Why do legs swell in old age and what to do about it?

27.02.2019
In old age, various health problems often arise, including swelling of the legs. There are many possible reasons for this problem, so some diagnostics are required. Once diagnosed, treatment is necessary. Swelling of the legs in old age can be dangerous, so it is important to reduce the risk of its occurrence through preventive measures.

Chronic diseases and tendency to swelling of the legs

Most often, this is a signal of the appearance of chronic diseases characteristic of old age. The inability of the heart to pump thousands of liters of blood, as in the old days, leads to the accumulation and stagnation of fluid below the waist. With chronic diseases of the cardiovascular system, there may be swelling in the knees and ankles, even the toes swell.

Kidney problems - advanced pyelonephritis, glomerulonephritis, urolithiasis - can also cause swelling. There is often an option when, due to type 2 diabetes, kidney cells begin to die, kidney failure progresses - one serious disease entails another, no less terrible. In both of these cases, the patient will suffer from swelling of the lower extremities. In both diabetes and renal failure, this is a frequent and indicative symptom during treatment.

Photos of swelling of the legs in older people:

Possible causes and treatment of leg swelling

Absolutely anyone can experience leg swelling, regardless of age or health status. By understanding the causes and treatment of leg swelling, you can effectively cope with this disease.

Swelling of the limbs indicates the filling of fluid where it should not be: in cells, muscle tissue. In any case, this is a signal that pathological processes are occurring in the human body that are worth paying attention to.

Causes of puffiness

In healthy people, the appearance of swelling in the legs can be explained by purely physiological factors:

1. Abuse of spices and salt. In addition, such a disease can be caused by excessive fluid intake.
2. High air temperature. In hot sunny weather, the human body activates its functions to protect against overheating. The expansion of peripheral vessels leads to a decrease in blood pressure and disruptions in blood circulation, which ends in the accumulation of fluid in the tissues.
3. Metabolism problem, excess weight.
4. Pregnancy. While carrying a baby, hormones dilate blood vessels and retain sodium in the woman’s body, which results in swelling.
5. Incorrect posture while sitting, the habit of crossing your legs and throwing one on top of the other, staying in a standing position for a long time. This affects the pressure in the veins and disrupts the functioning of the circulatory system.
6. Uncomfortable shoes. Inappropriate shoes that squeeze the foot, high heels, or completely flat soles disrupt microcirculatory processes in the tissues.

The cause of leg swelling may be hidden in a pathological condition of the body or disease:

1. Phlebeurysm. With varicose veins, swelling occurs gradually, so a person may not immediately notice it. They are most pronounced in the late afternoon, after an active day of work on your feet. They disappear during sleep. However, as varicose veins progress, swelling of the legs in older people becomes more pronounced, leading to trophic vascular disorders.
2. Diseases of the cardiovascular system.
3. Kidney problems. The cause of severe swelling, which is often concentrated in the lower extremities, affecting the front part of the leg, is kidney disease. In addition, the patient experiences swelling of the eyelids, dark circles under the eyes, and changes in the color of urine.
4. Intestinal disorders. In appearance, swelling caused by intestinal diseases is similar to kidney disease, but is accompanied by prolonged diarrhea.
5. Increase in size of any part of the body, or elephantiasis. The disease causes a disruption of water and protein metabolism in tissues, a stoppage of lymph, as a result of which the legs become very swollen and become large, like those of an elephant.
6. Pathologies of the thyroid gland.
7. Acute thrombophlebitis. The formation of blood clots causes redness, swelling and pain.

As a rule, legs swell due to serious health problems, so as soon as swelling appears, you should immediately go to the doctor.

To relieve swelling, you can use foot creams or ointments, take a bath based on medicinal herbs, or do gymnastics.

Helpful Tips:

1. When you come home after a long walk, you need to remove all tight clothing and give your legs the opportunity to completely relax. You should not immediately put on socks, slippers, or trousers; let your feet breathe freely.
2. It is important to make foot baths based on decoctions of birch leaves, mint, chamomile and string. It takes 5 minutes to complete the procedure. Sometimes it is supplemented with potato compresses. Take the raw product, grate it with the peel and apply it to swollen areas of the body for 15-20 minutes. To make the procedure effective, the leg is wrapped in cellophane and covered with a towel or gauze on top.
3. To relieve swelling of the legs in the elderly, you need to give the limbs a rest: lie down, placing your legs on a hill so that the foot is suspended. If a person is in a sitting position, then you can place a stool or chair under your feet. Limbs should rest for at least 15 minutes.
4. You can remove puffiness in older women with a gentle massage. Before this, you can apply a cream that can relieve fatigue, relax and normalize blood circulation. After massaging your feet, you need to lie down at rest for at least 30 minutes.

