the doctor mmmUpdated: 9/22/23
Are your feet swollen and sore at the end of a long day? You may be dealing with peripheral edema, a condition that causes fluids to accumulate in parts of the body. Peripheral edema can cause significant discomfort, but relief is available through lifestyle changes and simple treatments you can do from home. In this blog post, we’ll look closely at what peripheral edema is, its symptoms, what causes it, effective remedies for swelling relief – and how to prevent it from occurring again in the future. Keep reading to find out more about this common problem faced by many today.
What is Peripheral Edema?
Edema, or oedema, is the medical term for swelling. Different body parts may swell due to inflammation or injury. Edema occurs when tiny blood vessels leak fluid into body tissues. This excess fluid accumulates, which makes the tissues swell. Edema can occur in almost any part of the body. Peripheral edema usually affects the hands and lower legs like the feet and ankles. It is gravity-dependent, meaning it increases or decreases with different body positions. For example, if an individual is standing, the swelling will appear in the legs. When lying on the back the swelling will appear on the sacrum.
Although peripheral edema can occur at any age, it is more common in pregnant women and older adults. Peripheral edema has numerous causes. It can subside overnight if the cause is mild. Peripheral edema caused by a more serious underlying condition is constant during the day and night. Underlying causes of peripheral edema are mostly diseases, such as cirrhosis of the liver, heart failure and kidney disease. Peripheral edema can also occur if an individual is overweight, has an infection or if there is a blood clot in the leg.
Signs and symptoms of peripheral edema vary depending on the underlying cause. The affected areas may feel heavy or stiff, appear swollen and puffy or be bruised or discolored due to an injury. Other symptoms include tight or warm skin and difficulties walking due to swollen legs.
Peripheral Edema Symptoms
Peripheral edema symptoms depend on the underlying cause of the condition. The first sign is a swollen area that feels warm to the touch. The swelling may depend on gravity — the swollen area tends to look more serious when the area is elevated or when standing.
Pain and Bruises
The affected area may be bruised or discolored, feel heavy, stiff and achy while being swollen and puffy. The skin around the area may feel stretched and look shiny, as well as being warm to the touch. In severe cases, the pain may become unbearable and require strong pain medication.
Pressure
There will be a painful tension around the area, as well as a feeling of pressure in the affected areas. This pressure is a result of the swelling and pressure in the veins of the affected area.
Chest Pain and Difficulty Breathing
Peripheral edema can also be accompanied by shortness of breath or chest pain if it’s caused by heart failure. In this case, the swelling is caused by the heart being unable to pump enough blood, resulting in the accumulation of fluids in the extremities. If left untreated, heart failure can lead to serious complications such as stroke or heart attacks.
Difficulty moving
Severe peripheral edema can make it difficult to move the affected limb. You may experience limited range of motion, stiffness, and muscle weakness. This can lead to a further decrease in physical activity and mobility, which can have negative effects on your overall health.
Numbness and Tingling
Peripheral edema can also cause numbness and tingling in the legs and feet. This is due to the pressure exerted by the swollen tissue on the nerves. If left untreated, this can lead to permanent nerve damage.
Peripheral Edema Complications
If you experience peripheral edema for a prolonged period, it can be accompanied by other complications. For instance, if the swelling occurs in your lower legs, it can lead to the formation of varicose veins or even lipodermatosclerosis, wherein the subcutaneous tissues harden and cause pain and discoloration. Another complication is cellulitis, where the skin around the affected area becomes infected, causing fever and redness
What Causes Peripheral Edema
Peripheral edema can be caused by certain health conditions. In some cases, the cause is just a harmless case of water retention. Peripheral edema can be caused by a variety of factors and understanding these causes can help to effectively prevent, diagnose, and treat the condition.
Water Retention
The water stored in the body may accumulate in tissues, which can cause temporary swelling of the feet, hands and ankles. This may happen when a person has consumed too much sodium. Water retention can also result from sitting or standing in one position for long periods. Hormonal changes during pregnancy or menstrual cycle can cause water retention in women. During pregnancy, the uterus exerts a lot of pressure on the blood vessels responsible for transporting blood back to the heart from the legs. This pressure causes fluids to get into the surrounding tissues, causing swelling in the lower legs. Severe swelling during pregnancy could indicate the development of preeclampsia, which is a serious condition characterized by high blood pressure and swelling.
Congestive Heart Failure
This medical condition makes both the lower heart chambers lose their functionality. As such, they are not able to pump blood effectively. As a result, blood may back up in the legs, feet and ankles, leading to edema. Congestive heart failure can also lead to swelling of the abdomen. People with this condition may experience difficulties breathing or shortness of breath if fluid builds up in their chest.
