Swelling in legs and feet home remedies

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5 At Home Remedies for Your Swollen Feet and Ankles from Elizabeth Auger on Vimeo.

Swollen ankles and feet are not typical. If you find that your lower extremities are filling with fluid, known as edema, there is a reason. You may be suffering with high blood pressure or kidney problems, you may be pregnant, or you may even be dehydrated.

While edema can occur in any part of the body, it is most often seen in the legs, ankles, feet, arms and hands. Edema is not normally painful, but it can be uncomfortable. It can cause socks to feel too tight and shoes to start pinching. The good news is that if you are suffering with edema, there are ways you can take care of it at home.

How to get rid of swollen ankles and feet

1. Limit Salt Intake

If you regularly experience edema, try limiting your salt intake. Don’t add extra salt to your food when you are cooking or eating, and look for low-sodium options at the grocery store.

2. Drink More Water

You may think that the last thing you want to do is add more water to your body, but edema can be a sign that you are dehydrated and your body is trying to hold onto the water it has. Make an attempt to drink at least eight glasses of water each day, preferably 10 if you can. Drinking any less than eight glasses can promote swelling in your feet and ankles.

3. Movement and Elevation

If your feet and ankles begin to swell, determine whether you have been on your feet for a long period of time. If you have, take a break and put your feet up. This will help decrease swelling. You can also try a few yoga positions. One of the best if you are trying to reduce swelling is lying on your back with your back end against the wall. Put your legs straight up, propped against the wall.

4. Mint Bath

Try to relax your feet in a soothing mint bath. You will need 4 cups of water and 1/2 cup of mint leaves. Put the leaves and water in a pot and heat it for about 10 minutes. When you remove it from the heat, give it a chance to cool for another 10 minutes. Pour the water in a shallow pan or bucket and soak your feet. Try to soak for about 30 minutes if you have the time.

5. Tonic Water Soak

Tonic water is fantastic for reducing swelling in the feet and ankles. Fill a bucket or shallow pan with cold or room temperature tonic water. Soak your feet for 30 minutes or more if you wish.

Don’t let swollen feet and ankles stop you from enjoying your day. Try one or more of these remedies to see which one is best for you. If you would prefer medical intervention or the home remedies aren’t enough, reach out to Dr. Elizabeth Auger in Salt Lake City. Dr. Auger is an experienced podiatrist and ready to help you determine why you are being affected by edema and will work to relieve your discomfort.

Diagnosis

To understand what might be causing your edema, your doctor will first perform a physical exam and ask you questions about your medical history. This information is often enough to determine the underlying cause of your edema. In some cases, X-rays, ultrasound exams, magnetic resonance imaging, blood tests or urine analysis may be necessary.

Treatment

Mild edema usually goes away on its own, particularly if you help things along by raising the affected limb higher than your heart.

More-severe edema may be treated with drugs that help your body expel excess fluid in the form of urine (diuretics). One of the most common diuretics is furosemide (Lasix). However, your doctor will determine whether these types of medications are a good option for you based on your personal medical history.

Long-term management typically focuses on treating the underlying cause of the swelling. If edema occurs as a result of medication use, your doctor may adjust your prescription or check for an alternative medication that doesn't cause edema.

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Lifestyle and home remedies

The following may help decrease edema and keep it from coming back. Before trying these self-care techniques, talk to your doctor about which ones are right for you.

  • 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. Ask your doctor about exercises you can do that may reduce swelling.
  • Elevation. 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.
  • Compression. If one of your limbs is affected by edema, your doctor may recommend you wear compression stockings, sleeves or gloves, usually worn after your swelling has gone down, to prevent further swelling from occurring. These garments keep pressure on your limbs to prevent fluid from collecting in the tissue.
  • Protection. Keep the affected area clean, moisturized and free from injury. Dry, cracked skin is more prone to scrapes, cuts and infection. Always wear protection on your feet if that's where the swelling typically occurs.
  • Reduce salt intake. Follow your doctor's suggestions about limiting how much salt you consume. Salt can increase fluid retention and worsen edema.

Preparing for your appointment

Unless you're already under a specialist's care for a current medical condition, you'll probably start by seeing your family doctor to begin evaluation for what could be causing your symptoms.

Here's some information to help you prepare for your appointment, and what to expect from your doctor.

What you can do

  • Be aware of any pre-appointment restrictions. At the time you make the appointment, be sure to ask if there's anything you need to do in advance to prepare for common diagnostic tests.
  • Write down any symptoms you're experiencing, including any that may seem unrelated to the reason for which you scheduled the appointment.
  • Make a list of your key medical information, including any other conditions for which you're being treated, and the names of any medications, vitamins or supplements you're taking.
  • Consider questions to ask your doctor and write them down. Bring along notepaper and a pen to jot down information as your doctor addresses your questions.

For edema, some basic questions to ask your doctor include:

  • What are the possible causes of my symptoms?
  • What kinds of tests do I need? Do these tests require any special preparation?
  • Is my condition temporary?
  • Will I need treatment?
  • What treatments are available?
  • I have other medical problems; will this treatment interfere with them?
  • Do you have any brochures or other printed material that I can take home with me? What websites do you recommend visiting?

What to expect from your doctor

Your doctor is likely to ask you a number of questions. Being ready to answer them may reserve time for you and your doctor to review important points.

Questions your doctor might ask include:

  • What symptoms are you experiencing?
  • How long have you been experiencing these symptoms?
  • Do your symptoms seem to come and go, or are they always there?
  • Have you had edema before?
  • Does anything seem to make your symptoms better?
  • Is there less swelling after a night's rest in bed?
  • Does anything seem to make your symptoms worse?
  • What kinds of foods do you regularly eat?
  • Do you restrict your intake of salt and salty foods?
  • Do you drink alcohol?
  • Do you seem to be urinating normally?
  • Do you notice swelling all over your body, or does it seem to be in just one area, such as an arm or leg?
  • Does swelling diminish if you raise the swollen limb above heart level for an hour or so?

Dec. 01, 2020

How do you get rid of swollen legs fast?

Some tips that may help reduce swelling:.
Put your legs on pillows to raise them above your heart while lying down..
Exercise your legs. ... .
Follow a low-salt diet, which may reduce fluid buildup and swelling..
Wear support stockings (sold at most drugstores and medical supply stores)..

What is a natural remedy for swollen legs?

Take a Salt Bath Soak your legs for 15 to 20 minutes in lukewarm water with Epsom salts, which helps relax muscles and ease swelling. If you don't have a bathtub, try to find a bucket big enough to fit at least one leg at a time, with the water covering your legs up to your knees.

What to drink to reduce swelling in feet?

Extra water in fruits can reduce foot swelling by flushing out extra water. Other vegetables, like cucumber and asparagus, are natural directs that eliminate water in your body. Drinking lots of water will also help your foot and ankle mobility with less swelling.

What herb is good for leg swelling?

Essential oils such as peppermint, lavender, helichrysum, marjoram, eucalyptus and chamomile can be used to reduce swelling. We can use it by adding 2-3 drops of it in hot water bath and soaking the swollen legs in it for 10 minutes or until the water turns cold. Essential oils can also be used to massage the legs.