When dealing with swollen legs, you need to remember to stay hydrated and drink decoctions, infusions and plain water more often.

Before you start treating the disease with medications, you can use proven folk remedies:

1. Juices from various plants. Juices from carrots, fresh cucumbers and beets can help in the fight against problem legs. They can be combined and consumed together or taken each drink separately. It is also recommended to prepare a mixture of lemon juice, rowan, viburnum, add 50 g of honey and extract. Take 1 spoon after meals 3 times a day.
2. Parsley. Used in the form of an infusion or powder, washed down with warm water. To make an infusion you need to take 1 tbsp. l. root or fruit of the plant, pour two glasses of boiling water and leave for 10 hours.
3. Birch leaves. Compresses made from an infusion of fresh birch leaves help quickly relieve swelling and return your feet to normal. They are also effective for swelling associated with kidney and heart diseases.
4. Flaxseeds. They help remove fluid from the intercellular space. For the infusion, you need to take 3-5 g of flax seeds per 1 liter of boiling water.
5. Cabbage. Fresh leaves of the vegetable are applied and tied to the swelling and left overnight.
6. Grape leaves. Dissolve blood clots, prevent the formation of new blood clots, improve blood circulation and eliminate swelling. The leaves are thrown into foot baths, which must be done for 3 months.
7. Pumpkin. Drinking pumpkin juice (100 g) every day will help get rid of various swelling.
8. Dill and dried apricots. The ingredients need to be poured with boiling water and left to steep for about 6 hours. Can be sweetened with honey or fructose.

If you do not establish the cause of swelling in the legs, but fight only the consequences, then sooner or later the disease will bother you again. Therefore, it is important to examine your body and determine the main source of problems with your limbs.

Before using any remedy, you must first consult with a specialist.

Popular ointments:

• Venitan is intended to normalize microcirculation, strengthen venous vessels and reduce inflammatory processes;
• Heparin ointment has an anti-inflammatory effect, reduces pain sensitivity, dissolves blood clots and prevents the formation of new ones;
• Essaven gel supports the walls of blood vessels, helps microcirculation, eliminates blood clots;
• Troxevasin, which contains components that can cool and anesthetize the diseased area of ​​the body, strengthen veins and capillaries.

If the use of drugs does not bring the desired result, and swelling continues to bother you, then you should immediately visit the doctor again, as he will be able to determine the exact cause of the disease and associate it with another disease in the body.

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Causes of edema in the elderly

Here are the most common, relatively safe causes of swelling of the lower extremities in old age:

• marks after wearing tight socks, clothes or shoes;
• water retention in tissues due to chronic diseases;
• long stay of the legs in a position above the heart area;
• varicose veins impede blood flow and lead to swelling;
• a large amount of salty and spicy food eaten the day before;
• excessive alcoholic libation can retain up to three extra liters of fluid in the body.

If the body is healthy, all waste water should be transported through capillaries from the intercellular space along the venous bed. This process can be hampered by problems with blood pressure in peripheral vessels and the permeability of vessel walls. The process of fluid retention is also affected by the absorption of proteins and the presence of sodium in the blood.

Complications and prognosis

The progression of cardiac edema over 1-2 weeks and refusal to visit a medical facility leads to impaired blood circulation and tissue trophism, and their further necrosis.

In the absence of therapy, trophic ulcers, lymphedema, ascites, anasarca, and fluid accumulation in the lungs may occur. Dangerous pathologies cause the death of the patient.

If all the recommendations of the cardiologist are followed, the treatment of the primary disease (and elimination of the syndrome) is successful.

Treatment of lymphedema

Swelling of the legs in older people (we discuss the causes and treatment in this material) can occur not only due to water retention, but also due to impaired lymph outflow. This process in medicine is called lymphostasis. In the process of failure of the outflow of lymphatic fluid, the feet and ankles of older people may become very swollen.

Lymphatic swelling of the foot is called lymphedema. Based on statistics, this symptom can be called quite rare. Only about 7% of older people and 3% of young people suffer from chronic lymphedema.

