There is really no need to stand on ceremony with swelling. Firstly, they do not decorate: bags under the eyes and a puffy face will turn even a fashion model into an ugly woman. Secondly, they thoroughly ruin life. For example, you were invited to a restaurant, but you are not able to fit into your favorite sandals or put a ring on your finger. Well, thirdly - and this is much more important than sandals and dinner at a restaurant - swelling can be a symptom of serious ailments. Among them:
Kidney problems
When kidney function is impaired, water and salt are retained in the body, which leads to edema. In addition, with some kidney diseases, the amount of protein in the blood decreases (it is excreted in the urine), which also causes swelling.
Symptoms: renal edema appears in the morning. Typically on the face. Bags under the eyes and swollen eyelids are “hello” from the kidneys. In the afternoon, swelling decreases or disappears.
Your actions: You should not drink diuretic teas in liters - valuable micro- and macroelements leave the body along with water. Do not self-medicate, get examined by a urologist.
Heart diseases
Another provocateur of swelling is heart failure. The heart is unable to pump blood, causing it to pool in the legs, causing swelling.
Symptoms: Cardiac edema occurs in the evening and disappears in the morning. Favorite place to “dislocate” is the ankles. In addition to swollen legs, pain or discomfort in the chest, weakness, shortness of breath, and a feeling of lack of air may be bothersome.
Your actions: Do not even try to treat “cardiac” edema on your own - consult a cardiologist. The doctor will prescribe medications that normalize heart function.
Varicose veins
Varicose veins affect 80% of women and 30% of men. Standing for a long time, sedentary work, the habit of crossing one's legs - all this disrupts blood circulation in the lower extremities, causing varicose veins and swelling.
Symptoms: venous edema also appears in the evening - in the form of a trace from the elastic of socks or spreads to the lower leg and foot. The swelling is accompanied by “heavy leg syndrome”: they swell, hurt, and buzz.
Your actions: wear compression hosiery - it will improve blood circulation in your legs. Just don't buy it yourself. For him correct selection you need to contact a phlebologist. In addition, there are special ointments that reduce the manifestations of varicose veins.
Hormonal disorders
Hormonal imbalance is another risk factor. For example, if the thyroid gland produces too few hormones, special substances accumulate in the blood that cause the tissues to retain water.
Symptoms:“hormonal” swelling most often appears on the legs. They are dense to the touch: if you press, there is no fingerprint left. In addition to swelling, other symptoms occur - weight gain, constipation, rare pulse, increased drowsiness.
Your actions: You won’t be able to cope without an endocrinologist: hormones are a delicate matter. Therefore, there can be no talk of any self-medication.
Allergy
Allergies are often accompanied by swelling. Moreover, swelling can be either external, for example swelling at the site of a bee or wasp sting, or internal. For example, if a person with a nut allergy eats peanuts, he may develop laryngeal edema - a dangerous condition that requires immediate medical attention.
Symptoms: the bite site becomes red, swollen and itchy. With Quincke's edema, the tongue, lips, tonsils, and larynx often swell. If help is not provided in time, the person may suffocate.
Your actions: if the swelling is small, antihistamines (tablets and ointments) will help. No improvement? Contact an allergist: you may need corticosteroids. If you suspect angioedema, call an ambulance immediately. Before she arrives, take an antihistamine and apply ice to the swollen area.
Something about prevention
Despite the fact that the causes of edema are different and the ways to combat them are also different, prevention in many cases is the same:
Walk more, play sports, walk - physical activity will help “squeeze” excess fluid from the body.
Include “decongestant” foods in your diet: apples, cottage cheese, tea with lemon; If you have a food allergy, follow a diet.
Limit salt intake to 2-5 g per day. It is better to salt food not during cooking, but when it is already on the table, or use soy sauce. And if healthy people are recommended to drink 1.5-2 liters of fluid per day, then for those with heart problems and kidney problems, the drinking regime should be agreed with a doctor.
To prevent varicose veins, do the “bicycle” exercise every day - it perfectly accelerates the blood. Avoid high heels. At night, place a small bolster or pillow under your feet.
To avoid facial puffiness, sleep on your back: Sleeping on your stomach often leads to bags under the eyes.
Under swelling in the legs This implies an increase in the volume of the lower extremities, especially pronounced with excessive fluid intake, intensifying in the evening, after prolonged standing or walking. Edema is fluid accumulated in tissue (intercellular) crevices, which leads to an increase in tissue volume.
The cause of edema can be either a violation of the drainage of fluid (blood and lymph) from the lower extremities or its increased formation.
