Swollen feet and ankles? See what it can be –

You spent a lot of time standing or lying down It is suddenly realized that something was wrong us feet It is ankles: the swelling he appeared. But is he normal? We investigated.

A QUESTION OF ANATOMY

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“Like the feet It is the ankles support our body, they automatically, due to the effect of gravity itself, will always be the place of greatest accumulation of liquid in our body, being an indication that something is not going well when it is in excess. You feet are the first to demonstrate the swelling, regardless of its cause, It is are a great index for the physical examination in a medical appointment to assess fluid retention”, explains the vascular surgeon Dr. Aline Lamaitamember of the director (marketing committee) of the Brazilian Society of Angiology It is Vascular surgery.

CAUSES OF SWELLING

According to the doctor, the swelling may occur due to systemic causes, that is, due to more generalized problems in the body, such as thyroid hormone changes or gynecological hormone variations (such as menopause or PMS). “In these situations, we usually have a dilation of the vessels that favors the accumulation of liquids”, he explains.

Another systemic cause may be the kidney malfunction because, in kidney failure, the kidney stops filtering It is expel urine. This generates a water imbalance that will always manifest itself in the legs”, says the doctor.

There are more localized causes, such as conditions in the legs linked to local inflammatory processes (tendinitis, arthritis It is erysipelas). “In these cases, in general, we see the involvement of only one limb”, says the vascular surgeon.

“Circulatory conditions are also related to the accumulation of fluids. Hypertension itself can cause swelling of the legs when decompensated. the varicose veins It is post-thrombotic syndrome also result in swelling chronic in the more advanced stages of the disease, usually associated with dermatitis, darkening of the skin at the site It is until the appearance of wounds”, explains Dr. Aline Lamaita.

“Another less frequent vascular condition is lymphedema, which causes changes in the lymphatic system, often leading to a swelling chronic It is may progress to limb deformity, but in this case it usually affects only one of the limbs.”

There are also conditions where there is no disease or hormonal change involved: “This swelling it usually happens in the heat, on both legs, after a hard day; the condition regresses easily with rest or after a night’s sleep It is usually does not need major concerns”, he clarifies.

“But if the edema is frequent, or unilateral, or associated with other symptoms such as pain, itching, redness, or that do not easily give way to rest, we need to look for a vascular surgeon, because we have warning signs for further investigation”, he says. the doctor.

There are medications that are also involved in the swelling us feet It is ankle, by increasing vasodilation. “Medications used as antihypertensives can cause the swellingmainly in the elderly population, therefore, if you use blood pressure medicine It is live with swollen legs be aware, both hypertension itself and its treatment are related to the swelling.”

“Another condition closely associated with swelling is the pregnancy, when we have swelling because of the difficulty in the passage of blood due to the compression of the uterus It is by hormonal variation. The condition worsens significantly if the pregnant woman suffers from gestational hypertensive syndrome”, explains the vascular surgeon.

TREATMENT

The doctor explains that there are general measures to improve discomfort, indicating rest with elevation of the limbs, cold compresses with chamomile tea, food rich in water (fruits, vegetables, legumes) to stimulate diuresis, drinking plenty of fluids It is always keep moving It is the active member. “When there is no suspicion of thrombosis or it has been ruled out, lymphatic drainage can be performed”, he advises.

During the medical consultation, the daily use of elastic compression stockings may also be indicated. It is medications to decrease fluid buildup. “During a long flight, when some people also suffer from the problem, it is mandatory to move the legs every hour, avoid the use of alcoholic beverages that are known to cause retention, use of elastic compressive socks It is even anticoagulant medication in people It is high risk”, concludes the doctor.