Loss of the former tone and patency of the lymphatic vessels is observed with lymphadenitis and leads to their expansion. As a result, the normal functioning of the valves of other vessels is disrupted. As a result, lymph stagnation occurs and severe swelling appears. Doctors usually associate such processes with malfunctions of the kidneys and cardiovascular system.

If treated incorrectly, this disease can progress, the legs will become less and less mobile and the patient may end up with lifelong disability.

Features of lifestyle with swelling

With general swelling, the volume of the feet and legs traditionally increases in the evening. It will not be possible to completely get rid of this pathology, but it is possible to reduce its severity. To do this, you should do a light foot massage every evening. You can purchase special massage pillows for the feet or place them on regular pillows so that the feet are higher than the level of the heart. You should adhere to the general principles of a healthy lifestyle:

• try to walk 5-6 km every day;
• spend more time outdoors;
• maintain a daily routine and rest schedule;
• do exercises at the workplace;
• practice moderate physical activity daily;
• wear only comfortable shoes and clothes;
• avoid stressful situations;
• sleep at least 7 hours.

Renal edema

Kidney disease is the most common cause of swollen legs in older adults. Treatment in such cases is carried out seriously. First, you need to go to the hospital - there, with the help of special tests and daily urine collection, doctors will find out how much the kidneys have retained their function. Most often, a sick person is prescribed a strict diet with a low salt and protein content (table No. 7). If inflammation is detected in the kidney tissues, antibacterial therapy is necessary. If there are stones, a diuretic and, in some cases, surgical treatment are prescribed. If it comes to kidney failure, then hemodialysis is necessary. You should not be afraid of kidney problems - the sooner the patient sees a doctor, the easier and more successful the treatment will be.

Preparations for the treatment of swelling of the legs in older people with kidney problems: “Canephron”, “Ursofalk”, “Renel”, “Fitolysin”. When taking any medication, you should first consult with your primary care physician or nephrologist.

Edema due to kidney disease

Edema in kidney disease is considered one of the most common symptoms of a dangerous pathology of this kind. Moreover, they make themselves felt equally often both during the chronic course of the disease and at the stage of acute development.

Once the kidneys fail, the body has to deal with the consequences of unhealthy levels of various substances in the blood. The imbalance becomes the reason for the development of puffiness, which affects not only the upper or lower limbs, but also transforms the oval of the face.

To avoid such an outcome, experts recommend that when the first warning signs are detected, immediately seek qualified help. Self-medication, as well as ignoring the problem, can harm overall well-being by triggering irreversible processes in the body.

The main causes of swelling

Schematically, all conditions that indicate destabilization of renal activity against the background of swelling can be divided into two camps. The first covers the direct pathological mechanism that provokes fluid to pour into the intercellular space. The second option covers the diseases themselves, which are considered to be the culprits of the anomaly.

Among the most common causes of immediate swelling due to kidney problems is increased filtration of blood proteins. Cleaning is carried out through the membranes of special glomeruli. Once proteins enter the primary urine, they take with them a small amount of water, which is a direct result of osmotic pressure.

Protein reabsorption at the level of the loop of Henley is not recorded, since their molecules are too large. Due to their outstanding size, they cannot pass through the walls of the tubules.

Another provocateur of bags under the eyes with a feeling of skin bursting from the inside throughout the body is a reduced protein content in the blood. This happens due to the loss of proteins during each urination. Occasionally, other pathologies lead to an identical outcome, but in medicine there are an order of magnitude fewer such clinical cases.

No less often, one has to “thank” oneself for an unsightly appearance by reducing the organ’s ability to carry out filtration procedures sufficiently.

Even low blood pressure, which is considered relatively harmless among ordinary people, can disrupt the natural mechanism.

An underestimated indicator activates the hormonal system, which responds by blocking the standard outflow of waste fluid.

A little less often, a precursor to edema is an increased concentration of sodium ions or increased capillary permeability. The first version concerns those victims who rely too much on foods with a high content of table salt. And the second variation promotes easy release of blood components into the intercellular space.

But the most common reason is still uncontrolled fluid consumption, which often happens during the hot season. If we add to this the ability of the renal glomeruli to pass only a certain amount of incoming fluid, then if there is an excess of it, the organ simply does not have time to cope with the task.

The most serious scenarios are considered to be those diseases in children and adults that activate mechanisms leading to loss of glomerular functionality. This is characteristic of inflammation or sclerosis, when the patient experiences an overgrowth of connective tissue that does not contain filtration components beneficial to the body.