The most common causes are from the group of mechanical obstacles. Compression of the venous vessels by tumors or the pregnant uterus is detected, when the veins are blocked by blood clots, or when the outflow of lymph through the lymphatic vessels is impaired. In this case, there is an increase in pressure in the smallest capillaries and an increase in the leakage of fluid from their blood plasma into the surrounding tissues.
Taking some medicines, including those recommended by a doctor, can contribute to fluid retention in the body. First of all (due to the frequency of administration) this refers to the group of glucocorticoids prescribed for allergies, inflammatory diseases of the joints, bronchial asthma, oncological diseases.
Diseases with swelling of the legs
Diseases that are accompanied by edema of the lower extremities are quite diverse.- One of the most common reasons edema is varicose veins veins of the lower extremities.
- Severe swelling may indicate advanced heart failure. Insufficient heart function also slows down the drainage of blood from the lower extremities. Therefore, swelling appears primarily on the legs. Cardiac pathology is characterized by symmetrical swelling, more in the evening, leaving a hole when pressed, and enlarged liver.
- Swelling in the legs may also be a sign of kidney disease. In this case, they develop quickly, accompanied by lower back pain, fever, changes in the color and amount of urine, and swelling on the face in the eye area. Edema in this case develops due to impaired excretion of salt and water by the affected kidneys.
- With hypothyroidism (decreased production of thyroid hormones), swelling is noted that does not leave a hole when pressed, combined with general weight gain, lethargy, lethargy, a tendency to constipation and depression.
- Local swelling in the leg may occur with inflammatory diseases of the joints of the legs. In this case, swelling is detected only over the affected joint; this area has elevated temperature to the touch, movements in the joint are painful, its function is impaired. This may be a sign of arthritis or arthrosis of the joint. In this case, consultation with a rheumatologist may be required.
Leg swelling should not be underestimated. It is better to visit a doctor to make sure that the cause is simply fatigue and fever, and not a serious illness. After all, heart disease detected in time makes it possible to prevent heart attack and stroke, and kidney disease treated in time will not lead to chronic renal failure.
One of the most dangerous complications of damage to the venous bed of the lower extremities is a violation of the integrity of the skin, up to the development of ulcerative defects and gangrene, in which amputation of the lower extremity is indicated.
With untreated deep vein thrombosis, pulmonary embolism may develop.
Which doctors may need help with swelling in the legs?
- Therapist or general practitioner (family doctor).
- Cardiologist
- Vascular surgeon.
- Endocrinologist
- Rheumatologist
- Dermatologist
Many women have experienced swelling of the legs. And it’s not surprising, life in the 21st century moves at a fast pace, you need to keep up. In medicine, swelling of the legs means an increase in the size of the lower extremities. Most often, this condition of the legs occurs when standing or walking for a long time, or when drinking an abundance of liquid.
In modern medicine, there is no disease of swelling of the legs; it is only a symptom, probably meaning a serious illness. Legs swell due to fluid retention between cells.
There are a sufficient number of known causes of leg swelling:
- the removal of fluid from the body is impaired;
- increased formation of fluids in the body;
- pregnancy and subsequent childbirth;
- professions that involve working on your feet and carrying heavy objects;
- when using medications (for example, contraceptives for a long time);
- swelling of the legs after sunbathing.
It happens that the legs swell during a period of hormonal imbalance; pregnant women at any stage complain of an unpleasant symptom. Leg swelling occurs in overweight pregnant women. A large uterus puts pressure on the main vessels, impeding blood flow, and the weight of the mother provides pressure and delays the removal of fluids from the body. First of all, gynecologists check pregnant women for swelling; the presence of swelling of the legs is harmful to the mother and the unborn baby.
Leg swelling is sometimes regarded as a symptom of a serious illness.
An extremely common disease of the new generation is varicose veins of the legs. The disease occurs in men and women. The main reason is blockage of the veins, weakened muscles, which causes blood and fluid retention. Fluid accumulates in the muscle tissue, leading to an increase in the volume of the legs.
Treatment of leg swelling
If there is no predisposition to a chronic disease, edema can occur due to lifestyle. For example, working on your feet. It is possible to get rid of unpleasant sensations without resorting to the help of doctors.
After a hard day at work, you just need to wash your feet, alternately pouring cold, then hot water, having arranged a contrast shower. Then give your legs a rest by placing a pillow under your limbs, slightly elevating them. This is required for any swelling. A diuretic helps, removing excess fluid from the body.
Remember, it is possible to resolve the problem on your own in the absence of other symptoms. If, along with swelling of the legs, there is swelling of the entire body, you should definitely consult a doctor.