Certain Medications
Peripheral edema may be a side effect of certain drugs, especially those that involve regulating water or hydration. These medications can cause an imbalance between sodium and water in the body. The edema might also be influenced by the dosage and duration in which the drugs are taken. Some of these medications include antidepressants, steroids and blood pressure medicines known as calcium channel blockers. It’s cause is by estrogen hormone in birth control pills. If you feel that your medications are causing edema, talk to your doctor about alternatives or bulk supplements to help reduce or alleviate symptoms.
Kidney Diseases
The extra fluid and sodium in people with kidney disease can lead to peripheral edema. This happens because the kidneys are not able to get rid of enough water and sodium, leading to pressure buildup in the blood vessels, especially in the legs. Kidney disease can also cause edema around the eyes.
Liver Cirrhosis
When the liver is damaged or is scarred, it can result in peripheral edema by exerting pressure on the veins that serve the legs. Cirrhosis is a late stage of liver scarring. It causes fluid to accumulate in the abdominal cavity (ascites). People who experience this condition should seek immediate medical attention.
Lifestyle Choices
Lifestyle choices can also contribute to peripheral edema. Being overweight can put pressure on veins and make it harder for them to push fluid back to the heart. Moreover, too much salt intake, excessive alcohol consumption, or a diet low in potassium may also cause edema. Drinking enough water to flush fluids from the body and avoiding prolonged sitting or standing can help reduce the symptoms of edema
Venous Insufficiency
This is the most common cause of peripheral edema. It affects close to 30 percent of the entire population. This is when the veins in the legs experience damage or are weak and cannot pump blood back to the heart. Blood then accumulates in the lower legs. This condition can be inherited and is more common in women than in men.
Inflammation
Inflammation can be the body’s response to an injury, trauma, allergies, arthritis, cellulitis, gout or an infection. It in the body can cause damage to blood vessels, leading to fluid leakage and swelling in the affected area.
Blood Clot
A blood clot diagnosis by a sudden onset of pain and edema in one leg. Many refer to this medical condition as deep vein thrombosis (DVT). DVT can be a result of a variety of things including prolonged sitting in cramped conditions.
Pregnancy
Pregnant women feel the weight of peripheral edema due to higher levels of pressure throughout the body. Also, pregnant women often experience swelling in their ankles and feet due to weight gain and hormonal changes. Health care providers usually monitor women throughout their pregnancy to ensure that the edema is not a sign of preeclampsia, which can be dangerous to the mother and child.
Lymphedema
When the lymph system receives damages, it causes fluid accumulation in tissues resulting in peripheral edema. Lymphedema occurs as a result of surgery that is aimed at removing cancerous lymph nodes. This is known as secondary lymphedema, and it’s common in the United States and other industrial countries.
Primary lymphedema is rare and affects the arms and legs. It can also be inherited. Thirty percent of all lymphedema cases occur in both arms or both legs. It is a painless condition and is usually not tender. The most common cause of lymphedema in developing countries is filariasis, which is a parasitic infection caused by the roundworm and affects over 90 million individuals. Lymphedema can also be caused by obesity and venous insufficiency.
Severe or Long-Term Protein Deficiency
Protein deficiency that is caused by malnutrition can also cause edema. Proteins help to hold sodium and water in the blood vessels to prevent fluid from leaking into the tissues. If albumin (blood protein) level drops too low, fluid retains and edema occurs, especially in the lower legs, ankles and feet.
Peripheral Edema in Heart Failure
Heart failure occurs when your heart can no longer pump an adequate amount of blood to meet your body’s needs efficiently. As blood backs up in your veins, it causes a buildup of excess fluids in your lower body regions, leading to peripheral edema. Some other causes of peripheral edema include long hours of standing, pregnancy, being overweight, and other underlying conditions.
Peripheral Edema Diagnosis
For a doctor to understand the causes of peripheral edema, they will perform a physical exam by asking about the patients’ medical history. This information helps to determine the underlying cause of the condition.
Depending on the patient’s medical history, the doctor may render some tests necessary, such as:
- Urinalysis
- Blood tests especially of liver function
- Chest X-ray
- Evaluation of the liver and kidney function
- Abdominal ultrasound
- Ultrasound of the affected areas like the legs to examine the veins in the legs
Although edema is physically limiting, it is important to determine the underlying cause so that the type of treatment used will target the specific condition causing peripheral edema.
Peripheral Edema Treatment
Treatment mainly focuses on the swelling. Mild peripheral edema usually goes away on its own without any treatment. In some cases of recurring peripheral edema, the doctor prescribes diuretics to help lower the swelling, especially in individuals with heart failure. However, they can cause side effects. According to research, chronic diuretic use can cause a deficiency in potassium and a decrease in blood volume in the blood vessels.
Diuretics might not be effective for patients with non-pitting edema because it is so difficult to treat. However, they can reduce the swelling by wearing compression stockings and elevating their legs periodically.