The most common diseases leading to swelling

It is generally accepted in society that ailments that cause puffiness throughout the body due to the kidneys are limited only by the failure of the said organ. But in fact the list is much wider, covering:

• glomerulonephritis;
• amyloidosis;
• tumors;
• intoxication.

It is glomerulonephritis that is the main culprit of damage to the glomerular apparatus. The catalyst for the anomaly is damage to the filtration system due to a failed immune system. But not all people far from medicine understand what diseases can make the immune system work against health. The main ones include:

• infections;
• autoimmune diseases;
• sore throat of streptococcal origin.

An incompletely cured disease can serve as an impetus for the organ to gradually be replaced by simple connective tissue instead of working kidney tissue.

But she will not be able to perform the initial tasks assigned to the body’s natural filter.

Over time, the well-being of the swollen victim deteriorates so much that only emergency hospitalization in the inpatient department of the hospital will help him.

Amyloidosis is characterized by the accumulation of the protein of the same name, amyloid, in the walls of the organ. When it does not pass the cleansing barrier, it begins to accumulate in the glomeruli, clogging both them and the nearest capillaries. When the membrane becomes clogged, it simply stops functioning, which acts as a mechanical obstacle to natural blood flow.

The swelling here is caused by the fact that remnants of toxins collect in the blood, and excess fluid cannot find a way out, filling the free space wherever it finds a place.

Poisoning takes an important place in the ranking of diseases that lead to swelling of varying degrees of severity. We are talking about salts of heavy metals, which can occur when:

• labor activity in hazardous working conditions;
• long-term living in unfavorable environmental conditions.

Some heavy metals are localized specifically in the kidney cleaning membranes. With prolonged accumulation of toxic substances, the mechanism of converting useful tissue into connective tissue is triggered without the ability to cope with filtration missions. The clinical picture ends with classic chronic renal failure.

The traditional symptoms of such a pathology affect acute or permanent violations of the natural functionality of organs. Here, not only the glomeruli are affected, but also the tubules, which completely disables the organ very quickly.

The final disease on the list of the most common is an oncological tumor of a malignant or benign nature. Determining exactly what type of neoplasm is found in a particular patient will only be possible through a carefully conducted instrumental diagnosis.

Here, the degree of swelling of the limbs, neck, and face will be directly related to what stage the cancer is at, as well as what size the tumor is. The speed of spread of the disease is also taken into account.

The more damaged the internal organ, the brighter the external signs of pathology will be. This relationship is explained by compression of blood vessels, tubules and the glomeruli themselves, which, if the disease is ignored, quickly lose their cleansing abilities.

How to recognize renal edema?

There are many reasons for the formation of edema in any location, including injuries, allergic reactions, and the body’s response to insect bites. Among all this diversity, doctors have learned to recognize signs that indicate the renal origin of puffiness.

Ordinary people often confuse this type of deviation with cardiac edema. But an experienced doctor will be able to most likely determine the source of the disease even during the initial examination. To do this, specialists use differential diagnosis, assessing specific criteria.

Typical accompanying complaints are:

• pain;
• problems with urination;
• neurological manifestations.

Patients experience pain at the stage of acute development of the inflammatory process, and the pain can vary in duration and intensity.

In clinical practice, the appearance of pain is often recorded even before the victim begins to expand in size due to the entry of fluid into the intercellular space.

But medicine knows cases when swelling occurred suddenly, without being accompanied by characteristic pain in the area:

• lower back;
• projections of the lower ribs.

When colic occurs, irradiation is noted in the groin area, lower extremities on the side of which kidney is affected. There are often cases when the condition is aggravated due to the following:

The catalysts for a sharp deterioration in health are the movement of stones, or blockage of the ureter, which has become a victim of an infectious process. If colic does occur, then about a day after the first attack, swelling of varying degrees of severity occurs.

Problems with urination are also divided into several categories, differing depending on the characteristics of the main ailment. But if we generalize, then swelling with different localizations can be called a consequence of the retention of fluid entering the body. The total volume of daily urine decreases.

If everything is fine with a person, the body will excrete about 70% of all the liquid absorbed per day, which is a little more than a liter. But as soon as destabilization of filtration activity is noted along with the filling of the cellular space, urine output reaches record low levels.

With oliguria, urine output is observed in an amount of no more than half a liter, and with anuria, even less. The worse the urine is, the more serious the victim’s pathology.

