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Edema (or swelling) of the lower limbs is common in older adults. The most common cause (about 70%) of leg edema is due to Chronic Venous Insufficiency (CVI). Other serious causes of edema include congestive heart failure, kidney disease, and liver disease.
Why would an elderly person’s legs swell?
Legs, ankles, and feet swell when excess fluid is pulled down by gravity and builds up in the lower body. This is called edema and it’s common in older adults and usually happens on both sides of the body. It can be caused by a variety of health conditions including heart failure, kidney disease, gout, and arthritis.
When should I be concerned about leg swelling?
Seek medical care right away if your legs swell for no apparent reason, especially if you have unexplained leg pain, difficulty breathing, chest pain or other warning signs of a blood clot in your lungs or a heart condition. Many factors — varying greatly in severity — can cause leg swelling.
How do you reduce swelling in the elderly?
Any form of cold therapy can be beneficial, such as: ice packs, ice baths, and ice machines that deliver cold water to wraps. Ice should be used a few times a day for about 20-30 minutes at a time to reduce swelling effectively. Pressure on an injury helps constrict blood flow and excess fluid from reaching the injury.
Is edema in the legs life threatening?
Most of the time, the edema is not a serious illness, but it may be a sign for one. Here are some examples: Venous insufficiency can cause edema in the feet and ankles, because the veins are having trouble transporting enough blood all the way to the feet and back to the heart.
How do you drain fluid from your legs?
Hold the swollen part of your body above the level of your heart several times a day. In some cases, elevating the affected body part while you sleep may be helpful. Massage. Stroking the affected area toward your heart using firm, but not painful, pressure may help move the excess fluid out of that area.
What happens if edema is left untreated?
If left untreated, edema can lead to increasingly painful swelling, stiffness, difficulty walking, stretched or itchy skin, skin ulcers, scarring, and decreased blood circulation.
What helps with swollen legs in elderly?
But again, most leg swelling in aging adults is chronic venous insufficiency. The ideal management of this chronic condition includes “lifestyle” measures such as elevating the legs regularly, using compression stockings, reducing salt intake, and doing exercises which improve fluid movement in the legs.
What medications can cause leg swelling?
Many medicines can cause edema, including: NSAIDs (such as ibuprofen and naproxen) Calcium channel blockers. Corticosteroids (like prednisone and methylprednisolone) Pioglitazone and rosiglitazone. Pramipexole.
Can heart problems cause swelling in one leg?
Congestive heart failure. If you have congestive heart failure, one or both of your heart’s lower chambers lose their ability to pump blood effectively. As a result, blood can back up in your legs, ankles and feet, causing edema.
What is a home remedy for swollen legs?
Home Care Put your legs on pillows to raise them above your heart while lying down. Exercise your legs. Follow a low-salt diet, which may reduce fluid buildup and swelling. Wear support stockings (sold at most drugstores and medical supply stores). When traveling, take breaks often to stand up and move around.
What foods cause edema?
Foods that can cause inflammation Sugar and high-fructose corn syrup. When there’s too much sugar in our system, our insulin tries to store the excess within fat cells, causing them to get larger. Artificial trans fats. Vegetable and seed oils. Refined carbohydrates. Alcohol. Red meat and processed meat.
What medications cause swollen ankles?
Medications that may cause the feet to swell include: hormones, such as estrogen and testosterone. calcium-channel blockers that help control blood pressure. steroids, both androgenic and anabolic, and corticosteroids. antidepressants. nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs. medication to help manage diabetes.
Will drinking more water help with edema?
Drink 8 to 10 glasses of water per day Though it might seem counterintuitive, getting enough fluids actually helps reduce swelling. When your body isn’t hydrated enough, it holds onto the fluid it does have. This contributes to swelling.
Can High BP cause edema?
This can increase the risk of deep vein thrombosis (DVT), which is another potential cause of edema. Eclampsia, which results from pregnancy-induced hypertension, or high blood pressure, can also cause edema.
Does walking reduce edema in legs?
The best weapon in the fight against swollen legs is a simple one: walking. Getting your legs moving means circulation is improved which will sweep up that collected fluid and get it shifted.
What gets rid of water retention fast?
Here are 13 ways to reduce excess water weight fast and safely. Exercise on a Regular Basis. Share on Pinterest. Sleep More. Stress Less. Take Electrolytes. Manage Salt Intake. Take a Magnesium Supplement. Take a Dandelion Supplement. Drink More Water.
Can dehydration cause leg swelling?
The kidneys start to react by retaining more sodium and water. The fluid then builds up in surrounding tissues, leading to swelling.
How do you make swelling go down fast?
Applying an ice-pack or cold compress to an injury is the fastest way to deal with immediate swelling. It helps reduce swelling by restricting blood flow to the area and slowing down cellular metabolism. Cold therapy systems and ice baths are other methods you can use to apply cold to the area.
What causes edema in elderly?
Causes of edema in seniors are wide ranging, minor to extreme. Most cases of mild edema in seniors are side effects of medications for high blood pressure, steroids, diabetes, or estrogens. Other mild causes of edema could include sitting or staying in one position for too long or eating too much salty food.
How can you tell if your ankle is swollen and your heart is related?
Swelling in the Legs, Ankles, or Feet Swelling (edema) in your lower legs is another sign of a heart problem. When your heart doesn’t work as well, blood flow slows and backs up in the veins in your legs. This causes fluid to build up in your tissues.
What foods are good to reduce edema?
Eat natural diuretic vegetables, including asparagus, parsley, beets, grapes, green beans, leafy greens, pineapple, pumpkin, onion, leeks, and garlic. Some of these foods may interact with diuretic medications. Eat antioxidant foods, such as blueberries, cherries, tomatoes, squash, and bell peppers.