Consequences of tanning
People are looking forward to hot summer days to warm up after a long winter and get a natural, beautiful tan. Vacationers often have no idea what unpleasant moments await careless sunbathers. It's easy to get a sunburn while lying on the beach for a long time, but sometimes excess sun rays lead to swelling of the legs.
The sun's rays help to disrupt the removal of fluids from the body, increasing the volume in the legs, leading to swelling. To prevent your time in the sun from darkening your mood, consider these simple rules:
- You should not spend too much time in the open rays. Stay in the shade more often, this does not prevent sunbathing;
- Drink less alcoholic beverages. Fans should choose an even chocolate tan or a drink;
- It is required to use sunscreen.
It is possible to treat leg swelling after sunbathing at home. It is enough to take a contrast shower; regular grated potatoes applied in a thin layer to the area of swelling will help. Wait fifteen minutes, the swelling will subside.
What to do if your legs are burned
The long-awaited beloved sun often becomes a reason for tears. The thirst for sunlight can damage your feet.
Think about the consequences of prolonged sunbathing. If your leg is burned and it hurts terribly, especially when standing, you feel as if your legs are about to be torn apart. If one leg is swollen, much larger in volume than the other, there is a problem with the blood vessels. This is not something to joke about; it is better to prevent the disease by avoiding long-term treatment. Try to see a doctor as soon as possible.
You should not be particularly alarmed by a slight feeling of tightness in the skin of your legs, when your leg is burned; a common symptom develops with prolonged exposure to the sun. It is enough to simply lubricate your feet with moisturizing cream and constantly replenish them as they dry.
IN summer period Over time, a burn is a constant companion of the sun, but it is better to protect yourself than to regret later.
Sunburn on the legs
Sunburn occurs when areas of the body are exposed to ultraviolet rays. In summer, female representatives want to have beautiful tanned legs. It happens that excessive pursuit of bronze beauty leads to numerous burns. It is unlikely that peeling skin after burns will attract positive attention.
Grandmothers often advise to lubricate the burned area of skin. vegetable oil, but this, on the contrary, should not be done. The oil does not reduce the discomfort of burns; on the contrary, it delays healing.
A cold compress will help make the pain noticeably less, it’s easy to make yourself. The right way out will decide to take a contrast shower in the near future.
The first aid for burns is to apply after-sun cream, which will cool and soothe the skin a little. Remember, if you find a burn on your feet, you should immediately go into the shade and let the skin on your feet calm down. If you don't catch it in time, blisters will soon appear on the skin instead of redness. A new stage of burn will develop, leading to serious consequences.
To prevent dehydration, it is recommended to drink more fluids. If your legs or other parts of the body are burned, it is permissible to take antiallergic medications. Often redness on the skin, rashes due to sunburn - allergic reaction to ultraviolet rays.
Traditional methods of dealing with burns
There are a lot of known recipes folk remedies for the treatment of sunburn on the legs. The ingredients can probably be found in any person’s refrigerator.
- Fast and current method for burns - use regular potato starch. Sprinkle a thin layer on the areas of the legs where the burn occurred. Starch helps the rapid healing of wounds and various redness.
- Use of fermented milk products. Sour cream, curdled milk, etc. dairy product Gently apply to burnt areas. It needs to be done as quickly as possible. Thanks to kefir cream, you can quickly remove redness and reduce burning, additionally quickly cool it; such products are usually taken out of the refrigerator.
- Application of egg white. For the procedure, it is enough to anoint the reddened areas of the legs with cold egg white. This helps with rapid healing and the removal of unpleasant sensations such as burning.
Various lotions and plant juices (aloe) help to cope with the resulting burns.
To avoid unpleasant symptoms such as swelling of the legs, sunburn and burning, it is enough to follow the rules:
- To avoid swelling, try to consume less liquids and do not overload your legs. Get plenty of rest and don't carry too much weight.
- Try not to stay under for long sun rays, causing burns.
- Use after-sun and sunscreen products.
It is indicated to constantly monitor general condition legs, if symptoms of disease appear, consult a doctor immediately. Unpleasant sensations in the legs can cause serious illness. A disease is easier to prevent than to treat.
What is edema and why does it occur?
Edema is the accumulation of excess intercellular fluid in tissues. Our body is designed in such a way that the volume of fluid in it is constant. This means that the amount of fluid that comes in through drinking and food must be excreted by the kidneys, salivary glands, skin, etc.