Among other anomalies associated with urine during renal edema, a change in its color, up to a whitish tint or bright yellow, is noted. This transformation is explained by the presence of pus during the development of inflammation in the active phase. The same thing happens if there is a huge amount of red blood cells - erythrocytes - in the urine. They enter urine through the Shumlyansky-Bowman capsule.

The final clinical touch is neuralgia in its various manifestations, which is explained by severe intoxication of the body. As soon as toxins begin to accumulate, they immediately turn into irritants of nervous tissue, awakening unpleasant neurological symptoms.

The most common of these are headaches that cannot be neutralized with conventional painkillers, drowsiness and sleep disturbances. Muscle, joint, and bone pain are also a harbinger of rapidly developing renal edema, which is often accompanied by skin itching.

In advanced stages, an imbalance of electrolytes is possible, which negatively affects cardiac activity. With a lack of sodium, chlorine, and potassium ions, the heart muscle has a harder time contracting and relaxing. The result will “delight” with arrhythmia, fainting and even cardiac arrest.

The very first test that the victim will need to take is a general and biochemical blood test. You will also need to determine rheumatoid factor. A thorough diagnosis cannot be done without a general, biochemical urine analysis.

To exclude increased load on the internal organ, you will have to undergo renal function tests and Doppler ultrasound. But magnetic resonance imaging, as well as computer diagnostics together with ultrasound examination, are prescribed depending on the circumstances.

The therapeutic course can drag on for a long time, so you should prepare for the fact that with extensive edema, along with a rapidly developing pathology, the patient may even be hospitalized.

Standard treatment is based on the prescription of medications to stop the development of the underlying disease, diuretics, as well as drugs to strengthen the vascular wall. Additionally, you will have to follow the rules for maintaining water and electrolyte balance and follow a diet.

Source: https://FoodandHealth.ru/simptomy/oteki-pri-zabolevaniyah-pochek/

What does swelling of the feet indicate?

List of the most common reasons why the feet of old people swell:

• Diseases of blood vessels, acute and chronic disorders of venous blood flow.
• Problems with joints - polyarthritis, osteoarthritis.
• Diseases of internal organs caused by insufficient blood circulation - pathologies of the heart, liver, endocrine disorders.

Swelling of the legs in older people, in particular the feet, should not be left to chance. This condition will not go away by itself, be it a violation of the water-salt balance or lymphostasis. You should definitely consult, at a minimum, with a therapist and undergo basic blood and urine tests.

Swelling of the legs in the elderly: treatment for diabetes

Diabetes is an incurable disease characterized by once and for all impaired carbohydrate metabolism. Edema in diabetes mellitus is a frequent companion. Usually, not only the lower limbs are affected, but also the arms and face.

Swelling of the legs in older people and blueness of the extremities in diabetes is more often characteristic of the course of the disease of the first type. Be careful: blue areas of the body are also characteristic of micro-strokes. If the patient has difficulty breathing and speaking, do not hesitate and urgently call an ambulance!

Treatment of swelling of the legs in older people with redness of the extremities should be carried out under the supervision of doctors. Redness and the appearance of vascular networks are typical for type 2 diabetics. But sometimes it can simply be a manifestation of chronic venous insufficiency.

The difference between cardiac edema and others

Typical features of a cardiac symptom are:

• Complete absence of painful manifestations during palpation, walking and any physical activity or manual influence.

Against the background of thrombosis or varicose veins, the discomfort is pronounced and intensifies after any activity and pressure on the affected area. This is a reliable sign for distinguishing between the two conditions.

• Symmetry and corresponding swelling are immediately visible on both sides. This practically never happens with thrombosis; the symptom rarely occurs against the background of varicose veins. Typically, one leg is affected.
• Edema of cardiac origin appears in the evening. Usually after prolonged exercise, of which even simple walking and climbing stairs are considered in a state of insufficiency.

Renal dysfunction is manifested by morning edema. During daylight hours, excess fluid due to pathologies of the cardiovascular system subsides and completely disappears.

Disorders with thrombosis and varicose veins occur suddenly. Usually associated with physical activity.

• Cyanosis of the dermis of the affected limbs. A bluish tint to the skin at the site of edema due to heart disease. In other cases it is pale (kidney problems), red, etc. This is a characteristic differential feature.
• Tendency to deformation. When pressing on the affected area, a clearly visible white dent remains, which is gradually eliminated.

