Swelling of the whole body lasts for a long time. Swollen legs - the cause and what it is connected with

Edema is a symptom of many diseases. If you notice swelling on the body that lasts for a long time, it may be worth making an appointment with a doctor.

Edema can be hidden or obvious. Explicit edema is easy to recognize immediately - a limb or area of ​​\u200b\u200bthe body increases in size, stiffness in movement appears. Latent edema may be indicated by a sharp increase in body weight or a decrease in the frequency of urination.

Most often, peripheral edema occurs when the ankles, feet, lower legs, or the area around the eyes swell. But sometimes, in severe conditions, swelling of the whole body develops. This swelling is called anasarca.

The main causes of edema

Sometimes swelling occurs if a person is forced to stay in one position for a long time. For example, you may notice swelling in your legs after a long plane ride.

In women, edema can develop during menstruation against the background of a changed hormonal background. Pregnancy is also a condition that contributes to the development of edema. In this case, the volume of circulating blood increases and, under the influence of the growing uterus, pressure on the internal organs and tissues increases.

Taking certain medications (hypertension medications, non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, oral contraceptives, some diabetes medications) also provokes the development of edema.

However, in some cases, edema occurs as a result of serious illnesses that require immediate medical advice.

1. Chronic heart failure

The heart acts as a pump in our body, thanks to which blood circulates from the lungs to organs and tissues, saturating them with oxygen. If the work of the heart is disturbed, the blood lingers on the periphery, and a person develops swelling of the legs, ankles, and lower back.

Usually the legs swell in the evening. When you press on the area of ​​​​edema, a hole remains, which slowly disappears. If the disease progresses, the outflow of blood from the lungs is disturbed. Then cough and wet rales appear.

In severe cases, the outflow of blood from the internal organs is disturbed. Fluid accumulates in the abdominal cavity, the abdomen increases in size. This condition is called ascites.

2. Kidney disease

In diseases of the kidneys, conditions are created for the retention of sodium and fluid in the body. Unlike cardiac edema, renal edema worsens in the morning. Swelling of the face and the area around the eyes is often observed. The arms and legs swell, especially the ankles and legs.

In violation of the kidneys develops the so-called nephrotic syndrome. In this case, there is a loss of protein in the urine, the protein content in the blood decreases, and conditions are created for the accumulation of fluid in the tissues. You may notice that urine becomes frothy, appetite decreases, and weight gain occurs due to fluid retention in the body.

3. Cirrhosis of the liver

Some hereditary diseases, hepatitis B or C, alcohol abuse, endocrine disorders can lead to cirrhosis of the liver. If the liver fails, the outflow of blood from the internal organs is disturbed, protein production in the body decreases, swelling of the legs develops, and fluid accumulates in the abdominal cavity (ascites).

Early symptoms of liver cirrhosis may include nausea, loss of appetite, weight loss, weakness, and fatigue.

4. Violation of the outflow of blood

If an obstruction occurs in the way of blood outflow, edema develops. This can happen, for example, if the deep veins of the legs are clogged with blood clots. With deep vein thrombosis, you may feel pain in your leg or notice redness.

In addition, a growing tumor can interfere with the outflow of blood through the lymphatic or blood vessels. These conditions are life threatening and require urgent medical attention.

5. Allergic reaction

The cause of allergic edema can be foods, medicines, flowers, animals, insect bites, to which a person has developed hypersensitivity. The difference between allergic edema is that it develops suddenly, in just a few minutes. At the same time, a person does not experience pain, however, allergic edema is one of the most life-threatening. Swelling of the larynx and tongue can lead to suffocation and death.

6. Preeclampsia

Preeclampsia is a serious complication of pregnancy. Edema in preeclampsia is accompanied by an increase in pressure and impaired renal function. This is a very dangerous condition that threatens the life of both the mother and the unborn child. Therefore, during pregnancy, you should regularly visit your doctor. Only he will be able to distinguish minor edema during pregnancy from a critical condition.

It is important to recognize edema that poses a threat to human life. First of all, it is an allergic edema. With its development, it is necessary to immediately help a person, otherwise death due to suffocation is possible. It is extremely dangerous if the edema has developed due to a blood clot. The thrombus or part of it can move further along the blood vessels. Then there is a risk of developing a heart attack, stroke and other life-threatening conditions.

