Foot Health: Causes of Swollen Feet and Ankles Why Are My Feet Swollen? Causes of Swollen Feet ( courtecy;- medicine .com )
Foot Health: Causes of Swollen Feet and Ankles
Why Are My Feet Swollen? Causes of Swollen Feet
Swollen feet may be painful, uncomfortable, and can make it hard to walk. Swollen feet happen for a variety of reasons. Several medical conditions may cause the symptom. Luckily, once you know the underlying cause of swollen feet, you can take steps to feel better. Read on to learn more about the most common conditions that cause feet to swell up.
What Is Edema?
Edema is a condition in which the body retains too much water. This can make parts of the body, including the arms, legs, hands, face, and feet, swell. What is the cause of edema? It may be caused by a variety of medical conditions. Standing for long periods of time may provoke edema. Taking a long plane trip can trigger fluid retention. Some women notice edema during their monthly period. Edema may be caused by more serious underlying conditions including liver disease, kidney disease, heart failure, deep vein thrombosis (DVT), low protein levels in the blood, and other conditions.
Sprains, Strains, and Broken Bones
A swollen foot may be a sign of an injury to the foot or lower leg. Broken toes, ankle sprains, ankle strains, and broken bones are just a few injuries that may result in swelling. Swelling is a normal response to injury. Inflammation facilitates healing. If you are injured so badly that it causes a lot of pain, you cannot put weight on your foot, or the area looks very abnormal, seek immediate medical attention.
Swollen Feet During Pregnancy
Many women experience swollen legs and feet during pregnancy. Standing for long periods of time and being physically active may contribute to swelling. Consuming too much salt and too little potassium may play a role as well. Some pregnant women notice that heat aggravates swelling. Usually, some swelling during pregnancy is expected and is not a cause for concern. However, severe swelling or sudden swelling may be a sign of a dangerous condition called preeclampsia. Alert your doctor immediately if severe or sudden swelling develop during pregnancy.
What Is Preeclampsia?
Some women who have swollen feet during pregnancy may have preeclampsia, a potentially dangerous condition that causes high blood pressure. Untreated preeclampsia can damage the kidneys and liver, and it can even be deadly. Other symptoms of preeclampsia include nausea, headache, difficulty breathing, abdominal pain, blurred vision, abdominal pain, and water retention. Preeclampsia develops after 20 weeks of pregnancy. If you experience these symptoms, report them to your doctor immediately.
What Is Lymphedema?
Lymphedema is a condition that results in fluid build-up when the lymph system of the body is blocked or damaged. Cancer and cancer treatment are two potential causes of lymphedema. When lymph fluid is trapped, your legs, feet, and arms may swell. Certain exercises can help move lymph throughout the body. Lymphatic massage is another treatment for lymphedema. A pneumatic compression device is a machine that pumps air into a sleeve placed over an arm or a leg. The pressure exerted on the limb facilitates the movement of lymph and helps relieve swelling.
What Is Chronic Venous Insufficiency?
Blood travels back to the heart with the help of one-way valves in veins that assist the forward movement of blood. These valves may become damaged with aging or when people sit or stand for long periods of time. Damaged valves may cause chronic venous insufficiency, a condition in which blood pools in the lower legs, causing swelling in the legs and feet. Deep vein thrombosis (DVT) is another common cause of chronic venous insufficiency. Tumors and vascular malformations are other less common causes of chronic venous insufficiency.
Heart Failure and Swelling
Heart failure is a condition in which the heart does not pump blood efficiently. This results in impaired blood flow, and blood may pool in the legs and feet. Heart failure makes it uncomfortable to lie down flat. It also causes the heart to beat more rapidly or even in an abnormal rhythm. People with heart failure may feel like they cannot catch their breath. Heart failure is a serious condition. See your doctor right away if you develop concerning heart symptoms.
