What Causes the Feet and Ankle to Swell?

There are various reasons why the feet and ankles swell. Some of the factors that cause these swellings could be mild. In contrast, others could be symptoms of underlying chronic health conditions. This is why you must identify which category the cause of your swollen feet belongs to, as this will assist you and your doctor know what kind of treatment to administer. Swollen feet and ankles can stem from simple tripping and falling. It could also result from pregnancy. However, kidney failure could be a sign when the feet and ankles are swollen and filled with fluid.

This article contains various factors that can cause the feet and ankles to swell. This will serve as a guide for you to know what the possible cause of your swollen feet is. Coupled with this, the article also suggests home remedies for treating swollen feet and ankles at home. However, if the cause of your swollen feet and ankles results from a chronic underlying health condition, when the root cause (underlying health condition) of your swollen feet, in this case, is treated, the swollen feet will automatically disappear. Conditions like kidney disease, you should not treat at home to avoid complications. You should visit a doctor for proper medical attention.

Causes and Risk Factors of Swollen Feet and Ankles

Edema

Edema is a medical term that describes fluid retention in some body tissues. Although it affects different body parts, including the abdomen, the feet and ankle are the most affected. It is characterized by severe discomfort, difficulty walking, shiny feet and ankle skin, and dimpled skin when the affected area of the feet and ankle is pressed.

Pregnancy

Pregnancy is another cause of swollen feet and ankles, which usually results from hormonal changes, the pressure of the extra weight of the baby on the feet, and natural fluid retention. On hearing “natural fluid retention,” you may begin to abstain from drinking enough water to prevent your legs from swelling.

However, this is not the case.

Staying hydrated during pregnancy, whether your legs are swollen or not, is very important. You do not have to stop drinking water to prevent swollen feet and ankles, as this is a natural part of pregnancy. Swollen feet and ankles occur mostly in the fifth month of pregnancy. When the feet become too swollen and painful, you should visit the hospital to check if you have a pregnancy condition known as preeclampsia.

Preeclampsia is a pregnancy condition characterized by excess protein in the urine and high blood pressure. It occurs mostly in the 20th week of pregnancy. It is accompanied by severe headaches, difficulty walking around, and sharp pains in the ankle.

If you detect any of these signs, you should visit the hospital for proper treatment, as home remedies cannot treat it.

Excessive Salt Consumption

Ingesting foods with high salt content can trigger fluid retention in the body. It can also increase your chances of suffering from high blood pressure.

Long Hours of Sitting or Standing

Although this is a mild cause of swollen feet and ankles, they can also come with pain and tingles. Long hours of standing or sitting at work or meetings can cause the feet and ankles to swell.

Injury

A foot injury can cause the foot and ankles to swell. When a severe trauma is caused to the feet and ankles, such as a dislocation, you will begin to notice that your feet are becoming larger than they used to, and this swelling in all cases is accompanied by severe pain.

The pain disappears when the dislocated or sprained ankle is treated.

Nutrient Deficiency

When the body is deficient in some nutrients like magnesium, some of the classic symptoms of such deficiencies are swellings in different body parts, especially the feet.

Underlying Health Conditions

Some of the very common health conditions that are responsible for swollen feet include;

• Blood clot
• Diabetes
• Cellulitis
• Gout
• Kidney disease
• Rheumatoid arthritis
• Chronic venous insufficiency
• Bursitis
• Popliteal cyst
• Infection
• Liver disease
• Heart failure
• Lymphedema

Medications

Studies have shown that the side effects of some medications can cause swollen feet. This is why it is important to look out for side effects when taking some drugs. Or you can stop taking them altogether while you report your symptoms to your doctor. Some of the medications that cause swollen ankles and feet include;

• Hormone drugs
• Antidepressant drugs
• Steroids
• Calcium channel blockers for high blood pressure
• NSAIDs
• ACE inhibitors
• Diabetes drugs

Surgeries

Depending on the surgery, studies have shown that the after-effects of some surgeries can cause the feet to swell. Sometimes this swelling lasts up to 6onths before things begin to go back to normal in the feet. You should visit the hospital if the swelling becomes too painful and makes walking difficult.

Infection

Underlying health condition such as diabetes can expose their victims to foot infections.

Lifestyle Factors

Some lifestyle factors and habits can also trigger swollen feet and ankles. For instance, people who are overweight, live sedentary lifestyles, consume excess alcohol, and wear tight-fitting shoes have a high tendency to experience swollen feet and ankles in their lifetime. Studies have shown that excessive alcohol consumption causes the body tissues to retain fluid.

Hot weather

Most people experience swollen feet and ankles during the hot season. This is because when the weather is hot, the body tries to go through processes that cool down the body. While cooling the body down, some of the veins, especially in the feet, get swollen, such that some fluids begin to leak into the tissues in the feet and ankles, thereby causing swollen feet and ankles.

Symptoms of Swollen Feet and Ankles

Swollen Feet and Ankles is already a symptom. However, several other factors present with the swelling of the feet and ankles. Some of these factors include;

• Indentation on the feet skin when footwear is removed
• Shiny as stretched skin on the feet
• Darker skin shade on the affected area
• Dimples on the feet’ skin when it is pressed down

Home Remedies for Swollen Feet and Ankles

Stay Hydrated

Although most cases of swollen feet and ankles are characterized by fluid retention, it does not mean you should stop drinking enough water as a preventive measure. In fact, studies showed that drinking up to 8 to 10 glasses of water per day can help improve swellings in the feet and ankle.

Feet Massage

Massaging the feet morning and night can help reduce the appearance of the swelling. It can also help improve the circulation of blood throughout the feet. While massaging, you can use natural oils such as olive oil, coconut oil, and jojoba oil.

Compression Socks or Bandages

This is an effective remedy for treating swollen feet. This is because it applies pressure to the swelling, causing it to reduce. This remedy is mostly used on feet that are swollen as a result of an injury.

Cold Water Soak

Placing your feet in cold water can also improve swellings, especially in people suffering from excess alcohol consumption. Soak your feet in cold water for up to 20 minutes per day.

Epsom Salt

Epsom salt contains magnesium, and one of the symptoms of magnesium deficiency is swellings in some parts of the body. Since Epsom salt easily gets absorbed into the body, you can add some of it into the cold water you want to soak your feet into. You can also add it to the water you want to bathe with. Soaking your feet in Epsom salt cold water or bathing with it can help improve your swelling significantly.

Elevate Your Legs

Try to elevate your feet whenever you find yourself sitting or lying down. This is best to be done in bed when you are about to sleep. Use pillows to elevate your feet above your heart while you lie on your back.

Conclusion

There are various causes of swollen feet and ankles, and these causes range from mild to severe. In severe cases, especially ones caused by underlying health conditions, medications, and surgeries, they disappear only when the factors causing them are treated to the root. However, for other causes like sitting and standing for long hours, sprains, and hot weather, home remedies can cause them to disappear.