Many times, in the hustle and bustle of everyday life, we ignore the small signals of our body. It is common to feel slight swelling in the feet after standing all day, walking a lot or sitting for a long time. Often people think that if they take some rest they will get better, and in reality in many cases the swelling goes down on its own.

But the problem starts when the swelling of feet or legs starts recurring, comes without any specific reason or the swollen feet start feeling hard like stones. In such a situation, it is not just fatigue, but can also be a sign of some serious disease going on inside the body. In such a situation, let us know why there is swelling in feet and legs, what diseases can be behind it, when it becomes dangerous, and what you should do in such a situation.

What causes swelling in feet and legs?

Swelling in feet and legs is called edema in medical language. This occurs when excessive water or fluid accumulates in the lower parts of the body. Sometimes this swelling is mild and goes away with rest. But if the swelling persists for a long time, comes every day or is accompanied by pain and stiffness, then it is a matter of concern.

If the feet swell and become like stones, then this disease has happened.

If your feet become very hard, do not form a depression when pressed, have pain, redness or heat, then it can be a sign of peripheral edema or some serious disease. Such symptoms indicate problems related to heart, kidney, liver or blood clot.

Common causes of swelling in feet

1. Lifestyle related reasons – Standing or sitting for a long time, wearing tight shoes or socks, eating too much salt, lack of physical activity, due to these reasons the blood does not flow properly and water starts accumulating in the feet.

2. Pregnancy – Swelling in feet is common during pregnancy. But if swelling is accompanied by severe headache, high blood pressure, flickering eyes, then it can be a serious condition like pre-eclampsia.

3. Injury or sprain – Leg sprain, bone fracture, muscle strain, in these cases there is pain along with swelling and usually only one leg is affected.

What diseases can be behind this?

1. Heart Failure – When the heart is unable to pump blood properly, blood and fluid start accumulating in the legs. There may be problems like swelling in both legs, swelling increasing in the evening and shortness of breath.

2. Kidney disease – Kidneys remove excess water from the body. If the kidneys do not function properly, swelling may occur in the feet, ankles and face.

3. Liver disease – In diseases like liver cirrhosis, there can be accumulation of water in the legs, feet and stomach. Feet may swell and become like stones.

4. Deep Vein Thrombosis (DVT) – This is a very dangerous situation. Usually, there is sudden swelling, pain, redness, warmth in only one leg. If the blood clot reaches the lungs, then life can be in danger.

5. Varicose Veins – Weakening of the veins in the legs leads to bulging veins, heaviness and long-lasting swelling.
6. Lymphedema – When the body’s lymphatic system does not function properly, swelling persists and the legs feel hard and heavy. Swelling does not reduce even by taking rest.

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Constant swelling in the legs can be a common thing, but it should never be taken lightly. It is not just the result of fatigue or standing for long, but sometimes it can also be a sign of some serious illness. If there is frequent swelling in your feet, especially when you are resting or the swelling is not reduced even when you wake up in the morning, then you should be careful.

Common cause of swelling

• First of all, it is important to know that some common and less serious causes of swelling of the feet can also be:
• Standing or sitting for a long time: Due to this gravity, blood and water accumulate in the feet.
• Pregnancy: In pregnant women, swelling of the feet is common due to increasing water in the body and pressure from the uterus.
• Excess weight: Obesity puts extra pressure on the legs, which can cause swelling.
• Injury or sprain: Swelling may occur when an injury to the leg or ankle.
• Some medicines: Some medicines, such as blood pressure medicines, steroids, or hormonal medicines, can cause inflammation.
• Eating too much salt: Eating more salt stops water in the body, which can cause swelling.

What diseases can be a sign of inflammation of the feet?

If swelling in the legs remains persistent or other symptoms are seen with it, then it may be a sign of some serious diseases:

• Heart failure: When the heart becomes weak and is unable to pump blood in the body properly, the blood starts accumulating back into the veins, especially in the legs and ankles. This can cause swelling in the feet, especially in the evening. Along with this, symptoms like breathlessness, fatigue and weakness can also be seen.
• Kidney disease: Kidney work is to remove more water and useless substances from the body. If the kidney does not function properly, these fluids start accumulating in the body, which can cause swelling around the feet, ankles and eyes.
• Liver disease: The liver makes a protein called albumin in the body, which helps in maintaining water in the blood veins. Albumin is reduced when the liver is damaged, due to which the water comes out of the blood veins and starts accumulating in the body’s tissue, which can cause swelling (also called ascites) in the feet and stomach.
• Thyroid problem (hypothyroidism): When low work of the thyroid gland, the metabolism of the body slows down, which can accumulate fluids and swell on the feet, ankles and face.
• Deep Vein Thrombosis – DVT: Blood clot in the deep veins of the feet (DVT) is a serious problem. It usually feels sudden swelling, pain, redness and warmth in one leg. This is a medical emergency because the clot can break and reach the lungs.
• Lymphedema (lymphedema): This is due to the problem in the lymphatic system (which works to extract excess water from the body). If the lymphatic veins are spoiled or closed, the fluids accumulate, causing frequent swelling in one or both legs. This can be caused by cancer treatment or infection.
• Varicose veins or veins weakening: When the veins of the feet are weak or the valve is spoiled in them, the blood is not able to go back to the heart from the feet. Due to this, blood starts accumulating in the veins of the feet and swelling in the feet and ankles can occur, especially at the end of the day.

When to see the doctor?

If you see any of these symptoms along with swelling in the feet, contact the doctor immediately:

• Swelling came suddenly or increased very fast.
• There is pain, redness or warmth with swelling.
• There should be more swelling in one leg.
• There is difficulty in breathing, chest pain or dizziness.
• There should be fever with swelling.
• Swelling suddenly increases during pregnancy.

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Disclaimer: Some information given in the news is based on media reports. Before implementing any suggestion, you must consult the concerned expert.

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