Swelling and Kidney Disease
Your kidneys are bean-shaped organs that filter your blood and help regulate blood pressure. Diabetes and high blood pressure may affect kidney function, resulting in electrolyte imbalances in your blood that can lead to fluid retention. Gravity draws excess water in your body downward, so your lower legs and feet may become swollen.
What about Liver Disease?
Like the kidneys, the liver performs a critical function for the body by filtering waste products from the blood. Inflammation of the liver (hepatitis) or damage to the liver from drinking alcohol may cause scarring (cirrhosis). This can impair the liver’s ability to function. When the liver is not able to do its job, fluid may accumulate in the abdomen, legs, and feet. Areas that have excess fluid may appear swollen.
Are There Home Remedies for Swollen Feet?
There are many potential underlying causes for swollen feet. Luckily, there are also a lot of things you can do to get some relief. RICE is an acronym that stands for rest, ice, compression, and elevation. These strategies are especially useful if your foot is swollen due to an injury like a sprain or broken bone, but it may provide some relief for feet that are swollen due to other reasons. Ice constricts blood vessels and limits blood flow to the area. Ice also helps alleviate pain. Elevating your feet encourages the flow of fluids away from the area. Compression stockings or a snug bandage discourage fluid from pooling in the feet. Resting and staying off your feet may help, too.
What to Do for Swollen Feet?
Moving around and exercising is one of the best things you can do to relieve swollen feet. Movement facilitates the flow of blood and lymph so it is less likely to pool in the legs. Exercise can help reduce swelling and increase strength after an injury to a foot or lower leg. Pumping your feet and rolling your ankles are good exercises to do to prevent deep vein thrombosis, a dangerous condition that causes swollen feet and legs. The exercises are good to do when you’re on a long car trip or plane ride and can’t get up and move around easily.
Swollen Feet Treatment: Medication
Swollen feet have a variety of potential underlying causes. Sometimes, medication can help relieve swollen feet. Conditions like high blood pressure and diabetes may be associated with water retention. In these cases, the doctor may prescribe a diuretic medication to help your body get rid of fluid that may be making your condition worse. Restricting your intake of sodium may help in these cases as well.
When to Seek Immediate Medical Attention
Swelling in your feet can sometimes be a symptom of something that is a medical emergency like a deep vein thrombosis or a blood clot in the lungs (pulmonary embolism). How do you know when it’s time to get immediate medical attention? Seek emergent medical help if:
- you cannot catch your breath and/or you have chest pain;
- you have swelling and pain that is severe and is not getting better;
- you have swelling that is so bad that the skin is severely stretched out or even breaks; or
- you depress the skin on your swollen foot and it leaves a dimple.
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Burning or Swollen Feet? What Foot Pain Says About Your Health
Cold Feet, Many Culprits
Are your feet and toes often cold? Poor blood circulation, known as peripheral arterial disease (PAD), may be the reason. PAD is often the result of an underlying disease, such as high blood pressure, heart disease, diabetes, hypothyroidism, hyper-cholesterol, and anemia. Smoking is also strongly linked to PAD. Peripheral neuropathy may also make your feet feel cold. Common in fair-skinned females, Raynaud's disease makes hands and feet appear blotchy and bluish in cold weather. This may be associated with rheumatoid arthritis, 'Sjögren's disease, or lupus, and is known as Raynaud's phenomenon. Your doctor can check and see if you may have one of these underlying conditions or if you just have cold feet.
Foot Pain
It may not just be your shoes causing your feet to hurt. Although four out of five women complain of foot pain from their shoes, there may be an underlying condition causing the problem. High heels or poorly fitting shoes can exacerbate common foot conditions such as bunions, neuromas, hammertoes, and ingrown toenails. Postmenopausal women can suffer from osteoporosis, which puts them at a higher risk for a stress fracture, a small crack in the bone.
