The left leg often swells. Causes of the appearance and methods of treatment of edema on one leg

is a frequent occurrence. Causes vary. For example, they arise as a result of drinking a large amount of water at night. A common consequence of a hard day's work is swelling of the legs, which occurs due to stagnation of fluid in the tissues.

The causes of swelling of the legs reveal a completely different nature. Professionals divide the sources of the phenomenon into six main groups:

Hydremic, appear due to kidney disease, making it difficult for fluid to exit the body.
Cachectic, resulting from cardiovascular diseases.
Mechanical. Edema resulting from injuries. Often a tumor is detected that blocks the work of the venous vessels. Periodically, edema appears during pregnancy due to squeezing of the vessels by the uterus, which increases in size.
congestive. They appear due to increased pressure in the capillaries.
Neuropathic. Appear on the background of alcoholism or diabetes.
Allergic, due to a strong reaction of the body to the product.

Causes of swelling of the legs

Many factors of leg edema have been described. Moreover, one or both limbs can swell. Sometimes the cause is the wrong way of life. It's worth making adjustments.

Common factors that cause swelling are:

If the right leg swells, the phenomenon should alert the person and motivate him to undergo medical diagnostics. Perhaps there is a manifestation of a serious illness.

Diseases that cause swelling of the right leg

Dangers of swelling of the right leg

It is required to monitor health, if chronic edema occurs, one should not assume that treatment is not needed, everything will go away on its own. It is possible that the lesion will become smaller, but, being a symptom of the disease, will return again. Perhaps the situation will get worse.

Edema can indicate the presence of a heart attack or stroke.
If the cause is varicose veins, the lack of medical care will lead to the development of gangrene. In the worst case, the process threatens to amputate the leg.
Failure to treat deep vein thrombosis leads to thromboembolism of the pulmonary artery.

To understand why only the right leg swells, the doctor prescribes operational types of diagnostics: blood and urine tests, an electrocardiogram, an ultrasound examination of the abdominal organs and the thyroid gland.

Ways to get rid of edema

Starting treatment, you need to know the cause of the appearance. When the legs began to swell, it is necessary:

For example, pour turpentine into warm castor oil (proportion: one unit of turpentine and two units of castor oil). Then massage with a mixture, put on socks.

It is useful to make baths with sea salt, perform contrast procedures.

Regular foot massage should be performed. The feet are massaged, gradually rising higher to the thigh. Massage can be performed using pieces of ice made from a decoction of herbs: sage, mint.

It is useful to drink diuretic infusions from herbs or berries and elderberry bark.

How to get rid of swelling of the right leg with varicose veins

The main cause of swelling of one right leg lies in varicose veins. To prevent the disease from getting worse, follow the advice of doctors:

Regularly do gymnastics with special exercises to improve blood circulation, perform the “birch” exercise.
Walk in special stockings.
Wear comfortable and spacious shoes that do not squeeze the instep of the foot. With flat feet, wear shoes with special arch supports.
Try to walk and stand less. Lie or sit more.
Put your feet on the pillow at night.

The reasons for swelling of the legs are different. If, this becomes a sign of a serious illness. It is worth consulting a doctor for advice. Edema will be an urgent reason to reconsider the way of life.

Edema of the left or right leg, in most cases, is not a life-threatening condition.

However, this causes a lot of discomfort to most people and, if not properly treated and not treated in time, can take a chronic form. There can be many reasons for the development of such a condition.

Edema of the lower extremities or any other parts of the human body occurs under the condition that a small amount of fluid penetrates into the intercellular space. This, in turn, is due to a number of reasons:

kidney disease;
failure of arterial and venous blood flow;
problems with lymphatic drainage;
uncomfortable shoes;
the habit of sitting cross-legged;
long stay in a soft seat.

Slight swelling one of the legs in medical language is called pastosity. Edema is not visible visually, and it can only be determined by the condition of the skin - it becomes loose to the touch and pale. Such edema is not necessarily caused by the presence of some kind of pathology in the body.

Most likely, a person simply abuses salty foods or drinks large amounts of water at night.

Due to this, fluid accumulates in the body and manifests itself in the form of swelling. A stronger one-sided swelling of the legs occurs with vein thrombosis, fracture, as well as with diseases of the hip and knee joints.

Edema in men

In men, swelling of one of the legs can be caused by chronic venous insufficiency or by clogging of the veins with cholesterol plaques.