Against the background of renal pathologies, the degree of deformation is less. And varicose veins or thrombosis are characterized by an increase in tissue density. They feel hard and stone to the touch. Not palpable.

The basis of differential diagnosis is not the above points, but the accompanying manifestations.

The clinical picture differs in all cases, therefore it is necessary to evaluate it first, and other routine issues are considered as part of confirming the hypotheses.

In any case, it is impossible to do without auxiliary research.

Diseases of the cardiovascular system and swelling

This phenomenon is called cardiac edema in medicine. Typically for men over sixty and women over forty. This is the result of a violation of the normal concentration of blood components and surges in blood pressure. Such problems begin due to poor circulation. The liquid, due to gravity, flows to the lowest parts of the body. If a person stands for a long time, these are the legs; if he lies down, these are the head and internal organs; if he sits, these are the tailbone.

Treatment of the causes of leg swelling in an elderly person is possible only after an accurate diagnosis has been made. From the cardiovascular system, these can be cardiomyopathies of various origins, rheumatism, amyloidosis, cor pulmonale, arrhythmias, cardiosclerosis, congenital heart defects.

Diagnostics

The diagnosis is made after a survey, examination of the patient, auscultation (listening to the heart muscle) and a number of additional studies.

To identify the exact causes of edema, the following are used:

• laboratory study of biological fluids (blood, urine);
• electrocardiography;
• Ultrasound of the heart;
• echocardiography;
• radiography.

Which doctor should I contact?

To establish the exact causes of leg swelling in older people and further treatment, you must first contact your local physician. He will prescribe a minimum of tests - a biochemical blood test, a general urine test, an ultrasound of the kidneys and digestive tract. Surely some indicator in the analyzes will deviate from the norm.

After this, the therapist will give directions:

• see a nephrologist - if creatinine or urea levels are elevated, there will be sediment, leukocytes or protein in the urine,
• see a cardiologist - if the patient complains of heart pain,
• see an endocrinologist if your blood sugar levels are disturbed.

Diet for a tendency to swelling

It is very easy to eliminate fluid retention with the help of special nutrition. If there are no serious pathologies, then simply reduce salt in your diet to a minimum. You will have to completely eliminate spicy and salty foods, canned food, chips, beer, alcoholic drinks, and fried nuts. You should also reduce your consumption of fried foods.

Preference should be given to lean meat, stewed and steamed vegetables without adding salt and spices. You should also not add salt to porridge. Diet alone is already part of the treatment of leg swelling in older people. The reasons may be different, but nutrition will have to be adjusted in any case.

Providing immediate assistance at home

How to treat leg swelling due to heart failure at home is a question that worries absolutely all people who are faced with this pathology. In the first stages, regular rest with raising your legs and light stretching will help you. Salt baths have a good effect. If it was not possible to remove swelling in the legs due to heart failure using these methods, then you should drink the diuretic that the doctor prescribed for you. If you have not yet visited a therapist or cardiologist, then you need to do so. You cannot prescribe pills for yourself.

It happens that swelling begins to be accompanied by a sharp deterioration in the patient’s condition. In such a situation, there is no need to take risks; you should immediately call a doctor. Your first action will be to call an ambulance, and then you must alleviate the patient’s condition. It is necessary to give him a semi-sitting position. It is advisable to place your legs on a pillow, but if there is a suspicion of abdominal swelling, then it is better not to do this. Open a window to allow fresh air into the room.

Sample diet for leg swelling

The optimal diet for the treatment of leg swelling in older people, the causes of which are fluid retention:

• Breakfast - oatmeal without salt, with water or skim milk. For taste, you can add a spoonful of honey and dried fruits.
• Snack - one banana (will help replenish potassium reserves for normal functioning of the heart muscle) or an apple. You can eat a handful of raw nuts, the main thing is that they are not fried or salted.
• Lunch - vegetable soup made from potatoes, cauliflower and greens. Chicken fillet goulash. You can add salt to the broth - just a little so that you can eat it without disgust.
• Snack - a pack of low-fat cottage cheese (a source of calcium, protein, essential amino acids).
• For dinner - skim milk with 50 g of whole grain bread. You can bake your favorite fish in foil or make a turkey steak. All without adding salt, oils, fats, spices, cheese.

Drug treatment

Diuretic drugs based on the principle of action are:

• thiazide;
• loop;
• osmotic;
• potassium-sparing.