If edema is one of the symptoms of preeclampsia, it can threaten placental abruption, fetal death, retinal detachment, stroke, eclampsia (seizures that can be fatal).

With constant and progressive swelling of the legs, stiffness in movements increases, difficulties arise when walking; stretching of the skin occurs; the elasticity of arteries, veins and joints decreases; blood supply is disturbed and the risk of infection of the edema area, the development of ulcers on the skin increases.

Small swellings can go away without the help of a doctor. If edema persists for a long time or develops suddenly, this is an alarming symptom. You need to see a doctor urgently.

In case of allergic edema, it is required to immediately stop the patient's contact with the allergen that caused the edema and take antihistamines. If there is an allergic person in the house, consult your doctor about what drugs should be in your home first aid kit.

If edema is associated with a malfunction of the heart, kidneys, liver, vein thrombosis, the doctor will prescribe the necessary treatment for the underlying disease.

In addition, special diuretic drugs are prescribed, which remove excess fluid from the body. After prescribing the appropriate treatment, it is important to follow the recommendations of the doctor. You may need to change your eating habits and lifestyle.

The following measures will help reduce the severity of edema and prevent their recurrence.

1. Moderate exercise

Even if you are unable to engage in active sports due to illness, your doctor will advise you on possible physical exercises. With muscle contraction in the area of ​​​​edema, conditions are created for the removal of excess fluid.

2. Massage

Stroking the area of ​​swelling in the direction of the heart will help remove excess fluid from the area of ​​swelling.

3. Diet

Excess salt in the diet contributes to fluid retention in the body. Depending on the severity of your illness, your doctor will advise you on how much you should limit your salt intake. Sometimes just a little undersalting is enough.

In more severe diseases, salt will have to be completely abandoned. In this case, the diet should be balanced, contain a sufficient amount of protein, vitamins and trace elements.

Edema is an excessive amount of fluid in the body. Most often, you can find swelling of the legs, eyes, i.e., individual parts of the body. Edema can be general (of the whole body) and localized (only the forearm, for example). Edema of the whole body occurs much less frequently, and this indicates the presence of a serious pathology. So, why do edema occur and how to get rid of them?

The reasons

It should be understood that the disease in the initial stage will not lead to swelling of the whole body. This complication occurs with serious pathologies and advanced forms of various systemic diseases.

• heart diseases;
• kidney disease;
• liver disease;
• allergy;
• arterial pressure;
• thrombophlebitis;
• extensive burns;
• infections;
• preeclampsia, eclampsia;
• some inflammatory diseases

Depending on the etiology, the pathogenesis of edema may differ. Cardiac pathologies occupy almost 90% among all others, according to the frequency of occurrence of such a symptom as body edema. These are chronic heart failure, infective endocarditis, etc.

With heart disease, edema begins in the legs, the left and right sides swell in the same way. First they appear on the feet and legs, and then rise higher. There is an anasarca, ascites, hydrothorax, hydropericarditis. The patient has noticeable shortness of breath, acrocyanosis.

Kidney diseases are statistically on a par with cardiac pathologies. These include: nephritis, chronic and acute renal failure, malignant neoplasms of the kidneys, the development of diabetic nephropathy.

When the kidneys do not cope with their function, edema begins to appear. At first, they can be found in the morning under the eyes, if nothing is done, then the puffiness will spread throughout the body.

As a result of cirrhosis of the liver, fluid can linger in the body, which sweats into the abdominal cavity, thereby causing ascites. The skin becomes yellow and a venous network appears on the abdomen (this is called the "head of a jellyfish"). Soon the legs and lower back may swell. There may be a low amount of protein (albumin) in the blood.

Angioedema is a reaction of the body to an irritating factor, an allergen. Quincke's edema is a generalized edema. As a result of the action of the allergen, histamine and serotonin are produced in the body. in such cases, the pathogenesis will be as follows: the permeability of the capillary walls increases.

The edema develops extremely quickly, the lips, the entire face and neck swell. Urgent care is required, the count goes by the minute, and if you do not help in time, the edema can block the access of the respiratory tract, which will lead to respiratory arrest.

