When should you go to the hospital for swollen feet and legs?
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.
Are swollen legs life threatening?
Swollen legs and ankles may be a result of a benign cause or a potentially life-threatening condition. A person should see their doctor if the swelling is sudden, unexplained, or accompanied by additional symptoms. It is not always possible to prevent swollen legs and ankles.
When should I be concerned about swollen feet?
When should you call the doctor? “Report your symptoms to your doctor if there’s so much swelling that it leaves an indentation if you press your finger into it, or if it has developed suddenly, lasts for more than a few days, affects just one foot, or is accompanied by pain or discoloration of the skin,” Dr.
What causes severely swollen legs?
Leg swelling isn’t always a sign of a heart or circulation problem. You can have swelling due to fluid buildup simply from being overweight, being inactive, sitting or standing for a long time, or wearing tight stockings or jeans. Factors related to fluid buildup include: Acute kidney failure.
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 happens if swelling doesn’t go down?
Chronic swelling leads to an inability to use the muscles in the injured area. In an extreme circumstance, this can lead to muscle atrophy. Think of it like this: the body makes your foot or ankle swell to heal it, but also to keep you off of it.
How do I get rid of fluid in my legs and feet?
Compression stockings
- Movement. Moving and using the muscles in the part of your body affected by edema, especially your legs, may help pump the excess fluid back toward your heart.
- Elevation.
- Massage.
- Compression.
- Protection.
- Reduce salt intake.
What does swollen lower legs mean?
Fluid buildup (edema): It happens when the tissues or blood vessels in your legs hold more fluid than they should. This can happen if you simply spend a long day on your feet or sit for too long. But it may also be a sign that you’re overweight or don’t get enough exercise, or of more serious medical conditions.
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 stage of heart failure is edema?
The symptoms of end-stage congestive heart failure include dyspnea, chronic cough or wheezing, edema, nausea or lack of appetite, a high heart rate, and confusion or impaired thinking. Learn about the hospice eligibility requirements for end-stage heart failure.
When is edema an emergency?
When to Seek Care for Swelling You should seek emergency care if you have sudden, unexplained swelling in just one limb or if it occurs along with chest pain, trouble breathing, coughing up blood, fever, or skin that is red and warm to the touch.
How do you get rid of swollen legs and feet?
Relax the legs.
What is the treatment for swollen legs and feet?
Check your magnesium levels as a deficiency in magnesium can lead to swollen feet and ankles.
Can the swollen leg get back to normal?
Swimming, or even just floating, in water can really help to relieve those swollen legs. The pressure from the water gets the circulation moving, but it also gives your body a break from the constant pull of gravity. If you don’t have access to a pool, check out local gymnasiums or swimming classes to see if there are rental hours available.
What can you do for swelling legs?
When the legs feel swollen,firm,or tight,it helps to tread cold water and use foot baths that alternate between hot and cold water.