Old people often buy cheap diuretics, such as Furosemide, Torasemide, Veroshpiron. Try to explain to your elderly relatives that these drugs are dangerous to health and belong to a class of outdated drugs with many side effects. Before mindlessly swallowing old-generation diuretics, it is necessary to diagnose and establish the cause of leg swelling in older people.

Edema most often occurs as a result of disruption of the heart muscle or urinary system. To eliminate it, only comprehensive treatment will help, getting rid of the underlying disease. The most popular medications for cardiac edema of the legs are:

• diuretics (“Piretanide”, ethacrynic acid);
• cardiac thiazides (“Dichlorothiazide”);
• loop diuretics.

For swelling due to varicose veins, blood thinners are prescribed. For example, “Cardiomagnyl”, “Detralex”, “Eskuzan”.

Pathologies that cause severe swelling of the lower extremities in the elderly

• dropsy (fluid accumulation due to improper functioning of the heart, kidneys, liver);
• lymphedema (difficulty in the passage of lymph; the disease can be either congenital or acquired, as a result of damage to the lymphatic system, for example in oncology);
• joint diseases (inflammation of the knee or ankle joints due to arthritis with redness and pain accompanied by swelling; after treatment of the joints, the swelling is eliminated);
• blood clots (restriction of blood flow with varicose veins and fluid stagnation);
• cardiac disorders (age-related changes in the heart make it difficult to work, which affects the functioning of the whole body, including the formation of edema in the legs);
• metabolic disorders (imbalance in the amount of proteins and electrolytes, as a result of which fluid accumulates; it can be caused by diabetes mellitus or liver disease).

Traditional recipes against swelling

Treatment at home can also be done very effectively. There are many folk recipes with a mild diuretic effect that help thin the blood.

Folk remedies for swelling of the legs in older people, the causes of which are fluid retention, are presented below:

• Every evening, take foot baths with salt, soda and herbal infusions (clover, chamomile, dandelion). Such procedures will help relieve leg fatigue and will be especially effective for older people who lead an active lifestyle and spend many hours standing or sitting.
• A decoction of flaxseed improves the water-salt balance. Steam a teaspoon of boiling water and let it brew. Take half a glass half an hour before meals - after a month, swelling of the limbs will become much less pronounced.
• If the taste of flaxseed decoction seems intolerable, try figs. Its infusion has similar properties. In addition, it has a beneficial effect on the outflow of bile and generally has a restorative effect on the body.
• Add a sprig of mint to your usual tea. A decoction of this plant has blood-thinning properties and helps prevent swelling of the legs.
• When resting, try to slightly raise your legs: place a pillow or cushion under them. This will promote the outflow of blood from the lower extremities and reduce their swelling. You can ask someone to do a light foot massage to get the blood flowing - this is very useful.
• A decoction of parsley, rose hips, and bear ears has excellent diuretic properties. You can mix crushed dry leaves and fruits of these plants in equal proportions (for example, one tablespoon each), or you can use an infusion of only one rose hip or only parsley. The main thing is to take this decoction daily for at least two weeks. Fluid retention will decrease, and swelling will also partially subside.

Leg swelling due to heart failure, treatment

Greetings to regular and new readers of my blog!

The frantic pace of modern life contributes to the fact that we brush aside some minor ailments.

You can always buy a suitable and inexpensive remedy for a runny nose or sore throat at your nearest pharmacy. But there are symptoms that you need to pay attention to. This is swelling of the legs.

The cause of their occurrence may be disruption of the activity of the main muscle and problems in the functioning of the entire circulatory system.

As you understand, such a disease cannot be ignored. How to prevent exacerbation, what effective methods of therapy exist that will help get rid of swelling?

Briefly about the causes and symptoms of the disease

Problems begin due to disruptions in the functioning of the main muscle, when it cannot pump blood in the required volume.

Stagnation occurs, each cell of the body does not receive the necessary valuable substances and oxygen. Deficiency, depending on its origin, is classified according to two main indicators:

1. Acute (attack) and chronic (develops and lasts for many years);
2. Left ventricular and right ventricular;

This disease has pronounced symptoms. Swelling of the legs is the most important of these and is most common in older people. They start from the feet and rise gradually higher.

If you press your finger on such areas, they leave clearly visible indentations; the skin does not tone up for some time. Such swelling first appears in the evening and disappears by morning, but over time it does not go away during the daytime.

If treatment is not taken, trophic ulcers form on the skin, and dealing with them can be quite long and difficult.