Edema can develop as a result of allergological tests, in the place where the test was made, a reaction from redness to swelling of the forearm is possible.

Puffiness can appear as a result of an increase in blood pressure and a decrease in the amount of protein (albumin) in the blood.

Thrombophlebitis is one of the causes of edema. The bloodstream must move, and for this reason, when a blockage occurs, fluid seeps through the walls and accumulates in the tissues. When you press on the edema, the skin will be red, over the place where there are thrombosis, it will be inflamed and painful.

Extensive burns and some serious infections can cause swelling of the body. They cause a reaction of the whole organism, the permeability of the walls of blood vessels increases, the liquid enters the intercellular space.

Preeclampsia and eclampsia are severe preeclampsia of pregnant women. This toxicosis manifests itself in late pregnancy. Edema can spread throughout the body in just a couple of hours. Fluid accumulates on the back, lower back, abdomen, vulva, legs. These diseases are characterized by the appearance of seizures. Why they occur is not completely clear, but the condition is very dangerous. Treatment should be carried out exclusively in a hospital, with constant medical supervision.

In addition, in pregnant women, such diseases can lead to edema: chronic glomerulonephritis, cardiovascular insufficiency.

In some diseases, swelling of the airways may occur. Pulmonary edema is also an emergency. The patient develops frothy red sputum. When providing first aid, the use of defoamers is necessary. Swelling of the upper respiratory tract occurs with an allergic reaction.

This disorder also occurs in children.

There are several serious infectious, inflammatory diseases that lead to swelling of the whole body and threaten the life of the baby. These are neonatal pathologies: bacterial sepsis and congenital viral infections (rubella, neonatal herpes, cytomegalovirus infection).

Intrauterine infection of the fetus occurs and the child is already born with a serious illness. There are times when a woman does not bear a child, a miscarriage occurs.

All therapeutic measures are aimed at fighting the infection, the normal functioning of the respiratory tract, the cardiovascular system, and, in general, the speedy recovery of the baby.

Symptoms

Looking at a person who has swelling of the body, it is clear that the parts of the body are swollen, as if increased in size. The skin ceases to be elastic, if you press the skin with your finger and release it, then a depression (fossa) will remain on it.

Edema will be located depending on the disease. In cardiovascular patients, edema is located on the legs (lower leg, ankle). If this is a bedridden patient, then the edema covers the lower back, sacrum. Sometimes, such diseases lead to the development of ascites, i.e., there will be an edematous anterior abdominal wall.

Kidney diseases leave swelling first on the face, then the ankle, lower leg, knee, abdomen, genitals, sacrum, lower back.

Quincke's edema spreads to the entire face, neck, internal organs also swell, this is the tongue, larynx, there is an overlap of the airways.

Treatment

The first step is to find out the causes of edema. The location of edema, instrumental and laboratory tests will help diagnose the disease.

Be sure to treat the underlying disease first. Treatment will depend on the pathology. In case of allergies, for example, antihistamines, hormones are prescribed, it is necessary to act quickly so that there is no overlap of the airways. When there are inflammatory processes - anti-inflammatory.

If the edema is very pronounced and has an extensive character, diuretic drugs are prescribed to get rid of them. In cases where there is no strong need, you can wait with the appointment of diuretics, because they remove salts and water from the body. When water is quickly excreted from the body, the viscosity of the blood increases, which in consequence threatens the formation of blood clots.

Together with diuretics, you can prescribe antiplatelet agents (help reduce the adhesion of blood cells), potassium preparations.

Nutrition plays an important role in the treatment of edema. It is impossible to get rid of edema and not change the diet. A special diet is prescribed, which includes diuretic products, a decrease in the amount of salt and fluid. Alcoholic beverages should be completely eliminated for a while.

Prevention

The main prevention is the timely treatment of diseases (causes of edema). Edema does not appear in a day, this is a consequence of a neglected disease. Of course, you need to avoid injuries, allergens, etc. If a person has an allergy, you should try to eliminate contact with the allergen. If no one is nearby and help is not provided in time, swelling of the airways may occur.