Red, White, and Blue Toes
If your toes turn white, then blue, and red again with a blotchy appearance, you may have Raynaud's disease. Exposing your feet to cold temperatures or emotional stress triggers vasospasms that cause a sudden narrowing of the small arteries to the skin of the feet and toes, resulting in Raynaud's disease. Chronic smokers may also have an appearance of blotchiness and changing color of their feet due to peripheral arterial disease (PAD).
Heel Pain
Plantar fasciitis is the most common cause of heel pain. The plantar fascia is a large, broad ligament at the bottom of the foot that attaches to the heel and can become inflamed. This causes a sharp pain in the heel, which may be most pronounced when taking your first steps in the morning or after sitting. Other causes of heel pain are retrocalcaneal Achilles tendocalcinosis (bone spurring), bone prominence (pump bump), stress fractures, bone tumors, infections, bursitis, neuritis, and arthritis. An examination by your physician, as well as X-rays, can rule out many of these conditions.
Dragging Your Feet
A change in the way you walk may be the first sign of an underlying medical condition. It may manifest itself as a slower or wider gait, imbalance, foot dragging, and tripping. One common cause is peripheral neuropathy, which is a slow loss of sensation that causes numbness and sometimes a burning sensation of the feet. Peripheral neuropathy is most commonly seen in diabetics but may also be a consequence of alcoholism, infection, vitamin deficiency, lower back nerve impingement, or exposure to heavy metals.
Clubbed Toes
Clubbing of the toes refers to the structural shape of the toes. Clubbing may also occur in the fingers. The nails are curved and rounded at the top, somewhat like an upside-down spoon. There may be a bulbous appearance of the tip of the toes. The most common underlying cause is lung disease or lung cancer. Other causes are heart defects present at birth, cystic fibrosis, celiac disease, liver disease, thyroid disease, and Hodgkin's lymphoma. In some cases, clubbing of the toes and/or fingers may just be a family trait where no underlying disease exists.
Swollen Feet
Swelling of the feet may be temporary from prolonged standing or sitting in one position. This is particularly common during pregnancy and is usually benign. In contrast, persistent swelling of the feet and legs maybe an indication of a serious underlying medical condition, including cardiovascular problems such as congestive heart failure, poor blood circulation, or venous insufficiency. It may also be a problem with one's lymphatic system (lymphedema). Other causes of swelling are infections (cellulitis), kidney or thyroid disorders, and even a blood clot in the leg. Consult your doctor if you have persistent swelling of the feet.
Burning Feet
The most common cause of a burning foot sensation is peripheral neuropathy, of which the most common cause is diabetes. Other neuropathies that cause peripheral nerve damage can be from vitamin B deficiency, alcoholism, or exposure to some industrial chemicals. Burning feet may also be a symptom of chronic kidney disease, poor circulation, athlete's foot, contact dermatitis (allergic reaction), or thyroid disease.
Sores That Don't Heal
Sores on the feet that don't heal are a major concern. The three main causes are infection, repetitive abnormal pressure (from bone deformity or ill-fitting shoes), and poor circulation (PAD). Diabetics are particularly vulnerable to nonhealing wounds of the feet because of their diminished sensation, circulation, and healing capabilities. Diabetics should check their feet daily for any areas of pressure or signs of a developing wound. In some cases, nonhealing wounds are due to a foreign body or even a type of skin cancer (malignant melanoma). Nonhealing wounds of the feet should be evaluated and treated promptly by a doctor.
Pain in the Big Toe
The sudden onset of redness, pain, and swelling of the big toe joint is a classic example of gout. However, other conditions may also present in this way. They include hallux rigidus (osteoarthritis of the big toe joint), hallux abducto-valgus (bunion deformity) sesamoiditis (an inflammation of the small bones associated with the big toe joint), fracture, infection of the joint, or even an ingrown toenail. Turf toe, commonly seen in athletes where there is a demand for rapid push-off on the ball of the foot, may also appear with pain and swelling at the big toe joint caused by a straining and tearing of the soft tissues and ligaments.
