Health problems seem like a nerve ending process and there is always something or the else going on with our body. Feet and ankles that support us to walk and do our daily functions are usually not a cause of concern for most of us. However there is a big population of people that go through the condition of swollen feet. It is hard to regard it as a separate problem because there could be many diseases related to the cause of swelling in the feet or ankles. Even though swelling in feet is not a cause of severe problem in majority of cases, it is always to get it checked.
Swelling in Feet and Ankles
We spoke to Dr. Sumeet Nigam, General Physician from Sahara Hospital, Lucknow to understand various causes of having swelling in feet or ankles. He told us that mostly it is because of inflammation in feet that is caused by keeping foot in wrong posture. It can also be because of temperature changes and various other health conditions. In majority of cases swelling is temporary and goes off by cold or warm compress. But if it does not happen so, then it could be because of some serious disorder especially related to central nervous system.
Causes of Swelling in Feet and Ankles
1. Edema
It is a common condition in which that is caused because of excess of fluid in the tissues of the body. When the fluid gets stored in these tissues, it causes swelling and puffiness under your skin. Edema usually affects your feet, ankles and legs. Therefore it is important to treat this condition in order to reduce swelling from feet and ankles. You may have these symptoms if you have edema-
- Increased abdominal size
- Skin getting stretched
- Having difficulty in walking
2. Due to Pregnancy
This seems to be a very obvious reason and majority of women have swelling in their feet once during their pregnancy. This is because body retains more water and produces more blood as well. This is however a temporary issue which will automatically get treated after the child birth. Most of the women experience swollen ankles or feet in the evening because the blood and body fluids increase in the lower portion of the body.
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3. Preeclampsia
This can be a concerning condition because it could develop because of high blood pressure and protein in the urine. Preeclampsia is a condition of excessive swelling in your hands and feet. It happens usually in the 20th week of pregnancy. It could cause a number of health problems, and it is important to get rid of those situations. It may cause the following symptoms-
- Headache
- Nausea
- Infrequent urination
- Difficulty in breathing
- Vomiting
- Pain in the abdomen
- Blurry vision or any other type of vision problems
4. Alcohol abuse
Alcohol can also lead you to swollen feet and ankles because it increases water retention in your body. Drinking alcohol causes swelling in the feet which usually takes a few days to go away. In some condition, it does not cause a major setback to your health but otherwise it can lead to issues with your liver, heart and kidneys. Alcohol abuse can particularly cause ankle and feet swelling for many days.
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5. Due to hot weather
This is a general condition because of which many people face different type of issues. Swelling in feet and ankles is one of the common problems that occur in hot temperature and weather conditions. This happens because your veins expand as a part of natural cooling process. Fluids that include your blood can get into your nearby tissues and cause inflammation. People with circulatory problems may have more serious issues because of swelling of feet in this condition.
6. Injury
Injury is also a very common cause of having swelling in feet and ankles. This can happen due to broken bones of foot or ankles. It can also be as a result of inflammation in foot because of any of conditions causing injury. You can take RICE therapy in order to treat swelling caused by injury.
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