To avoid congestion in the vascular bed, it is worth remembering physical activity. Even if the work requires spending a lot of time at the table, you should take breaks and move as much as possible. Stagnant processes do not appear in a healthy body.

Bad habits negatively affect the state of the body. Overweight people should monitor their diet, you should try to eat more vegetables, less flour products.

You can get rid of edema, but nothing goes without a trace for the body. Therefore, it is better to prevent such a condition than to deal with the consequences later.

Puffiness of the body is detected by the unpleasant sensations that a person experiences, as a rule, in the morning, after a long sleep; or by external changes on the body. Looking in the mirror, you can see swelling on the face, and, trying to fasten the clasps of your favorite boots and not achieving any result, come to the conclusion that your legs are swollen. Not only certain parts of the body can swell, but also the internal organs of a person.

What does edema indicate? There are some problems in the body. Fluid accumulates in the intercellular space, and it is in no hurry to leave the human body, causing him great anxiety. You can figure out whether the edema caused the swelling of the body area, or some other reason, by pressing your finger on the problem area. If the skin does not return to its original position immediately, but after a few seconds, this is swelling.

Causes of swelling of the body:

The causes of edema can be many. Most often they are:

• Fatigue;
• Excessive consumption of salty foods;
• excessive fluid intake;
• Uncomfortable shoes and tight clothes, due to which metabolic processes in skin tissues are disturbed;
• Diseases of the veins;
• Diseases of the liver and kidneys;
• Cardiovascular ailments, etc.

Edema always signals that the internal systems of the human body have failed, and the work of some organs is currently disrupted. It is rather difficult for a person to understand the cause of edema, so it is necessary to urgently consult a doctor. After examination and research, it will become clear what caused the swelling.

Treatment

While the doctors are doing their job, you can independently analyze the situation and figure out what caused the swelling. Why does fluid accumulate in tissues?

Many people do not pay attention to the fact that they drink a huge amount of tea or coffee during the day. This is done during breaks at work, at home at lunchtime, while talking with a friend, after a long wandering around the shops. You always want to drink a cup or two of a fragrant drink, which, in fact, is a diuretic. After 15-20 minutes after drinking a portion, you will have to run to the toilet. Fluid is strongly excreted from the body. So that the tissues do not become dehydrated - the body gives a signal for the accumulation of fluid in the tissues - in case the continuous tea drinking begins again. As a result, swelling appears on the body.

Salt retains water - even schoolchildren know about it. And even more so, adults should understand that after eating a delicious half-smoked sausage or salted fish, you really want to drink. The body doesn't need that much salt. And he wants to bring it out. And only water, which he requires 10-15 minutes after the feast, can help with this. At the same time, a large amount of water consumed due to salt cannot quickly leave the body. There will definitely be swelling.

Slagging of the body. It is difficult for the internal systems of the body to establish a normal metabolism, including water exchange, when a large amount of toxins and toxins are present in the human body. Because of them, the work of internal organs is disrupted. And the kidneys hardly remove excess water, and the liver barely has time to neutralize the poisons.

Self-care can help too

Self-care activities can help improve your health. For this it is desirable:

Eat salt and salty foods in limited quantities.

Drink a certain amount of water per day. It is better to choose plain water, rather than coffee and tea. They just need to drink less.

Proper nutrition. A diet in which there is a place for vegetables, fruits, cereals, black bread, light white meat, juices will be much more useful than the constant use of smoked meats, pickled vegetables, salty delicacies.

Exercise stress. Any sport and even daily simple walking on the streets can improve metabolic processes in the body. It is imperative to give a feasible load to the body. Several times a week, you can organize any sporting events for yourself and your loved ones.

Compliance with these measures will allow you to say goodbye to edema forever, or at least reduce them so that they do not interfere with their owner's life.

What is leg swelling?

Swelling of the legs is an overflow of cells and intercellular space of the muscle tissues of the legs with fluid. Such pathological changes are most often exposed to the distal segments of the lower extremities - lower legs and feet. This phenomenon is associated with the highest functional load, which is performed by the feet and legs of a person in the process of life, and their lowest position in relation to the central parts of the body when in a vertical position.

All fluid in the body is located in the vascular and intercellular spaces. The possibility and degree of edema increase depends on the balance between them.