In addition, discomfort in some cases is caused by excessive physical activity (after visiting the gym or when lifting weights). Of course, edema can also occur due to improperly selected shoes, or when you stay in an uncomfortable position for a long time.

Despite this, with the regular manifestation of swelling of one of the legs, it is urgent to consult a doctor to identify the causes and provide timely medical assistance to the patient.

Among women

Women are much more likely than men to experience swelling of the legs. Discomfort occurs at any age and depends on many reasons:

an inflammatory process caused by an allergy to an external irritant or some kind of infection;
stress, nervous strain;
decrease in protein in the blood;
damage to the walls of blood vessels;
weakening of the heart muscles.

Each of the above causes requires attention and immediate treatment. Just like in men, the concentration of excess fluid can be caused by wearing uncomfortable shoes, as well as due to excessive fluid intake, especially before bedtime.

swollen leg during pregnancy

Often pregnant woman complains of edema left or right foot.

Discomfort appears with excess weight, which adds stress to the spine and legs.

Normally, the weight of a pregnant woman should increase by 8-10 kg by 9 months of fetal development.

But systematic overeating sometimes leads to an increase in body weight by 15 - 20 kg. and, as a result, edema appears. If puffiness appears in the later stages, approximately in the third trimester, then this fact indicates the presence of late toxicosis.

With this rather dangerous phenomenon, a woman should immediately contact her doctor, as it poses a potential threat to both the woman herself and the unborn child.

After operation

Swelling of the leg after surgery is a fairly common phenomenon. However, if it does not go away for a long time and causes discomfort to a person, then this should not be ignored. Postoperative edema, with a favorable development of the situation, should disappear after about 7-8 days, if it lasts longer than this time and does not decrease, then some kind of pathology develops in the body.

To identify the causes, a sick person needs to undergo an ultrasound examination of the lower extremities. See a therapist, or a narrower specialist - a phlebologist. If there is vascular problems, then this doctor will prescribe drugs that strengthen the walls of blood vessels and promote blood thinning.

If everything is in order with the blood vessels in a person, then another cause of edema on the leg, after surgery, may be lymph stagnation or lymphatic edema. This disease is caused by the stagnation of a fluid containing a large amount of protein. In this case, the leg swells and a rather sharp pain appears, which increases when stepping on the sore leg.

Treatment of the disease

Treatment of edema directly depends on the cause of its occurrence. If this is a normal fluid stagnation, due to its excessive consumption by a person, then attention should be paid to this - do not abuse carbonated drinks, and do not drink a lot of fluid at night.

Edema can be removed by using various diuretic drugs that contribute to the natural removal of excess fluid from the body. You can do the same at home foot massage, on which puffiness appeared. Doctors recommend making warm foot baths with sea salt. After that, you need to lie down for 10 - 15 minutes, with your legs raised to the top.

Folk remedies

Very good in the treatment of swelling of the lower extremities help folk methods of treatment.

For example, a decoction from the collection of medicinal herbs. To prepare it, you need to take any aluminum container and put there in equal parts: birch buds, horsetail, flaxseed, knotweed, one tablespoon each.

All this must be poured with two glasses of hot water and mix well. Then you need to put the container on low heat and bring to a boil, let cool. The resulting broth must be filtered and taken in half a glass in the morning on an empty stomach.

Such a decoction is an excellent diuretic, and is also able to tone and strengthen blood vessels.

Prevention

In order to prevent the appearance of edema on the legs, you must follow some simple rules and recommendations. First, you should always choose comfortable shoes. Overweight women are not recommended to wear high-heeled shoes every day, as well as boots that squeeze the lower leg.

Secondly, it is necessary to control the intake of salt in food, and to prevent fluid retention in the body. Before going to bed, you can drink no more than a few sips of water.

If the profession of a person suffering from swelling of the lower extremities is associated with a long stay in one position, for example, an accountant or a driver, then he needs to take breaks as often as possible, during which it is better to do a little warm-up for the legs, to restore blood flow.

It should be remembered that if swelling of the legs occurs regularly and is not amenable to home treatments, then the patient must urgently seek medical help, as this symptom can be caused by diseases that can cause serious damage to health.

People who periodically have swollen legs seem to be due to problems with the kidneys or heart. But many would like to know why only the left leg swells. This article discusses the causes of this phenomenon and how to deal with it.

