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Tuesday, 24 January 2012

EDEMA- SWOLLEN FEET

EDEMA- SWOLLEN FEET

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Edema is the technical term for a swollen foot. The condition



 occurs when fluids become trapped in the tissue. The legs 


and feet are common places for swelling to occur. Edema is 


usually just a symptom of another condition and it can be 


effectively treated 

Get a checkup to determine the cause of the swelling before



 trying any home treatments.


Diet


Hypertension and excessive salt intake can be the cause of 



swollen feet. Follow a low sodium diet to help reduce 


swelling in the feet. Hypertension or high blood pressure can 


lead to heart attack and stroke. Swollen feet may be an


 indicator of this condition.

Avoid adding table salt to your meals and check the



 ingredient labels on processed foods that you consume.


 Normal intake of sodium should be in the 1500 to 2400 mg 


range. On a low sodium diet, you may only consume 1200 


mg of sodium to reduce levels in the body
.
Pay attention to the sodium in processed foods. It is used as


 a preservative in many of these foods and this can 


significantly increase your sodium levels. Also avoid canned


 and processed foods as they are rich in salt.


Physical Activity


Increasing your physical activity can also relieve swelling in 



your foot. Simply walking every day is enough to improve 


the muscle function in the affected area, which will remove


 the fluid from the tissue. A 30-minute walk at least five 


times a week is a healthy level of exercise. With swollen


 feet, it may be difficult to reach the 30-minute goal. Walk


 as much as you can in the beginning and work your way up 


to 30 minutes. Start with just a few minutes a day if that is 


all you can handle.


Try to avoid standing on your feet in one place for long 


periods. This forces the fluids into the feet and contributes


 to swelling. Put your swollen feet up as much as possible.


 Elevation helps to force the fluid out of the affected tissue.




Massage your foot to force the fluid out. Your massage 


strokes should move toward the heart. Use firm pressure to


 remove swelling.


Support Garments and Shoes



The doctor may recommend that you use compression


 stockings to keep pressure on the limbs that are frequently


 swollen. The stockings help to keep the fluid from collecting


 in the foot.

Do not wear tight fitting shoes. This can trap the fluids in



 your feet causing them to swell. When trying on shoes,


 make sure that they are comfortable and not too tight


. Later in the afternoon is the best time to try on new shoes.


Eat Diuretic Foods


Diuretic foods can help you to expel excess fluids from your



 body. Though they may not help in cases of venous


 insufficiency, they can help in other instances of swelling.


 Try eating foods such as cabbage, broccoli, celery and 


watermelon, all of which have natural diuretic properties.


Drink Up


Ensure that you are drinking enough water. Sometimes our 



bodies hang on to excess fluids when we are dehydrated. 


Try drinking half of your body weight in ounces of water for


 a few days and see if the swelling in your feet lessens.


Compression



Wear athletic shoes and socks as often as possible. The


 compression provided by these will help to keep fluid out of


 your feet and ankles. You can also buy compression hosiery


 to help bring down the swelling in your feet.


Elevate


Make sure to elevate your feet as often as possible. Your 



feet should be above your heart to help the excess fluid


 drain out of them. It may also be helpful to scoot your rear


 against the wall with your feet straight up for 30 minutes or


 so each day. Its best to rest with the feet up after short 


intervals of time. 



Soaking the feet in cold water for 15 minutes help reduce 



the edema and relieve swollen feet. Keeping the feet under


 running cold water for 10-15 minutes before resting will 


provide relief from edema. 





Massaging your feet with warm mustard oil is also an



 effective method of alleviating swelling and pain in the feet


 and ankles. 


Application of apple cider vinegar helps reduce the excessive 



fluid content in the body, thereby relieving swelling in the


 ankles and feet.


You can also use cucumber to treat swollen feet on account



 of its ability to absorb excessive water from the body. Take 


a slice of cucumber, put it on your foot, and cover it with a 


bandage or cotton cloth to relieve the swelling.


If you are overweight, a long-term treatment would be to



 reduce. Follow a negative calorie diet and exercise regularly


 to keep a check on your weight, thereby preventing and


 treating swollen feet and ankles.


Barley water & parsley is a good diuretic that helps in reducing the swelling. 


Boil a few tablespoons of coriander seed in two cups of 



water. Stop boiling when the liquid is reduced to one cup.


 This is a good home remedy for swelling of feet during 


pregnancy also.


Coffee and alcoholic drinks should be avoided as they 



dehydrate the body from essential fluids. This is one of the


 useful swelling of feet remedy.


A well balanced diet including all the essential nutrients is 



highly beneficial

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