If the edema is mild then self treatment in the form of moving around or taking breaks from sitting or standing and exercising can help. Massaging the affected area helps push the accumulated fluid towards the direction of the heart. It also helps to lower the pressure in the blood vessels.
Lowering salt intake is also ideal. Kidneys work to regulate the amount of salt retained in the body by excreting excess sodium through urine. Certain hormones and physical factors also help in this activity. If kidneys don’t function properly, the body may retain too much salt. Adding more salt increases the risk of serious peripheral edema. The retained salt causes water retention and eventually swelling. Individuals prone to peripheral edema should lower their consumption of foods high in sodium like bacon, table salt and soy sauce.
How to Get Rid of Peripheral Edema
If your peripheral edema is due to an underlying medical condition like heart or kidney disease, diabetes, or venous insufficiency, then your healthcare provider may prescribe medication or suggest other treatments to manage the condition. In severe cases, surgery requires validation.
Exercise
Physical activity can increase blood flow and reduce swelling in the legs and ankles. Low-impact exercises like walking, cycling, and swimming can help relieve the pressure on the veins and prevent fluid buildup. Aim for at least 30 minutes of exercise daily. If you have health conditions that limit your mobility, you can try gentle stretches or yoga poses that promote lymphatic drainage.
Compression stockings
Compression stockings or socks apply pressure on the legs and improve blood circulation. They help prevent the accumulation of fluid in the tissues and reduce swelling. Make sure to get the correct size and compression level recommended by your healthcare provider. Wear them throughout the day, especially when you’re sitting or standing for long periods.
Elevation
Raising your legs above the heart level helps drain excess fluid and reduce inflammation. Lie down on the bed or couch and prop your legs on a pile of pillows. If you’re at work, elevate your legs on a footrest or stool. Try to do this for 15-20 minutes, three to four times a day.
Diet
Eating a balanced diet can help prevent or manage peripheral edema. Reduce your sodium intake, as salt can cause water retention and swelling. Include high-potassium foods like bananas, avocados, and leafy greens, that help regulate fluid balance in the body. Stay hydrated and avoid alcohol and caffeine, which can dehydrate the body.
Supplements for Peripheral Edema
Pure Parsley Extract Powder
Parsley is a natural diuretic that helps to relieve bloating and water retention. It triggers urine production by the kidneys and rids excess water that can cause peripheral edema. As a dietary supplement, take 2,500 mg (scant 1 tsp) of parsley extract powder daily, or as directed by a physician.
Dandelion Root Extract Powder
Dandelion root plays a role as a natural diuretic. It can increase the frequency of urination. Take dandelion root extract powder in servings of 1,000 mg (rounded 1/3 tsp) twice daily, or as directed by your physician.
Grapefruit Seed Extract
Grapefruit seed extract can help activate the lymphatic system and also regulate fluid retention in the body. It does this by increasing blood flow. It also promotes detoxification of toxins and waste products that can cause inflammation. Studies have shown that grape seed extract can be effective in reducing edema, especially in patients with venous insufficiency. Take grapefruit seed extract powder in servings of 500 to 1,000 mg up to three times daily.
Horse Chestnut
This herb has been used for centuries to treat various circulatory disorders, including peripheral edema. Horse chestnut contains a compound called aescin, which has been found to reduce inflammation, improve blood flow, and strengthen blood vessel walls. Several studies have shown that horse chestnut can effectively reduce swelling in the legs and feet, making it a popular natural remedy. The recommended dose is up to 300 mg daily, but be sure to speak to your healthcare provider before taking any herbs or supplements.
Fennel Seed Extract Powder
Fennel seed can help to get rid of inflammation-causing waste products and also relieve inflammation. It possesses some anti-diuretic properties. As a dietary supplement, take fennel powder in servings of 1,000 mg (1/2 tsp) once or twice daily. The dosage may also vary depending on individuals.
The Bottom Line
Peripheral edema refers to the swelling of the arms and legs. It occurs when fluid retains in tissues, causing a heavy, swollen and sometimes painful area in the body. The symptoms of this condition vary according to its cause. Generally, the affected area swells and stretches the skin. It also feels warm to the touch. Peripheral edema can be caused by a number of health conditions and, in some cases, the cause is a harmless case of fluid retention. Edema can also come as a result of a chronic health condition that requires immediate medical attention. Such conditions include liver cirrhosis, kidney disease, venous insufficiency and congestive heart failure. Peripheral edema treats using diuretics and some home remedies like exercising, massage and stretching the affected areas.
Peripheral edema can be a debilitating condition, but understanding the potential role of inflammation can help you take steps to address the underlying cause and ease your symptoms. By adopting a healthy lifestyle and working with your healthcare provider to identify any underlying health conditions, you can reduce inflammation and experience relief from peripheral edema. Don’t suffer in silence – seek help for your edema today.
These statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. These products are not intended to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent any disease