The problem of swelling of the lower extremities is known throughout the world and applies to people of all ages. The main reason is the accumulation of excess fluid in the legs.

What types of edema exist?

Hydremic, arising in the process of collecting fluid in the leg due to kidney disease.
Cachectic, appearing in very emaciated people. In addition, it can be formed during the course of heart disease.
Congestive, which is a residual phenomenon of vessel permeability. No amount of protein in a person's blood or a decrease in pressure can also trigger the appearance of leg edema.
Mechanical, formed due to injuries or tumors on the body of people. In addition, edema that occurs during pregnancy is of this type.
neuropathic edema. Its cause is diabetes. Cerebral edema in alcoholism considered neuropathic and very dangerous to humans.
Allergic, manifested by very strong swelling of the skin.

Reasons why the left leg swells

There are many explanations for this phenomenon. Do not forget that only a specialist can recognize the true cause of the disease. But every person should know the first signs.

The appearance of blood clots in the veins. To be more precise, the blood that has collected in a clot blocks the flow of blood in one direction. Edema occurs due to the fact that the thrombus does not move from its place and stands in the left leg.
In this case, you should not hesitate to remove the clot until it has reached the heart.
The introduction of any infection into the human body. Infection occurs due to a scratch or injury, accompanied by blood. This is very dangerous for diabetics, whose wounds heal for a long time. Here, the sooner treatment begins, the more likely it is that the problem will be eliminated.
The transferred vessels on the leg affect the appearance of edema. Do not wear shoes that squeeze the limb or press the clasp on the ankle. In addition, it is worth changing shoes to a lower heel.
Dilated veins that provoke a violation of the waste of blood. Due to the stagnation of blood in the legs, pressure on the veins increases. And if a person spends a lot of time on his feet, then the swelling becomes very noticeable.
Getting injured. People are able to endure severe pain with bruises or dislocations of the left leg. Undoubtedly, one should go to the hospital, but not every person decides on this. Only an x-ray can accurately determine what is causing the swelling.
Inflamed joints. If the leg is swollen near the joint, it is recommended to go to the hospital to see a rheumatologist who will find out. What's the matter.
manifestation of arthritis. It is this disease that causes large swelling of the legs. It comes to the point that a person loses the ability to move independently even around the apartment. Here you can not do without the help of a professional physician.

Fluid can accumulate in the leg for other reasons: kidney disease, heart disease, treatment with hormonal and conventional pills.

How to understand that the leg is swollen?

If the left foot looks a little more swollen than the right, then it is worth investigating whether this is really swelling. To do this, you need to examine both legs from all sides and understand whether the leg is actually swollen.

In the problem area, there is a shine and a feeling of skin tension. And if a dent remains at the site of swelling after pressing with a finger, then this indicates that it is swelling in front of you. Do not hesitate to contact the clinic.

How to remove swelling at home?

eat as little salt as possible.
Do sports that promote blood circulation in the legs.
Purchasing elastic stockings.
Lose all extra pounds.
Keep your left foot elevated and don't stand on it for too long.

When should you visit the hospital immediately?

There are times when you may need to see a doctor urgently. Because it's impossible to predict swelling of the hands and feet. Causes and treatment appoints only a specialist after he takes all the tests and takes an x-ray.

One of the most dangerous symptoms can be called acute and sudden pain in the left leg. If shortness of breath, fainting or confusion of actions joins it, then it is urgent to call an ambulance.

Treatment of swelling of the legs

Quite often, edema disappears on its own after a short rest with the use of ice compresses, compression of the problem area and throwing the leg up. For some people, simply putting a limb on a pillow, putting on a stocking, and applying something cold to the swelling is enough.

You can do the following exercises:

1. Walk 5 minutes on your toes.
2. Spread and squeeze your fingers.
3. Try to pick up a pencil from the floor using only your toes.
4. Rotate your feet in different directions.
5. Stand on your toes for a couple of seconds.

If that doesn't help, then swelling of the left foot, causes, treatment it is necessary to expel with the help of medicines, ointments and gels. Heparin ointment, troxevasin, venitan, lyoton relieve edema very well. In addition, traditional medicine recommends using products infused with horse chestnut, because they perfectly strengthen capillaries and vessel walls on the legs.

Sincerely,

Why can legs swell rapidly? And if only one leg swells - the left, then what does this mean? In this article, we will talk about the most common causes of swollen feet. But, first of all, you need to decide and understand what is edema?

