What is lower limb edema?

You must pay attention to swelling of the lower limbs. The so-called edema means that if you press the swollen part with your hand, there will be an obvious depression, and this depression is not easy to return to its original state. This is an important basis for judging edema. There are many reasons for edema, including edema caused by organic diseases and edema caused by malnutrition. The most common causes are kidney disease, heart disease, liver disease, etc.

What is lower limb edema?

1. Edema caused by organic diseases:

The most common ones are (1) renal edema. In patients with acute nephritis, chronic nephritis or kidney disease, due to reduced renal blood flow, sodium and water retention, increased capillary permeability, and excessive protein loss in the urine, the plasma colloidal osmotic pressure will be reduced, causing fluid accumulation in the tissue spaces and causing edema. 2) Cardiac edema. When right heart failure occurs in various heart diseases, venous blood cannot return smoothly, causing increased pressure in the veins, and body fluids leak into the tissue spaces, causing edema. (3) Hepatic edema. Factors such as liver damage in cirrhosis, obstruction of portal vein return, increased portal vein pressure, and low plasma albumin in liver failure can cause edema. (4) Hypothyroidism edema. When the thyroid function is hypoactive, mucopolysaccharide is deposited in the patient's dermis, and a large amount of hyaluronic acid, chondroitin sulfate and water accumulate between cells, which can cause edema of the lower limbs. (5) Late-stage cancer can also cause edema.

2. Malnutrition edema

. Malnourished children or adults will experience pitting edema in the lower limbs or the whole body, accompanied by pale complexion, anemia and other symptoms due to lack of protein and low plasma albumin. In the late stage, the whole body will swell.

3. Localized lower limb edema.

It is mostly caused by obstruction of the veins and lymphatic vessels in the lower limbs, resulting in the entry of body fluids into the tissue spaces. It may be caused by thrombophlebitis of the lower limbs, lymphangitis, filariasis, or compression of the veins by pelvic or lower limb tumors. The most common diseases are lower limb venous valvular insufficiency and lower limb deep vein thrombosis. If the edema is unilateral in the lower limbs, deep vein thrombosis in the lower limbs should be considered. It is usually accompanied by skin pigmentation, skin ulcers, varicose veins in the lower limbs, etc.

4. After orthopedic surgery of the lower limbs.

Orthopedic surgeries such as hip and knee replacements and surgeries for lower limb fractures will cause local bleeding after the operation, which will lead to swelling and even bruising of the lower limbs. After hip and knee replacements, anticoagulation is required, and sometimes even the entire lower limb will be bruised and swollen. If there is obvious swelling after surgery, be alert to deep vein thrombosis in the lower limbs, because once the thrombus breaks away, it can easily lead to pulmonary embolism, which is very risky.

5. Lymphedema.

Such as erysipelas or acute cellulitis. The main manifestations are: persistent swelling of one or both limbs, which often starts from the extremities and gradually develops upward. In the early stage, it presents as pitting edema. If not treated in time, the disease will gradually progress and the skin may become increasingly rough, thick, and hard, shaped like elephant skin, so it is also called elephantiasis. The cause of the disease is relatively complex and is generally divided into primary and secondary types. Primary lymphedema is caused by congenital abnormalities in the anatomy or physiology of the lymphatic system, which is called primary lymphedema. Secondary lymphedema is more common clinically, including traumatic or injury lymphedema, infectious or inflammatory lymphedema, limb lymphedema after radical tumor resection and radiotherapy, etc.

6. Physiological edema.

Many normal people also suffer from edema. If you stand, walk, squat or sit for a long time, you will find that your lower limbs or feet are "tight", especially for many young girls who like to go shopping for several hours or even a whole day, which can cause edema. In this case, the swelling may decrease or disappear on its own after a period of rest or changing body position.

7. Other edema

Such as drug-induced edema, especially calcium ion blockers among antihypertensive drugs. The more common drugs taken by the elderly include antihypertensive drugs, such as Norvasc, Bayxin, Diovan, Cozaar, etc. In addition, there are insulin, thiazolidinedione hypoglycemic drugs, glucocorticoids, estrogen, licorice tablets, etc.