Edema is the accumulation of fluid in the tissues that causes the hands, ankles, eyelids and other parts of the body to swell. Edema is caused by the use of certain medications, pregnancy, salt retention, allergies or other serious illnesses. Changing your lifestyle and diet and taking diuretic medications are usually effective enough to treat or relieve edema. Read this article in full to find out how to reduce swelling.
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Method 1 of 2: Changing Your Lifestyle
Step 1. Get moving
If you sit for too long, the edema tends to get worse, because fluid remains in your body's tissues. Doing light exercise will increase blood flow and pump fluid back into your heart, helping to reduce swelling.
- Take a short walk several times a day to get your blood flowing. walking for 15 to 30 minutes several times a day or walking briskly if you can, will help reduce swelling.
- Between walks, raise your arms and legs (without weights) as you sit or lie down.
Step 2. Raise your hand or foot
Use a chair or pillow to support the swollen part of your body. The swollen body part should be raised slightly above your heart. Lift a part of your body for 30 minutes 3 or 4 times a day.
For severe edema, you may need to elevate the swollen body part while you sleep (supporting the foot of your bed with bricks or thick wood so that your leg is elevated may help reduce swelling in that area)
Step 3. Massage the swollen part
Gently massage in the natural direction of blood flow, that is, towards the heart. If you have severe edema, a professional masseuse or physiotherapist should be able to perform a treatment called "manual lymphatic drainage" for you.
Step 4. Reduce your salt intake
Eating a lot of salt will make your body retain water, so the edema will get worse. Limit your intake of foods that contain salt, such as packaged foods, fried foods and fast food. Talk to your doctor to find out how much sodium you can specifically eat each day.
- Preparing most of your own meals will go a long way in keeping an eye on the amount of salt you consume.
- Most recipes will still taste delicious even if you reduce the salt amount by half, or even more. Try to make dishes that still taste delicious with a little salt.
Step 5. Healthy diet
A diet rich in fruits, vegetables, and other healthy foods can help reduce inflammation. Fish, seafood, vegetables, nuts, sunflowers, chickpeas, potatoes, almonds and whole grains contain many beneficial nutrients. Use oils and foods that contain omega 3 fatty acids and unsaturated fatty acids.
- Eating foods high in B vitamins can help relieve edema. Eat green leafy vegetables, whole grains and sea vegetables.
- Eat foods that have natural diuretic properties, such as pumpkin, asparagus, and beets.
Step 6. Try medicinal herbs
Scientific research has found that herbs or herbal extracts containing flavonoids can relieve swelling. So try these herbal products:
- Bilberry Extract. Use this extract with caution if you are taking blood-thinning medications.
- Dandelion leaves.
- Grape seed extract.
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The following diuretic herbs can be made into tea by putting them in a cup of boiling water.
- horsetail,
- Parsley,
- Yarrow,
- Nettle,
- watercress,
- Birch leaves.
Step 7. Take care of your skin
The skin is the part of the body that is affected by edema and must receive special care, because it is usually very sensitive skin. Proper cleansing, moisturizing and rinsing are necessary treatments to avoid more serious skin problems.
Method 2 of 2: Seeking Medical Treatment
Step 1. Apply a compress bandage
This tool will apply pressure to the part of your body so that the fluid does not continue to collect there. You can find this compress bandage at most medical supply stores or talk to your doctor so that the cost of purchasing it can be covered by your insurance.
Step 2. Use an inflated pump
You can use a device that expands and deflates to reduce swelling. You can adjust the pressure in this tool to avoid pain. Talk to your doctor about these options.
Gradient pump therapy is another option for swelling relief, in which an electric pump is connected to a material that expands and deflates to be used repeatedly to compress the swollen body part to promote blood circulation
Step 3. Talk to your doctor about medication options you can use
If your edema doesn't go away on its own after you change your lifestyle, your doctor may prescribe a diuretic to help flush fluids out of your body. Furosemide is the most widely prescribed drug to treat edema.
Step 4. Treat the disease causing the edema
Edema can be caused by pregnancy or certain medications, but there are also many diseases and medical conditions that can cause edema. If you have edema without knowing the cause, then you need to seek medical attention to find out the cause. The following serious illnesses are some of the causes of edema:
- Infection or injury to blood vessels
- Kidney, heart or liver disease
- Brain injury
- Allergy
Warning
- In serious edema, your treatment should be discussed in advance with a health professional.
- The treatments in this article can be done at home. Complex treatments should be carried out as directed by a professional healthcare practitioner.
- Edema is a symptom of both dangerous and harmless diseases, and is also the result of an unhealthy lifestyle. Edema with no apparent cause should be examined by a healthcare professional.