Edema in medical practice is usually characterized by excessive accumulation of fluid in any part of the body. The fluid accumulates exclusively in the tissue area, and not in the cells of the organs.

What are swelling?

The cause of the formation of edema can be identified according to their classification. For example, hydremic edema occurs on the lower extremities if there are kidney pathologies. Puffiness of the lower extremities of the cachectic type occurs as a result of disorders of the cardiovascular activity. Also, excessive physical exhaustion of the body can lead to swelling of the legs and other parts of the body.

With the formation of a congestive form of edema, the permeability of blood vessels is disturbed and, as a result, the pressure in the capillaries rises (if you take a blood test to clarify the diagnosis, a pathological decrease in albumin protein will be determined).

Mechanical shocks, injuries, injuries - are the cause of mechanical edema. Often, mechanical edema occurs in women during pregnancy (in particular, in the 3rd trimester). Also, malignant and benign tumors can provoke the occurrence of edema of the lower extremities.

If a person suffers from diabetes mellitus, autoimmune disorders of the body, chronic alcoholism, then there is a risk of neuropathic edema.

Quincke's edema (allergic type) affects the deep layers of human skin. Puffiness of this type rapidly affects the tissues of the lower extremities.

Quite often, patients are affected by swelling of the lower extremities, as well as the abdominal cavity.

Common causes of leg swelling

We list the most common causes of swelling of the lower extremities. Perhaps among them you will find the cause of edema in your situation.

Edema occurs when a person exceeds the physical load on the lower limbs. In particular, the consumption of a large amount of liquid greatly affects the appearance of morning swelling of the legs (usually, patients often want to drink liquid in the presence of diabetes in the body). In this case, it is recommended to take a blood test for sugar without fail.

Excessive excess nutrition, disturbed carbohydrate and protein metabolism - these are all causes that are associated with malnutrition. To get rid of the edema that occurs in this case, it is imperative to resort to a therapeutic diet.

Video: About the most important thing: Swelling of one leg. Back pain.

Flat feet, damage to the lower extremities, fractures, curvature of the spine, impaired blood flow, professional work associated with prolonged sitting in one place (at least 6-7 hours a day) - this leads to swelling of the lower extremities.

Absolutely all doctors confirm the fact that excess weight can lead not only to the formation of edema of the lower extremities, damage to blood vessels, but also to the problems of all human vital systems, as well as internal organs.

With varicose veins, there is a rapid increase in edema. Moreover, puffiness increases precisely in the evening. It is with varicose veins in a patient that the occurrence of trophic ulcers can also be noted. In this case, edema on the lower extremities does not appear symmetrically - either on the left leg or on the right.

Medicines for the treatment of edema of the left leg

Before resorting to the use of medications for the treatment of edema of the left leg, try massaging the lower extremities. To do this, you can purchase a massage mat or do a light relaxing foot massage yourself.

The following are the drugs that are recommended by doctors for use to eliminate swelling of the lower extremities.

Gel Essaven- designed to strengthen capillaries, as well as the walls of veins. Thanks to its frequent use, it is possible to normalize blood circulation, as well as eliminate the formation of blood clots in the blood vessels.

Venitan- This is a common ointment that is recommended by almost all pharmacists in pharmacies. The composition of the therapeutic ointment includes horse chestnut extract, aimed at strengthening the walls of veins and arteries, resulting in a decrease in swelling of the lower extremities.

Ointment Troxevasin- well anesthetizes, cools the legs, preventing damage to blood vessels.

Popular ointment - Lyoton, relieves pain and reduces the severity of edema.

Traditional medicine, dealing with the treatment of varicose veins, as well as reducing swelling of the legs, is based solely on the beneficial properties of horse chestnut.

Alternative methods of treating swelling of the legs

We list the main folk methods for the treatment of swelling of the legs.

Mix 1 tbsp. turpentine and 2 tbsp. castor oil. First you need to grind castor oil in a water bath or in a microwave and mix with turpentine. Now, apply the warm mixture on the lower extremities and rub well into the places where the edema is most concentrated. After you have done a foot massage, put on cotton socks on your feet, and wrap your shins with tightening bandages (sold at any pharmacy). If necessary, the dosage of drugs is increased several times.
Take 1 tbsp. apple cider vinegar, 1 chicken yolk, 1 tbsp. turpentine - mix all the ingredients thoroughly and rub this mixture into problem swollen areas. Massage should be vigorous - it is important that blood circulation increases.
If it is possible to purchase a medicinal plant astragalus, then grind a few tablespoons of astragalus and pour boiling water on top. After - let the infusion brew. This decoction should be taken as a drug therapy for edema, 3 tbsp. 3 times a day. The course of treatment is 2 weeks, a break of 3 days and then again 2 weeks.

