Examination of lower limb edema in women

Lower limb edema is a common disease in our lives. This disease seriously affects the health of many people. We should pay attention to this disease. The causes of this disease are also varied, and the more common ones are kidney disease, heart disease, liver disease, etc. For different situations, you should go to the hospital for relevant examinations in order to determine the condition so that you can better treat it. Let’s take a look at the causes of lower limb edema and how to care for it.

What are the causes of lower limb edema?

Lower limb edema is the accumulation of excessive fluid in the interstitial spaces of the lower limbs, causing tissue swelling. It is divided into cardiogenic edema, renal edema, hepatic edema, malnutrition edema, myxedema, drug-induced edema, premenstrual syndrome edema, idiopathic edema, lymphedema, venous edema, etc.

1. Cardiac edema

It is mainly a manifestation of right heart failure. The pathogenesis is mainly due to a decrease in effective circulating blood volume, a decrease in renal blood flow, secondary aldosterone increase causing sodium and water retention and venous congestion, a decrease in capillary filtration pressure, and a decrease in tissue fluid reabsorption. The characteristic of edema is that it first appears in the sagging parts of the body, and the edema is symmetrical and pitting. It is often accompanied by other manifestations of right heart failure.

2. Nephrogenic edema

This condition is generally caused by various types of nephritis and kidney disease. The pathogenesis is mainly due to a variety of factors that cause the kidney to excrete less water and sodium, leading to sodium and water retention, increased extracellular fluid, increased capillary hydrostatic pressure, and causing edema. The characteristic of edema is that in the early stage of the disease, there is eyelid and facial edema when getting up in the morning, which later develops into systemic edema. Urine changes, high blood pressure, and renal impairment are common.

3. Hepatic edema

It is mainly seen in the decompensated stage of cirrhosis, and the main pathogenesis is portal hypertension, hypoproteinemia, hepatic lymph flow obstruction, secondary aldosterone increase and other factors. There are often manifestations of decreased liver function and portal hypertension.

4. Malnutrition and edema

It is mainly due to hypoproteinemia or vitamin deficiency caused by long-term nutritional deficiency due to chronic wasting diseases, protein-losing gastrointestinal diseases, severe burns, etc. The characteristic is that edema is often preceded by emaciation and weight loss. Edema often starts in the feet.

Prevention and treatment of lower limb edema:

For physiological edema, the following measures can be taken to prevent and treat it.

1. Maintain an optimistic mood and adhere to proper exercise for a long time, such as walking, jogging, and exercising with fitness equipment, to enhance physical fitness and improve adaptability.

2. When choosing food, the principle should be to choose food that is rich in protein, vitamins and inorganic salts, low in fat, low in cholesterol, less dregs and less salt. You can eat more foods such as celery, radish, spinach, tomatoes, soybeans, mushrooms, garlic, fruits and soy products.

3. Avoid sitting or standing for long periods of time, move your lower limbs frequently, and pay attention to lifting your legs frequently.

4. Ensure good sleep and regular living.

Patients with edema should be treated according to the cause. For lower limb edema caused by heart, liver and kidney diseases, diuretics can be given to relieve symptoms. People with hypothyroidism can take thyroxine tablets for treatment. Surgery can be used for deep vein thrombosis of the lower extremities. To prevent deep vein thrombosis, anticoagulants should be given. Warfarin is the most effective drug, but it must be used under the guidance of a doctor. Taking 150 mg of aspirin daily has a certain preventive effect.

How to prevent edema

Edema is a normal swelling process in our body. It can happen to children, young people, middle-aged people and pregnant women. This situation is mostly caused by problems with the function of some organ in our body. How to discover these problems and how to solve them are the key topics of our discussion.

Steps/Methods: 1. Do not be affected by wind and cold. As the saying goes, wind is the first of the six evils, which can cause wind-cold or wind-heat. If you catch a cold, you must seek treatment immediately. Do not delay, as the condition will become more and more serious. Except for pregnant women, you can take some blood-activating and blood-stasis-removing medicines orally or apply them externally.

2. Don't eat too sweet food, try to eat less spicy food, be sure to protect your spleen and stomach, have regular meals, don't overeat, ensure adequate nutrition, don't stay in a humid room for a long time, avoid rheumatism, rheumatism will cause edema.

3. Traditional Chinese medicine treatment can be used to regulate the whole body through some Chinese medicine, and edema can also be treated through acupuncture therapy.

Note: Watermelon rind is a very good diuretic food that can clear away heat and reduce edema. It is extremely simple to make and is very suitable for eating in summer.