Do you feel like recently worn clothes, shoes, or jewelry is suddenly tight on your body? Do you notice swelling in certain areas of your body, does a dent appear on your skin if you press it with your finger, is the skin shiny, stiff, or tight? These are symptoms of edema.
Oedema is swelling caused by fluid accumulation in tissues and organs, which can occur in any part of the body, but is commonly observed in hands and lower limbs. Although minor swelling is not a concern, persistent and excessive swelling may indicate a medical emergency and specialized care should be sought.
Oedema can be caused by several conditions, from insect bites to bruising. After suffering an injury, the body sends fluid to the affected area to heal. As the area heals the excess fluid drains away and the swelling goes down and disappears. However, in some cases, poor circulation of lymph and blood can lead to fluid building up in certain areas of the body, and swelling instead of shrinking increases in size.
Conditions associated with edema
Possible causes of edema in these situations are:
- heart failure, certain cardiovascular conditions
- kidney disease
- cirrhosis of the liver
- deep vein thrombosis
- rheumatoid arthritis
- varicose veins
- venous insufficiency
- pregnancy
- taking certain medications
- angioedema
- lymphedema
- hypothyroidism
- chemotherapy
- certain cancers
- nutritional problems
- lack of physical activity.
Treatment of edema
Treatment of edema includes several components:
- treatment of the underlying cause, if possible
- use of certain diuretic drugs to remove excess fluid
- physiotherapy as recommended by the doctor
Not all types of edema require treatment, such as edema related to pregnancy or menstruation.
Prevention of edema
Prevention of edema may not be possible, depending on the cause. If swelling is caused by health issues like heart, liver, or kidney problems, it can only be managed. To prevent oedema from occurring the recommendations are:
– avoiding prolonged standing and sitting cross-legged
– Reducing salt in the diet
– wearing compression stockings
– some exercise
– wearing loose-fitting clothes and comfortable shoes that do not constrict the feet
– raising the legs above the heart level
– maintaining a healthy weight
– consumption of certain dietary supplements that help blood circulation to function properly.
HRI-Vitalion Plus tablets are a natural formula enriched with three ingredients, cinnamon, ginger, and turmeric, that work together to support normal blood flow and improve blood vessel health by regenerating the vascular walls. The VenoHelp cream can help reduce discomfort caused by edema. Its composition aims to improve blood circulation and eliminate swelling and pain. In its formula, the cream contains castor oil, devil’s claw extract, vine leaf extract, wild chestnut extract, aloe vera juice extract, menthol, camphor, lanolin, vitamin E, eucalyptus oil, rosemary oil, and panthenol.