What Cause Feet And Ankles To Swell

What Cause Feet And Ankles To Swell – The human body relies on natural energy to move, function and thrive; one such force is gravity. Our bodies need gravity for bone structure, balance and blood flow. Although gravity has a positive effect on our body, it can also cause swelling in our feet and ankles. How can it be important for our health, but at the same time cause unwanted swelling in the body? In this blog we will learn how and why gravity can cause swelling in our feet and ankles. Let’s start by learning about blood flow in the body.

There are two types of blood flow in the body, arterial and venous. It is the venous blood in our veins that can cause swelling in the legs, ankles and feet.

What Cause Feet And Ankles To Swell

There are little or no veins in the walls of the veins. Veins rely solely on the surrounding leg muscles to carry blood back to the heart to regain oxygen. Walking and exercise work together and relax these muscles and help blood flow. Sitting or standing for long periods of time does not cause the muscles to constrict the blood vessels. Because of this, we often have swelling in our feet and ankles.

Why Do Feet Swell Up In The Heat?

When this happens, it is like a pool that is falling apart. Aging, pregnancy, weight gain, and a sedentary lifestyle, for example, all contribute to the body’s resistance to forces such as gravity when it comes to blood.

Swelling of the feet and ankles can also cause more serious conditions. For example, congestive heart failure, heart disease, and blood clots are serious and potentially life-threatening conditions if not diagnosed and treated promptly.

When it comes to blood stones, conditions that affect the heart can cause a mismatch between supply and demand. If the heart is not working as it should, it may not be able to continue pumping blood around the body. A blood clot or blockage in the veins, known in the medical world as a thrombus, prevents blood clotting completely.

Leg muscles to push blood back up the legs to the heart. Staying active, exercising and taking breaks between sitting at work or at home can help your blood flow. Compression therapy such as knee and thigh socks, and full pantyhose. Known in the medical world as edema, swelling of the legs, ankles and feet can be annoying and scary. If left untreated, your swollen ankles can be painful, make it difficult to walk, stiffen the joints, and stretch the skin. And while the causes of ankle swelling can range from the harmless to the life-threatening, our experts have determined why your ankles are swelling up like balloons.

What To Do For Prolonged Swelling In The Legs?

Although the causes vary, depending on what is causing your ankle to swell, the symptoms of edema occur when fluid builds up and collects in the space between the joints. body and organs, explains Gillian Adams, MD, family physician and medical director of MedStar Alexandria. This stored fluid can seep into the tissue and cause painful swelling. In addition, it is common in the ankles, feet, and legs, as gravity pulls the water away.

Sitting for long periods of time can cause serious health problems. If you work in a job that requires you to stand or sit for long periods of time, you may develop ankle sprains as a result. Steven Weinfeld, MD, chief of foot and ankle surgery at Mount Sinai Health System in New York, explains, “When you move, the muscles that are involved in the movement actually help to drain the fluid. and blood to the side of your hand.” However, without the additional help of moving the muscles, blood and water can get into the feet and ankles.

As Dr. According to Weinfeld, overweight and obese people develop swelling around the ankles for two reasons. First, being overweight in the joint can cause fluid to accumulate around the joint. In addition, storing excess hormones in fat cells can contribute to hormonal changes that also lead to water retention, he said.

Whether you trip over a coffee table or sprain your ankle while running, injury can be the most common cause of swollen feet seen by doctors. When your ankle is injured, your body sends more blood to the area, Dr. Weinfeld explains. “This not only induces healing cells, but also helps in creating inflammation to strengthen and heal the injured joint,” he says.

Causes, Symptoms, Treatments, And Prevention Of Edema (swelling)

Dr. Adams adds that injury to the calf can also be blamed for ankle swelling, as water collects at the bottom of the calf, causing inflammation and increased fluidity. Also, damage or trauma to blood vessels can cause swelling, he says. In the case of an injury, the swelling may include redness or bruising.

Many medications (including OTC) can help with ankle swelling because of their complex relationship with the body. “Some medications can cause fluid retention,” said Dr. Weinfeld explains. “Some blood pressure medications, steroids, and even NSAIDs like Advil can have this effect.” Hormones like estrogen and some antidepressants can also cause ankles to balloon.

As Dr. According to Weinfeld, venous insufficiency, a condition in which the veins do not work properly, can cause blood to flow to the heart and pool in the legs and ankles. “Veins have one-way valves that can stretch over time and allow fluid to escape,” he explains.

This happens when these valves are damaged or weakened – say from aging or sitting for a long time. Venous insufficiency is common in people over 50, develops slowly over time, and is more common in women than men.

What Causes Swollen Feet?

Our lymphatic system transports fluid called lymph (which contains white blood cells and waste products) throughout the body. However, in lymphedema, the damaged or blocked lymphatic system causes fluid to accumulate around the extremities, according to the US National Academy of Medicine. Although some cancers (and cancer treatments) can cause lymphedema, infections can also cause swelling. Dr. Adams says that cancer or tumors can make it difficult for the fluid to drain properly, which can cause blockage of the lymphatic system. Symptoms of lymphedema include heaviness or stiffness in the arms or legs, inability to move, progressive disease, stiffness or swelling of the skin, and trouble sleeping.

Arthritis, which includes many specific diseases, refers to a condition in which the joints become swollen, painful, stiff, and difficult to move. Surprisingly common among adults, it can affect the entire joint, including the ankle. “When I get an X-ray back and see someone with benign arthritis, that really explains the swelling in that area,” Dr. Weinfeld says, adding that the inflammation associated with arthritis causes the joint to swell.

One of the biggest causes of swelling around the ankle (which often spreads to the foot) is bleeding, says Daniel Paull, MD, founder and CEO of Easy Orthopedics.

“If you have swelling on one side that continues to go up your leg, you should get it checked out,” said Dr. Paull says. In some cases, a blood clot can travel to the lungs and cause a life-threatening pulmonary embolism (also known as a blocked pulmonary artery). If you notice other signs of blood clots – such as pain, shortness of breath, dizziness, redness or discoloration of the skin, and heat in the area – in addition to swelling, go to the emergency room immediately it is possible.

What Causes Swollen Legs (edema)?

In a compromised heart – due to coronary artery disease or high blood pressure – at least one of the heart’s chambers cannot pump blood properly. “If the heart cannot produce enough water, the water can be recovered,” said Dr. Paull explains.

Dr. Adams adds that heart failure is one of the first things a doctor will consider if a patient has swelling in both ankles. When the heart can’t pump blood properly, fluid leaks out, flows back, and collects in the ankle, he says.

This usually occurs in the feet and ankles, leading to swelling. In more severe cases, it may raise the leg. Other signs of heart failure include shortness of breath, fast or palpitations, persistent cough, difficulty concentrating, and chest pain if caused by a heart attack.

Among the many changes that occur in the body during pregnancy, perhaps the most common is swelling of the feet and ankles. According to the American Association of Gynecologists, this is mainly due to the increase in blood and fluid production during pregnancy, which softens the body and – help it expand as the baby grows. Hormonal changes and extra pressure on the veins can also contribute to leg swelling during pregnancy.

Pitting Edema: What It Is, Symptoms, & Treatments

Bloodborne bacteria can enter one of the joints. A clear sign of disease? Swelling with tenderness, heat and redness.

Children and adults are more likely to suffer from arthritis, which is caused by bacterial or fungal inflammation and reddened joints, pain and fever. Skin conditions such as cellulitis – a rapidly spreading bacterial infection that causes red, itchy skin – can also cause the ankle area to appear.

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