Edema occurs due to fluid retention in the body. The reasons for this may be different: from an unhealthy lifestyle to serious disturbances in the functioning of the body. Therefore, edema can be caused by disorders of the cardiovascular, urinary, lymphatic, endocrine and digestive systems. Kamilya Tabeeva, endocrinologist at the European Medical Center and specialist in preventive and anti-aging medicine, told socialbites.ca.
“Swelling most commonly occurs in cases of venous insufficiency and heart diseases. There may be varicose veins. Any cardiac pathology accompanied by a decrease in myocardial contractility will be accompanied by edema. Towards the evening, heart swelling in the legs increases and may be accompanied by weakness, tachycardia, shortness of breath at rest or with little physical exertion,” said Tabeeva.
He added that in kidney pathologies, they usually appear in the morning and disappear in the evening, but in acute disorders in the organ, they can continue throughout the day. They are also often accompanied by pale skin and dryness.
“In lymphatic system diseases, edema occurs due to impaired lymph flow. It usually occurs on the extremities, swelling increases in the evening and practically disappears in the morning or after rest.
In diseases of the digestive system, for example, liver cirrhosis, water is retained in the body. In addition, the affected organ does not produce sufficient amounts of protein, resulting in a decrease in the oncotic pressure of the blood (responsible for retaining water in the bloodstream) and failure to retain fluid in the bloodstream. In cirrhosis, the feet, legs, thighs and especially the stomach often swell,” explained Tabeeva.
The expert noted that endocrine disorders, especially hypothyroidism, cause intense swelling of the face, which can increase and spread throughout the body. Problems with the thyroid gland are accompanied by characteristic symptoms: drowsiness and severe weakness, memory loss and others.
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