10 causes of swollen feet
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10 causes of swollen feet
Swollen feet can be a common occurrence at some point in most of our lives and usually are not a cause for concern. Standing or walking for long periods of time or pregnancy are often associated with swelling of feet. The remedy for feet that have grown in size from too much standing or walking is to provide rest, elevating your tired feet.
However, when your feet swell, it could be signaling a potentially more serious condition. Another name for swelling is edema and can be a red flag for a more serious underlying problem. If you have not been engaging in abnormal or excessive walking or standing and your feet are swollen, it is best to see your physician to find the cause.
Here is a look at 10 potential causes of swollen feet:
1. Vascular causes
Being on your feet a lot means gravity will pull blood into the veins of your legs, and some of the water in the blood enters the tissues of your legs and feet, causing them to swell. But there can be other conditions that can cause similar swelling since they can affect the movement of fluids within the body.
2. Venous insufficiency
Venous insufficiency is when there is a failure of the veins to adequately circulate the blood, especially from the lower extremities. Valves in the veins of our legs keep blood from being pulled down by gravity and pooling in the leg veins. As we age, those valves age too and may function less efficiently resulting in swollen feet.
3. Phlebitis
Phlebitis means inflammation of a vein which can result in painful swollen feet along with redness and warmth in the affected area. Phlebitis can affect surface or deep veins and may occur with or without a blood clot. When caused by a blood clot, it’s called a thrombophlebitis. Another possible cause of phlebitis is trauma to the vein such as trauma from an IV catheter.
This is a condition in which blood clots form in the deep veins of the legs. The clots block the return of blood from the legs to the heart, causing swelling of the legs and feet. If not diagnosed and treated promptly, it can be a very serious, life-threatening condition as the blood clot can break loose and travel in the blood to the lungs, causing pulmonary embolism. This causes breathlessness, pain with breathing, and possible death. While a new swelling of both legs and feet is often not serious, new swelling of just one leg is always something to have checked out.
5. Heart failure
Heart failure is a chronic condition in which the heart doesn’t pump blood as well as it should. As a result, blood in the leg veins that should be pumped back to the heart, instead pool in the veins causing feet to swell.
6. Liver disease
There are some liver diseases which can lead to low blood levels of a protein called albumin. Albumin is made in the liver and low levels of it cause fluid in the blood to pass into the tissues, producing swelling in the legs and feet and also in other parts of the body such as the hands and face.
7. Kidney disease
When kidneys are not functioning properly, fluids can buildup in the body. One of the main functions of the kidneys is to get rid of extra fluid, but when excess fluids build up, this makes it much harder for the kidneys to do its job. One of the first clues you may have kidney disease is swelling in the feet. If you notice this, tell your doctor. They should take a thorough medical history with a physical examination along with blood and urine tests, a chest x-ray, and an electrocardiogram.
8. Bone and tendon conditions
Bone and tendon problems resulting in swollen feet can include fractures, arthritis, and tendinitis. Typically these conditions will also cause pain along with swelling.
9. Problems with skin and toenails
Skin becomes thinner with age making your largest organ of the body more vulnerable to cuts which can become infected causing swelling of the area near the wound. If your foot has a cut, it can cause the entire foot to swell. Ingrown toenails digging into the skin is another example of a skin condition leading to sores and swelling of the feet.
10. Drug side effects
Some medications, such as calcium-channel blockers to treat high blood pressure, can be another cause leading to swollen feet.
How to treat swollen feet
Most swollen feet are usually nothing to worry about. Generally, spending less time on your feet and propping them up can help to subside swelling.
But, see your doctor is there is so much swelling that it is leaving indentations if you press your finger into it or if the swelling has developed suddenly and is lasting for more than a few days. If only one foot is affected or there is any discoloration of the skin, this also is a sign it should be seen by a doctor.
It is important to not self-diagnosis. There can be several reasons for feet to swell but only your doctor can make the determination as to why. By getting an accurate diagnosis, you’ll be back on your feet in no time.