Swollen feet make it hard for one to move around, whether it happens on just one or both of your feet. And it can hurt too. There are a lot of reasons why it happens, some of which are associated with health conditions like:
Edema: this is when your body holds on too much water leading to puffiness of your feet as well as your hands and face. This might occur after a long airplane flight or standing for hours at a time. For some women, it is a usual occurrence in their monthly cycle. It usually goes away on its own, but sometimes-certain underlying health conditions like low protein levels, heart failure, kidney or liver disease makes it linger.
Pregnancy: the woman’s body holds more water during pregnancy and so for some of them, swollen feet is a natural occurrence. It can be worse at the end of the day or after standing for a long time. It is not usually a sign of a problem for mother or baby, but it can be discomforting.
Preeclampsia: while it may be normal for some expectant mothers to have swollen feet, if the swelling comes along with a headache, nausea, trouble breathing, or tummy ache, it could be a sign of preeclampsia. It starts around 20 weeks into a pregnancy and is linked to high blood pressure. It can damage your liver or kidneys and can be serious if it’s not treated.
Kidney disease: when your kidneys are not working properly because of certain conditions like diabetes or high blood pressure, too much salt (sodium) can be left in your blood. That makes your body hold on to more water than it should. Gravity pulls the water down and your feet resulting in swollen feet and ankles.
Liver disease: just like kidney disease, certain problems like hepatitis (inflammation of the liver), alcoholism, and drug abuse can compromise the health of your liver. And so the liver has to fix itself over and over. That can cause scar tissue to replace healthy tissue. If that happens, too much fluid can pool in your tummy, legs, and feet, making them swell.
Lymphedema: this is when one of your lymph nodes (small glands that are part of your immune system) – is damaged or removed, as often happens during cancer treatment. As a result, your body gets rid of less fluid, and that can lead to swelling in your legs and feet.
Chronic venous insufficiency: to get back to your heart from your legs and feet, your blood travels in veins with “one way valves” to keep from flowing back down. These valves can get damaged as you get older or if you stand or sit for long periods of time. If your blood doesn’t return to your heart, the way it should, it can collect in your feet and leg, causing swelling.
Heart failure: this is when your heart doesn’t pump blood like it should. If your blood isn’t flowing well in the right direction, it can back up in your legs and feet and cause swelling. With heart failure, it can be very discomforting to lie down flat, your heart may beat faster or in an unusual rhythm, and you might have a hard time catching your breath.
Injury: a swollen foot can be a sign of a broken bone or sprain after a fall. When the tough, flexible tissue that connects the bones around your ankle tears, your foot and ankle will likely swell as blood rushes to the area to help heal it. This may hurt a lot and you may not be able to put weight on it.
If your swollen feet are as a result of one or more of the above health conditions, seek advice. Swollen feet that are accompanied by shortness of breath or chest pain require immediate attention. These could be signs of fluid or blood clot in your lungs.
See your physician if:
Your swollen foot keeps a dimple after you press it.
However, if there isn’t a more serious condition which needs to be addressed. You may try out these natural remedies to ease your swelling:
Corn silk: the stigmas (fine soft, yellowish threads) from the female flowers of maize make a powerful diuretic (helps your body get rid of fluid by making you urinate more often) tea, very simple to use. Just steep 1 tablespoon of dried “threads” in a cup of just boiled water for 10 minutes, take 3X a day but not before bedtime or you will be getting up throughout the night.
Dandelion: provides excellent relief for water retention. Just like corn silk, its natural diuretic action flushes excess water from the body, relieving swollen feet caused by fluid retention. You may consume dandelion as a tea, powder, or in capsule form.
Nettle: can also remove excess water from the body. This herb contains several beneficial vitamins and minerals that reduce swelling as well as prevent it. For best results, you can brew nettle and dandelion together.
Ginger: is an anti-inflammatory and is also able to remove excess salt from the body, which is particularly beneficial if you eat a high-salt diet. Take the juice alone or add to an herb tea of your choice. For instance, you may mix ginger with dandelion tea for maximum benefits.
Potassium: is an essential nutrient used to maintain fluid and electrolyte balance in the body. To ease your swelling, add foods high in this mineral to your diet. Potassium rich foods include spinach, potato, avocado, dark green vegetables, bananas, cabbage, tomatoes, kidney/white beans, and coconut water.
Magnesium: adding about 300 mg of magnesium to your regime may be able to help your body get rid of fluid more easily. Talk to your physician before taking a supplement – it can cause problems if you have a kidney or heart condition, or if swelling is from the inside out. However, foods high in this mineral include oats, bananas, almonds, pumpkin seeds, sesame (“beni”) seed, millet, and beetroot e.t.c.
Source: the sun
