want to keep the blood flowing in your legs so that fluid won’t pool and cause swelling. Aim to get up and move around 5–8 times per day, even if it’s just for 10 minutes.
The human body is designed to move. With so many of us spending up to 70 percent of our days sitting down, we can run into some serious health issues. A sedentary lifestyle can lead to reduced blood circulation. This causes swollen legs, ankles and feet, blood clots and pain. Not sure how to stay active during the day? Try having a walking meeting at work instead of sitting in a conference room. Or choose to pick up your lunch during the day instead of opting for delivery. Standing workstations are also gaining popularity and they can certainly help to reduce lower extremity edema. You can also set an evening routine that involves a short walk after dinner and then some stretching before bed. It really doesn’t matter how you move your body. Just avoid too much sitting so that your blood can continue to flow properly.
3. Eat (or Drink) Parsley
Parsley can be used as a natural diuretic that helps to relieve water retention and bloating. It does this by stimulating the production of urine by the kidneys and it draws out excess water that can cause peripheral edema.
One of the best ways to use parsley as a natural and safe diuretic is to make parsley tea. You can do this by adding a quarter cup of chopped parsley to one cup of boiling water. Let the tea steep for about 5 minutes. Strain the parsley leaves and add a teaspoon of honey. You can drink parsley tea twice a day or when you notice symptoms of water retention. Keep in mind that women who are pregnant should not consume parsley tea because it’s a very powerful herb that may cause complications. To treat mild edema, add parsley to soups, salads or even juices.
4. Drink Dandelion Tea
Dandelion root serves as a natural diuretic. It allows your liver to eliminate toxins that can be causing inflammation. A 2009 study published in the Journal of Alternative and Complementary Medicine found that when fresh leaf dandelion extract was ingested by volunteers, it caused a significant increase in the frequency of urination in the five-hour period after the first and second dose. Researchers concluded that dandelion shows promise as an effective and natural diuretic for humans.
To use dandelion as a diuretic to treat less severe cases of peripheral edema, you can buy dandelion tea at your local health food store. Or you can make your own. To make dandelion tea, simply steep the root or flowers for 30 minutes in boiling water. Then strain the dandelion and it’s ready to drink. Start by drinking a small amount to make sure that you don’t experience any adverse reactions.
5. Use Essential Oils
Grapefruit and fennel essential oils help to reduce water retention because they work as natural diuretics and they reduce inflammation. You can use both oils to stimulate blood circulation and relieve swelling associated with peripheral edema.
Grapefruit essential oil works by activating the lymphatic system and helping to control fluid retention. It promotes the detoxification of toxins and waste that can lead to inflammation and bloating. It also increases blood flow, thereby reducing fluid retention in the legs and relieving joint pain and aches that develop when you’ve been standing or sitting in the same position for too long. To use grapefruit oil to relieve the symptoms of peripheral edema, simply combine 3–4 drops of grapefruit with 1 teaspoon of coconut oil. Massage the mixture into the affected area. You can do this 2–3 times daily until the swelling has gone down.
Fennel oil also helps to relieve inflammation and remove wastes that can cause swelling. It also has diuretic properties and can be used internally or topically to relieve peripheral edema symptoms. Just add 1–2 drops of fennel essential oil to warm water or a cup of herbal tea (like chamomile). Or combine 3–4 drops of fennel with 1 teaspoon of any carrier oil and massage the mixture into the affected area.
6. Get a Massage
A gentle massage that promotes the flow of blood to your heart can help to remove pressure on your blood vessels that may be causing swelling. Massage therapy is recommended for less severe edema caused by water retention. A study published in the International Journal of Nursing Practice evaluated the effect of foot massages for decreasing lower leg edema in late pregnancy. Eighty pregnant women participated in the study. Half of them received a 20 minutes foot massage every day for five days. Compared to the control group, who received no massage, the experimental group had a significantly smaller leg circumference after the five days of massage.
7. Elevate the Affected Area
To reduce water retention in your legs, try to elevate the affected area a few times a day in order to relieve pressure. This can be helpful after a day of work, when you’ve been sitting or standing in the same position for an extended period of time. This can also be extremely helpful for pregnant women who are experiencing swollen legs, ankles and feet. Simply prop one or two pillows under your feet for 15–30 minutes at a time.
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