In addition, the patient experiences shortness of breath, increased heart rate, constant cough, performance decreases sharply, and the person feels fatigued even after a minimum of work done.

If you find excess moisture in the tissues or other manifestations on your legs, then do not hesitate, but immediately contact a cardiologist.

Effective Treatments

If you have swelling of the legs due to heart failure, treatment is prescribed by a cardiologist after examination and all necessary studies.

It is important to begin a course of therapy at this stage in order to prevent tissue damage from trophic ulcers and to support the heart muscle. The doctor prescribes medications individually, but there are certain rules and methods for removing swelling at home.

The first thing you should do in this situation is to change your daily diet so that it does not cause harm to health, but is beneficial.

The diet for edema includes a restriction on salt consumption - up to 1 gram per day. Monitoring your water consumption is mandatory - no more than one liter, and try not to drink at all in the evening.

Take one sip - this irrigates the oral cavity and relieves the feeling of thirst. The menu should definitely include foods rich in potassium: rose hips, dried apricots, raisins. Eat at least one banana every day - it contains microelements necessary for the heart muscle.

Do not eat ready-made meals with dyes, leavening agents and other “chemicals”. The bulk of your daily diet should consist of fresh fruits and vegetables.

Choose low-fat meat and dairy products. You should not forget about the harm of alcohol and tobacco - they are unacceptable.

During pregnancy, almost everyone experiences tissue stagnation. Sometimes my hands even swell. Here, as with the legs, baths with sea salt help to get rid of this.

Dissolve a handful of salt in a bowl of warm water. Lower your legs or arms for 15 to 20 minutes. Then soak them in a bowl of very cold water for a couple of minutes and massage them thoroughly.

After you have wiped it dry, you can use some cream and once again, while applying the cream, massage the surface of the problem areas well. This activates blood circulation and lymph outflow.

For many women, a serious problem every morning is that excess moisture affects the face and eyes. Do not despair - modern cosmetology allows you to quickly get rid of all imperfections.

There is an excellent Instantly Ageless cream with a rejuvenating effect, which will not only remove swelling, but also remove wrinkles, give a fresh and healthy tone to the skin, and tone it.

Here are the most effective folk recipes for treating swelling:

• Take hawthorn, fruits and flowers in equal doses (50 g each). Pour half a liter of boiling water and leave for 2 hours, strain. The single dose is 70 - 80 ml. half an hour before meals 3 times a day. This portion will last you 2 days.
• Pour flax seeds (100 g) into one liter of boiling water and boil a little. When it has settled, strain and take 100 ml in the morning, every 2 hours.
• A month's course of this remedy not only helps with excess fluid in the tissues, but also supports the heart. 50 gr. Mash the viburnum in a mortar so that the fruits “give” juice. Add a glass of boiling water. When it cools down, add 50 gr. honey.

This drink should be left to infuse for a couple of hours. This is the daily dose. Divide in half, along with the fruits, and take 30 minutes before meals. A month's course is required.

Prevention and lifestyle

It is necessary to normalize the functioning of the heart muscle, because this is the primary cause of all troubles. In order not to worsen the situation, to prevent the appearance of trophic ulcers, make sure that your legs rest several times a day.

To do this, take a position so that your limbs are elevated in relation to your body. You can't stand for long. You should not sit in a cross-legged position - this will compress the veins. Try to move more, and best of all - in the park area, in the fresh air.

Avoid traumatic situations of a moral and psychological nature: if you get a little nervous, you can get complications. A full night's rest is required: go to bed earlier.

With such a disease, you should undergo annual maintenance therapy - this will allow you to control the situation and maintain overall tone.

Make sure your diet is varied and balanced. Take care of the cleanliness of your body - get rid of parasites. This can be done without the use of aggressive drugs - with the help of natural antiparasitic tea.

“Monastery tea” has established itself as a very effective, and at the same time natural and safe remedy.

In addition to the antiparasitic effect, it will regulate the metabolism and functions of the gastrointestinal tract, and increase the body's resistance to negative external influences. The unique composition is absolutely harmless, as it consists of medicinal herbs and plants.

This is how, by applying the entire range of necessary measures, you can prevent the progression of the disease, normalize the situation and get rid of all manifestations of the disease. Post these tips on your social media wall. networks - your loved ones may need them.

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And I wish all readers excellent health and prosperity in everything!

I suggest watching a video on the topic:

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