Swollen Feet


What are Swollen Feet?
Swollen feet are a condition where the muscles in the feet have an excessive fluid. This excessive fluid can lead to an increase in weight.

Swollen feet is also called as edema. Edema usually affects the feet, ankles and lower legs, and also impacts any other part of the body, resulting in systemic symptoms.

What Causes Feet to Swell?
Swelling is caused by excessive fluid in the tissues. Gravity force pulls the fluids to your feet and ankles, causing them to swell.

Swollen feet (or ankles, or legs) can have a wide variety of causes that may be related to one or more of the following: Eating a poor diet high in salt and carbohydrate sitting or standing too long injury or trauma menstruation (for some women) being overweight being older pregnancy Neuromuscular disorders Trauma Laxative abuse Diuretics abuse Drug abuse

Other common causes of swollen feet:
Less blood circulation - Normal blood circulation begins with the heart pumping blood through the arteries under high pressure. As the arteries branch out into smaller arteries and then into tiny capillaries, pressure decreases. Oxygen is removed from the blood in the capillaries and then the used blood flows into veins for the trip back to the lungs for another load of oxygen. However, if the blood circulation is slower than normal, it becomes hard for blood to move back up to your heart all the way from your feet. Blood containing metabolic wastes may be halted in some areas of your feet and inflate the surrounding blood vessels/ tissues, thus causing swollen feet.

Swollen legs can also be caused by certain medications, including high-estrogen birth control pills, calcium channel blockers, certain antidepressants, and steroids. In other cases, swelling of the legs may be a sign of more serious health conditions, including heart, kidney, or liver failure.

Can Swollen Feet be treated?
The Treatment for swollen feet depends on the cause of the swelling. The first treatment option is to elevate the legs above the level of the heart.

Following are the other treatment options for swollen feet:

• Sit down and stay off the feet
  
• Practice good health habits. Proper nutrition and daily exercise improve the health of your cardiovascular system and your circulation, helping to reduce the tendency of your feet to swell.
• Reduce your salt intake. Salt causes you to retain water.

Symptoms of Swollen Feet?
The common symptom of swollen feet includes the following:

• swelling legs
• swelling ankles
• swelling knees
• feet enlargement
• feet stiffness
• feet pain/ discomfort
• difficulties in walking

Prevention for swollen feet?
Exercise - Exercise, especially leg exercises, can also increase circulation and help removing some of the excessive fluid from your feet.
Reduce excess weight - This can put a damper on good circulation.
Low Salt - A low-salt eating plan. Salt can play a role in fluid reduction.
Sitting or Standing - Avoid sitting or standing in one place for too long. Stop to stretch and take your legs out for a walk