If fluid is retained in the body or its normal redistribution in the body is disrupted, edema occurs. The tissues of various organs and parts of the body can swell, but most often the legs (ankles, legs) are affected. This happens, firstly, because the legs are ours. bottom part bodies into which liquid descends under the force of gravity.
Secondly, our legs experience a lot of stress from the weight of our body, especially when we need to stand or walk for a long time.
Many of us are familiar with swelling of the legs. Some people notice slightly swollen feet or ankles when they take off their shoes and socks in the evening. Others, this applies to women, note marks on their feet from the straps of sandals or tight shoes.
U healthy person Under the influence of certain factors, swelling of the legs may occur at the end of the working day.
What factors contribute to leg swelling in a healthy person?
Why It happens swelling of the legs in a healthy person? Here are the factors and causes that contribute to leg swelling:
- Very heavy load on the legs during the day due to the nature of the main job, heavy weight, excessive enthusiasm for running or walking.
- Uncomfortable posture during prolonged sitting or standing slows down blood circulation in the feet. It is harmful to cross your legs during sedentary work and to remain in the same position for a long time when standing.
- Narrow shoes, on high heels or with tight lacing disrupts the natural movement of blood and lymph in the legs.
- Excessive fluid intake before bed can cause leg swelling in the morning.
- Heat forces our body to dilate blood vessels and increase blood flow in order to normalize heat exchange. In hot weather, there may be temporary swelling of the legs.
- Lovers of salty foods often experience edema due to the ability of salt to retain water in the tissues of the body.
- Drinking alcohol leads to swelling because alcoholic drinks retain water in the tissues.
- Edema occurs in women during or before menstruation due to changes in hormonal balance, when an increase in estrogen contributes to stagnation of fluid in the body. Pregnant women may also experience swelling of the legs due to large quantity progesterone, which reduces vascular tone.
In other cases, when swelling of the legs does not disappear after rest or recurs again and again, symptoms such as pain in the legs and chest are added; difficulty breathing; fever, redness of the skin, you should immediately go to the doctor, since swelling of the legs can be a sign of serious illness.
Why are the legs swollen? indicates life-threatening pathologies, which we will discuss in the next section.
Swelling of the legs - as a symptom of pathology or disease
There are many reasons for the occurrence of such a pathological symptom as swelling of the lower extremities. Their identification is possible after a comprehensive medical examination and opinions of medical specialists.
Here we will look at several main diseases accompanied by swelling of the legs, in order to understand the importance of a medical examination in cases where swelling appears regularly or persists, or is accompanied by other undesirable symptoms.
Swelling of the legs can be one of the signs of such serious pathologies as:
Varicose veins
Vascular disease or varicose veins must be treated as early as possible, 
because it is fraught with the appearance of thrombosis. Thrombosis occurs due to venous insufficiency resulting from changes in the valves of the veins. When the valves close, instead of moving through the veins, blood accumulates in certain areas of the vessels and leads to overstretching of the connective tissue of the veins.
Stagnation of venous blood causes thrombosis and thrombophlebitis of the vessels of the legs. They manifest themselves in the form of constant, dense swelling of the legs, pain, redness of the skin, hot to the touch. Sometimes the patient says that his feet are “burning.” There may be complaints of numbness or tingling in the legs.
Varicose veins begin gradually. First with tired legs and swelling of the ankles and calves, which disappear in the morning. But as the disease progresses, if left untreated, the veins in the legs expand, become bulging, and often become inflamed, which causes pain. It is also possible for hemorrhages to occur and the development of trophic ulcers at the site of thrombosis (vein blockage).
Venous insufficiency is characterized by unilateral edema, that is, on one leg. However, there are areas of dilated veins on both legs. Then the edema is located in areas of venous blood stagnation.
Heart failure
When the activity of the heart is disrupted, this important organ cannot maintain normal blood circulation in the body, so congestion occurs, which begins from the legs. Cardiac edema 
usually symmetrical - on the shins of both legs and painless. The skin over them is bluish and cold to the touch. Patients with heart failure report numbness in their legs and always complain that their feet are cold.
As the disease progresses, swelling appears not only on the legs, but also in other places: on the arms, face. Heart failure is also characterized by such symptoms as: compressive pain in the left side of the chest, arrhythmia, increased blood pressure, shortness of breath due to oxygen starvation of tissues where there is insufficient blood supply.
This pathology threatens the patient's life. If you experience such manifestations, you should immediately contact a cardiologist or therapist.