In this self-regulating mechanism, the key links belong to:

Hydrostatic pressure of blood on the vascular wall;

Hydrodynamic characteristics of blood flow;

Indicators of osmotic and oncotic activity of plasma and intercellular space.

Edema of the legs can have different degrees of severity, but they are always evidence of an imbalance between the actual possibilities of physiological mechanisms for regulating fluid exchange and the load on the intercellular space. Swelling of the legs can be both an adaptive normal reaction of the body to environmental conditions, and the first manifestation of serious diseases.

It is possible to understand and suspect the presence of swelling of the legs on the basis of certain symptoms. They can have varying degrees of severity, and at the same time they are able to remain at a stable level or progress. In the first case, they talk about the physiological mechanisms of the appearance of edematous syndrome. In the second - definitely about the pathology. Therefore, considering such issues, one cannot ignore any manifestations of edema, which may indicate a dangerous disease.

Alarming symptoms include:

pasty. It is a diffuse light impregnation of the skin and subcutaneous tissue of the legs in the lower third and the area of ​​the ankle joint around the entire circumference on both limbs. Its presence is evidenced by light traces remaining after strong pressure on the skin of the anterior surface of the lower leg in the projection of the tibia. The same diagnostic value belongs to traces of socks;

Local swelling. As a rule, it is located on one or two limbs in the ankle area or around the circumference of the ankle joint;

Causes of swelling of the legs

Swelling of the legs is not a separate disease, but a symptom that must be correctly interpreted in relation to determining the possible cause of its occurrence. There are several groups of diseases manifested by swelling of the legs. All these diseases and the main differential diagnostic criteria are given in the table:

When determining the possible causes of swelling of the legs, the general condition and accompanying symptoms must be taken into account. If there are any, these are definitely pathological edema requiring medical intervention!

Treatment of swelling of the legs is not always the right and grateful thing. After all, the elimination of a symptom cannot save a person from the disease. Therefore, it is more correct to treat not edema, but the disease that led to their appearance. The exception is cases of hydrostatic edema in healthy people against the background of overexertion of the legs.

Differentiated treatment tactics for swelling of the legs can be as follows:

Hydrostatic edema in persons without pathology:

• Limitation of physical activity on the legs;

  Periodic unloading for the calf muscles in the form of their elevated position, gymnastics and massage;

  The use of compression stockings (stockings, stockings, tights), which help to retain fluid in the vascular space by compressing soft tissues;

  Specialized measures are not required due to the physiological origin of edema. It is acceptable to use ointments and gels, described in the section "treatment of edema of venous origin".

Cardiac and renal edema:

• Diuretics. Various loop (furosemide, lasix, trifas), thiazide (indapamide, hypothiazide) and potassium-sparing (veroshpiron, spironolactone) diuretics are used. The frequency of administration, dosage form and duration of treatment depend on the degree of heart failure. Severe edema is treated with injectable loop diuretics with a gradual transition to tablet intake of identical drugs or drugs from another group. For long-term decongestant therapy, thiazide diuretics are best suited in combination with veroshpiron;

  Potassium preparations (panangin, asparkam). Necessarily are part of drug therapy with loop diuretics. This is necessary in order to compensate for the loss of potassium ions, which are excreted in the urine when diuresis is stimulated. But such drugs are contraindicated in renal failure.

  Cardioprotective agents. They do not have a direct anti-edema effect, but strengthen the heart muscle, the weakness of which causes heart failure and swelling of the legs.

Edema of venous origin:

• Compression of the legs and feet with elastic bandages or special knitwear. This event should be the first in the complex treatment of edematous syndrome, since it not only helps in the fight against swelling of the legs, but is a really good method for preventing the progression of venous insufficiency. The main thing is to follow all the rules of elastic bandaging;

  Phlebotonics (escusan, troxevasin, detralex, normoven). The mechanism of the anti-edematous action of drugs in this group is to strengthen the walls of the veins and vessels of the microvasculature. Phlebotonics of plant origin (escusan) can also be prescribed in the absence of obvious signs, if there is a pronounced pastiness that goes beyond the usual hydrostatic edema;

  Blood-thinning agents (aspekard, cardiomagnyl, lospirin, clopidogrel). The mechanism for reducing swelling of the legs is associated with a decrease in blood viscosity. If it becomes more liquid, then its outflow improves, and this prevents stagnation and sweating in the tissue in the form of edema;

  Local preparations in the form of ointment and gel (lyoton gel, heparin ointment, troxevasin, hepatrombin, venohepanol, aescin, venitan). Their local application is quite effective, both in venous pathology and in edema against the background of habitual leg fatigue as a result of overstrain.