Pain in the Smaller Toes
A pain in the ball of the foot that is sharp, burning, numbing, and/or tingling with radiation into the toes may be from a neuroma. Neuromas develop from irritation and inflammation around the nerve, causing the surrounding tissue to thicken and scar. It most commonly occurs between the third and fourth toes of the foot, called a Morton's neuroma. Symptoms can be intermittent and range from subtle numbness to extreme pain. Narrow shoes may be a causative factor and aggravate the condition. It is eight to 10 times more common in women than men.
Itchy Feet
The most common cause of itchy feet is athlete's foot. This is a fungal infection called tinea pedis. It may appear as a scaling red rash at the bottom of the feet and/or painful cracks in the skin between the toes. Contact dermatitis is another common cause of itchy feet. It is caused by a reaction from chemicals, soaps, creams, or even the materials of socks and shoes. Another potential cause for itchy feet is psoriasis, which may be due to an overreactive immune system. In most cases, obtaining the proper diagnosis and applying the appropriate topical creams can be effective in relieving the itch.
Claw Toe
A claw toe deformity is a curling of the lesser toe joints. It is very similar to a hammertoe deformity but involves all three joints of the toe rather than two. It is caused from muscle and tendon imbalances of the foot and ankle. These imbalances can be from a number of conditions, particularly neuropathies such as diabetic neuropathy, alcoholic neuropathy, or another underlying neurologic disorder. Treatments for this condition include stretching exercises of the toes, functional custom orthotics, extra depth wide toe box shoes, and palliation. In some cases, surgical correction is recommended.
Foot Spasms
That sudden, sharp pain in the foot causing your toes to contract or spread may just be a foot spasm. Foot spasms can be caused from a variety of conditions, most commonly from overuse and fatigue of the foot muscles as well as dehydration. Other causes may be imbalances of electrolytes in your system or deficiencies of magnesium, calcium, potassium, or vitamin D. Conditions that can affect hormone levels, such as pregnancy and thyroid disease, also may be the cause of foot spasms. Keeping hydrated and wearing proper shoes, particularly for athletic activities, can be helpful. Strengthening of the foot's intrinsic musculature by walking barefoot on natural surfaces, such as sand or grass, can also be helpful.
Dark Spot on the Foot
Although we commonly associate skin cancer with areas that are more exposed to the sun, they can occur on the feet. Melanomas, the most dangerous skin cancer, can be found on any area of the foot, even between the toes and under the toenails. Dark spots under the toenails are often subungual hematomas (blood accumulated under the nail), however, a melanoma can appear very similar.
Yellow Toenails
Onychomycosis is a fungal infection of the nails that causes discoloration and thickening of the toenails may cause yellow toenails. Other causes of yellow toenails can be diseases such as lymphedema, arthritic conditions, lung disease, or even repetitive trauma to the nails from tight shoe gear and stop-start athletic activities.
Spoon-shaped Toenails
Koilonychia can have many causes. One of the more common is iron-deficiency anemia. Exposure to industrial solvents and chemicals may also cause the toenails to grow upward in a spoon shape. Certain systemic diseases, such as systemic lupus erythematosus, hypothyroidism, and Raynaud's disease, may also be the culprits.
White Nails
Many conditions can cause white nails. One of the more common is psoriasis, which can affect the appearance and texture of the nails. Yeast and fungal infections may also cause the nails to appear white. Trauma to the nail from an injury or ill-fitting shoes can sometimes lead to an accumulation of fluid that lifts the nail and gives it a more white appearance. In some cases, white nails may be indicative of a more serious underlying condition, such as liver disease, diabetes, or congestive heart failure. Consult your doctor if your nails appear abnormally white.
Pitting of the Nails
Nail pitting is most commonly seen in people who suffer from psoriasis. Approximately 50% of people who suffer from psoriasis will have pitting of the nails. Trauma to the nail growth plate or nail bed can also cause a pitted appearance with ridges. Sarcoidosis and bacterial and/or fungal infections may also cause pitting of the toenails.
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