It is natural for your legs to swell after a long day of standing or walking, mainly when it’s hot outside. But sometimes, your leg swelling might have nothing to do with you being on your feet too long. That is where the Weston swollen legs specialists investigate your symptoms, get to the root of your issue, and guide you through the treatment. Your legs could be swollen due to extra fluid buildup in your leg tissues or an underlying health condition. Let us evaluate some possibilities.
Venous Insufficiency
Veins in your legs may fail to function normally, leading to blood buildup in your legs. Remember that you stand on two legs, and all your weight is exerted on the veins in your legs through gravity. But your veins are designed to counteract the force of gravity to keep off the pressure. However, the valves responsible for maintaining the pressure low can become incompetent and may no longer function, leading to venous inefficiency. This can cause additional symptoms like varicose veins, leg pain, and cramping.
Blood Clot
You can develop a blood clot in your veins due to several factors. The clot blocks your veins interfering with blood flow, causing swelling alongside other symptoms like pain, tenderness, and skin redness. Blood fails to empty correctly from your leg veins, exerting more pressure to build up, forcing the fluid to the nearby tissues. A blood clot should be addressed soon since it might cause life-threatening issues, especially when it causes valve failure or breaks loose.
Heart Issues
Your heart is responsible for blood circulation all over your body. If this crucial organ fails to function properly, you could have a pooling of blood in your legs. Conditions like heart failure or heart disease can prevent your heart from pumping blood the way it should, causing complications in your lower extremity. Therefore, pay attention to additional symptoms like chest pain, shortness of breath, increased heartbeat, coughing or wheezing, and seek immediate help.
Pregnancy
It is normal for your legs to swell when pregnant. The fetus in your uterus causes the abdomen veins to compress, and remember that this is the final destination of the blood before it gets to your heart. When this is combined with hormonal changes affecting your vascular system, leg swelling is possible. Additionally, pregnancy increases your weight and could lead to high blood pressure, which could cause excessive swelling. If you experience additional symptoms like abdominal pain, blurred vision, and headache when pregnant, call your doctor right away.
Lifestyle Factors
Your legs can also swell due to factors away from medical conditions. It can be avoided or treated with lifestyle modifications. Your legs can swell due to the high consumption of salty foods increasing water retention. They can also swell if you stand or sit for a long time. In these cases, limiting your salt intake and limiting the time you stand or sit can minimize your chances of leg swelling. Depending on the nature of your job, remember to take breaks at intervals and walk around.
Your legs can swell due to various reasons ranging from lifestyle factors to medical complications. The best thing to do is to confirm the reason for your leg swelling with a medical expert to understand the right course of treatment. Reach out to the swollen legs specialists at Soffer Health Institute for help.