Lymphatic system disease
Based on lymphostasis - a slowdown in the outflow of lymph, for hereditary (metabolic disorders) or acquired reasons: surgery, trauma, radiation therapy, erysipelas, etc., the disease develops - 
lymphedema. This is a chronic disease of the lymphatic system (formerly known as elephantiasis), characterized by the accumulation of fluid under the skin over the entire surface of the leg. Usually one limb is affected.
Lymphedema develops gradually and begins with periodic swelling of the leg. Then dense, painless swelling increases and spreads to the back of the fingers, foot and ankle. The patient feels the foot like a “pillow”; the skin over the swelling becomes thinner and changes color. When you press on the swollen area, a hole remains that does not go away for a long time.
The disease is also characterized by other symptoms, there may be convulsions, general weakness, headaches, complications in the form of trophic ulcers on the swollen surface.
Other pathologies with symptoms of swelling of the legs
The list of diseases in which one of the symptoms is swelling of the legs is extensive and is not limited to the three pathologies discussed above.
Swelling of the legs is accompanied by pathologies such as:
- rheumatism (swelling of the inflamed joints of the legs);
- kidney diseases , in which fluid is retained in the body (swelling of the upper parts of the feet is symmetrical, soft to the touch). More details can be found in the material of the same name;
- thyroid dysfunction in the form of hypothyroidism - lack of hormone production (swelling not only in the legs, but throughout the body) or hyperthyroidism - excessive production of hormones (the surface of the lower leg thickens in front, above the ankle, the skin swells, becomes keratinized, peels off);
- allergy for individual products, medicines, insect bites cause swelling of the legs (dense, uniform, when pressed there is no trace left, the skin is hyperemic, with a small rash and itching);
- leg injuries – with fractures and bruises there is painful swelling of nearby tissues;
- liver disease (cirrhosis, liver cancer) disrupt metabolism, lead to stagnation of blood in the systemic circulation and the formation of dense swelling of the legs in the ankle area with yellowed skin. In addition, ascites is observed - accumulation of fluid in the area of the anterior abdominal wall;
- gout – accumulation of uric acid salt (urate) in the joints, including the legs, with swelling, redness and pain.
It is impossible to list all the diseases in which swelling of the legs is observed, due to their large number.
One thing is important to know that any pathology in the body that contributes to fluid retention causes swelling of the legs.
What to do if your legs are swollen
We found out Why arises swelling of the legs. What to do if you have swelling?
Firstly, do not panic, but observe and remember why the swelling of the legs appeared. If you drank a lot of liquid the day before due to the heat, eating too salty food, drinking alcohol at a celebration, or overworked your feet with excessive stress, tormented them with tight, uncomfortable shoes, or maybe, on the contrary, you sat at the computer all day, then your swelling is physiological.
Such swelling should go away the next morning after proper rest and normalization of the drinking and physical regime. You can read about the principles of nutrition and drinking regime in the articles:,.
Swelling caused by the reasons listed above is usually symmetrical, that is, on both legs at the same time. They are soft, and when pressed with a finger, the mark quickly disappears.
How to detect leg swelling yourself? To do this, press your finger on the area of the tibia and wait a few seconds. The appearance of a pit that lasts for some time indicates edema.
If you regularly observe swelling in your legs or the swelling does not disappear after resting and normalizing your drinking regime, you need to consult a doctor. Most likely there is some pathological cause for leg swelling. Specialist doctors can identify this after a thorough examination.
First, contact a physician who will conduct an external examination and prescribe laboratory tests of blood and urine, and, if necessary, an electrocardiogram and consultations with specialized specialists: a cardiologist, urologist, phlebologist, lymphologist, etc.
To treat leg swelling, you need to determine the cause that caused it. Therefore, narrow specialists will prescribe a further set of examinations.
In addition to an ECG, a cardiologist may also prescribe an Echocardiography and a chest X-ray.
To diagnose varicose veins, a phlebologist needs the results of an ultrasound duplex scan, which will show the condition of your blood vessels - thrombosis, places of weakened blood circulation and cholesterol accumulation.
When ordering additional medical tests, specialists must find out what is happening with the blood flow and lymph flow, and why the fluid is retained and stagnated in your lower extremities.
Efficiency complex treatment The pathology that caused swelling of the legs will depend on timely and accurate diagnosis. Therefore, be attentive to your health, promptly and persistently contact good specialists so as not to miss a serious disease, the symptom of which is swelling of the legs.
Dear readers, remember that drug treatment carried out only by a qualified specialist based on medical history and results of comprehensive diagnostics.
Proper treatment of the disease in a timely manner guarantees your recovery.
I wish you health and careful attention to the symptoms of your body!