Diuretics for swollen legs

Diuretics for swelling of the legs have a common name - diuretics.

They, in turn, are divided into several classes:

Saluretics that can be presented: loop drugs (Bumetanide, Torasemide, Ethacrynic acid, Lasix, Furosemide), thiazide agents (Cyclomethiazide, Hypothiazide), carbonic anhydrase inhibitors (Diacarb, Acetazolamide) and sulfonamides (Clopamide, Chlortalidone).

Potassium-sparing diuretics, including: Spironolactone, Amiloride, Veroshpiron, Triamteren, Eplerenone.

Osmotic are Mannitol and Urea.

All these drugs differ in effectiveness, in duration of action and in the speed of onset of a therapeutic effect. They have indications and contraindications and are prescribed exclusively by a doctor in accordance with the patient's disease.

Education: A diploma in the specialty "Andrology" was obtained after completing residency at the Department of Endoscopic Urology of the RMAPO at the Urological Center of the Central Clinical Hospital No. 1 of Russian Railways (2007). Postgraduate studies were completed here in 2010.

General information

Edema is an excess accumulation of fluid in the tissues and organs of the body.

About 2/3 of the body fluid is inside the cells, and 1/3 is in the intercellular space. Edema occurs due to the transfer of fluid from the cells into the intercellular space.

Edema is detected by palpation of tissues (when pressed, a hole remains).

Causes

The causes of edema are different. Depending on the mechanism of their occurrence, the following types of edema are distinguished:

• hypoproteinemic, the main reason for the formation of which is a decrease in the content of protein in the blood, especially albumin, as well as a decrease in oncotic (colloidal osmotic) blood pressure with the release of fluid from the bloodstream into the tissues;
• hydrostatic, the cause of which is increased pressure in the capillaries;
• membranogenic, formed as a result of increased capillary permeability during inflammatory processes, toxic damage, and impaired nervous regulation.

Normally, edema occurs with excessive fluid intake, prolonged exposure to uncomfortable positions.

Edema may be local or general. Local edema is limited to a certain area of ​​the body or organ, general edema is characterized by accumulations of fluid in organs, tissues and body cavities. Severe edema is referred to as anasarca.

Edema in heart disease is the most important sign of heart failure. First, such edema occurs on the legs, feet (in the vertical position of the body), lower back, sacrum (in the horizontal position). Further, a total edema of the subcutaneous tissue develops, fluid accumulates in the body cavities - abdominal (ascites), pleural (hydrothorax), pericardial cavity (hydropericardium).

Edema in cirrhosis of the liver is often combined with ascites, located on the legs, anterior abdominal wall and lower back.

Edema in diseases of the kidneys (glomerulonephritis, nephritis, and others) first appear on the face, especially pronounced in the eye area. Such swellings are soft to the touch, the skin over them is pale. The mechanism of their formation is based on the retention of water and salt by the kidneys, a decrease in the concentration of proteins in the blood and an increase in the permeability of the vascular wall.

Hormonal disorders are the main cause of edema in some diseases of the endocrine glands.

Edema can occur during prolonged fasting due to insufficient intake of protein in the body.

Local edema with thrombophlebitis, varicose veins occur due to a violation of the outflow of blood through the veins. Such edema is dense, the skin over the site of thrombosis is purple, inflamed, and palpation is painful.

If the outflow of lymph from the limb through the lymphatic pathways is disturbed, dense edema occurs, the skin over it is pale.

Local edema in the area of ​​inflammation (with burns, bites, purulent skin diseases) develops due to increased capillary permeability and excessive blood flow to the area of ​​inflammation. In this case, the skin looks reddish, the feeling is painful. A similar swelling also occurs with an allergic reaction.