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Swelling of the leg can in very rare cases be a life-threatening condition.

Is your left leg swollen? In very rare cases, this can be a life-threatening condition. This article provides information on what to do if you notice swelling in your legs, especially swelling in your left leg. Leg swelling can be a common problem for many people. Leg swelling generally refers to swelling of any part of the leg, including the ankles, thighs, and calves. There are many causes of leg swelling, but in any case, all of these causes are due to the accumulation of fluid or inflammation of the joints or tissues. Often these causes are caused by trauma, prolonged sitting or standing, or even a more serious medical condition (blood clot or circulation problems). In some cases, it is the left leg that can swell more than the right leg.

Causes of swelling of the left leg

In many cases, swelling of the legs occurs evenly, with none of the legs appearing more edematous than the other. But sometimes one leg swells while the other remains relatively normal. Common causes of water retention or inflammation are related to arthritis, an injury affecting only one leg, or problems with a blood clot. Here is more information about the causes of leg swelling.

The cause of swelling of the left leg is arthritis. If you have severe arthritis in your knee or ankle, this can lead to severe leg swelling. It can also be a very painful condition that can make it difficult to move or bend your leg. In severe arthritis, it may not even be possible to transfer weight to the affected limb. Arthritis can be a very serious condition that requires medical attention to prevent further damage to the foot.

The cause of the swelling of the left leg is in a blood clot. Many people believe that the formation of a blood clot in any area of the body is accompanied by pain, but this is not always the case. Sometimes the first and only symptom of a blood clot in one leg is swelling. Other symptoms may include: lack of sensation in the leg or pain in the affected area, even tingling, numbness. The left leg may feel hot and cold, but not the right. It is important to get immediate medical attention if you suspect a blood clot.

The reason for the swelling of the left and right legs is water retention. This is one of the most common causes of swelling, but it affects both legs. Water retention can be caused by standing for long periods of time, but it can also be the result of serious problems such as kidney failure or heart disease.

Trauma - as the cause of swelling of the left leg. If your foot has been injured in any way, swelling may be considered a normal problem until the injury has healed. A broken leg, severe bruising, or other type of injury can cause the leg to swell. Unfortunately, this type of swelling can increase pain from an injury. Therefore, you need to talk to your doctor about what can be done to relieve swelling.

Other causes of leg swelling

Other causes that lead to fluid buildup in the legs are kidney problems, heart problems, blood clots in the legs, hormonal treatments, pregnancy, and certain prescription drugs. Sometimes even ibuprofen, a drug used to reduce inflammation, can cause swelling. Many injuries can lead to inflammation and swelling of the affected area.

How can you determine the swelling of the left leg?

Sometimes the left leg may look a little more swollen than the right. How edema is this? First, look at the left and right foot from both sides. Is one greater than the other? Swollen feet may look shiny or glossy, and may even feel "tight" in the skin. You can also do a simple test: just press your toe on your foot. Will there be a mark on the place of pressure? This is a sign of serious edema. Call your doctor if you have swelling in one or both legs.

Treatment of swelling of the left leg

In many cases, leg swelling can be eliminated using rest, ice, compression, and elevation. Place your leg on a pillow above your heart, put on compression stockings to help relieve swelling, and apply ice to the painful area.

To help reduce leg swelling, 1) a low-salt diet, 2) intense exercise to promote blood flow through your legs; 3) wear elastic stockings; 4) lose weight if you have to; 5) Tell your doctor about all the medications you are taking. Also, keep your foot elevated, don't stand for long periods of time, and move around frequently instead of sitting. Since there is no way to determine the true cause of swelling of the left leg, be sure to visit a doctor.

When do you need to urgently see a doctor?

Sometimes a visit to the doctor can't wait. If the left leg is swollen and other symptoms occur, you need to call an ambulance. Dangerous symptoms are: 1) swelling occurs for no apparent reason and very suddenly; 2) swelling is the result of an accident or injury. If you experience chest pain, fainting and dizziness, confusion, difficulty breathing, you need to urgently call an ambulance, as these symptoms indicate a very serious illness.