How to deflate your feet

The swollen feet also known by the name of edema of the feet and can result from many causes, among which we can mention:

• Eating disorders such as malnutrition due to lack of nutrients in the body.
• Over weight.
• Temperature changes: heat can trigger edema in the feet due to venous vasodilation that causes the vessels to widen, blood to accumulate and increase fluids, which accumulate and lead to swelling of the feet.
• Retention of fluid product of a chronic disease such as liver cirrhosis , hydronephrosis or other diseases of kidney origin.
• Venous insufficiency that is evidenced by the presence of varicose veins .
• Elderly people with circulatory disorders.
• Presence of infectious processes.
• Surgeries performed on the lower limbs that can cause tissue damage or in cases of pelvic surgeries due to cancer.
• The intake of hormones in women, such as estrogens, during the menstrual cycle or during pregnancy can cause inflammation of the foot. Foot swelling can also be a warning of an alteration that occurs in some women during pregnancy, pre-eclampsia , it is an alteration that puts the life of the mother and the baby at risk and is characterized by hypertension blood pressure and swollen legs and feet.
• Other chronic diseases such as heart failure, liver failure, and kidney failure can cause fluid buildup that leads to swollen feet.
• Alterations in the lymph nodes, especially when there are cancerous diseases.
• Staying in one position for a long time, either sitting or standing.
• Leading a sedentary life without daily physical exercise can lead to edema in the feet.

Finally, another possible cause of swollen feet is the intake of some medications, among them are:

• Medicines for blood pressure: These are known as calcium channel blockers.
• Hormones with estrogen content, such as birth control pills or hormone therapy used during menopause and testosterone.
• Steroids also trigger this alteration.

In addition to foot inflammation, other symptoms associated with foot swelling are:

• Itch
• Stretched and shiny skin.
• When pressure is applied to the skin with the finger, it leaves a mark called the fovea, which is characteristic of the presence of edema.

The treatment of foot swelling will depend on the cause that gave rise to the appearance of the edema in the feet. It should be started by simple measures when the edema is mild, for this, it is necessary to resort to:

• Elevate the feet during the night or several times a day, placing them on pillows at a height of 30 or 40 cm above the head.
• Compression stockings should be used during the day, this will prevent the legs and feet from swelling. Stockings should measure 20 to 30 mm Hg.
• If it is a more complicated edema, which may even present an ulcer, stockings of 30 to 40 mm Hg should be used. It is important to note that these compression stockings should not be used in patients with peripheral arterial disease.
• Exercise daily.
• Reduce your salt intake.
• Eliminate excess weight.

If it is a chronic venous insufficiency, the consumption of diuretics should be avoided, unless there is another pathology that requires it, such as congestive heart failure (CHF).

When it is the product of the ingestion of a drug, it is necessary to suspend or replace the drug, as long as the life of the patient is not put at risk after a medical evaluation.

To deflate the feet, it is also possible to resort to some natural remedies such as those shown below:

• One of the excellent options in the treatment of swollen feet is the consumption of horse chestnut , a natural plant that offers excellent benefits at the level of the blood vessels, improving blood flow and vascularization at a general level.
• The camomile has antiinflammatory effects. With it, an infusion is prepared, then compresses are soaked and placed on the areas of the foot where the edema is found. This helps to lower the inflammation of the foot. The feet can also be soaked in chamomile infusion for half an hour daily.
• Immersing your feet in warm water with salt and some natural plants such as horse chestnut, mallow or mint, helps to reduce inflammation of the feet, as well as prevent the edema from being greater. To do this, it is recommended to rest your feet in this mixture for approximately 20 minutes.
• Drink infusions or fruit and vegetable juices with a diuretic effect , mixed with blueberries, pin, cucumber, tomato, artichoke, eggplant, celery. All have excellent properties to eliminate excess fluid accumulated in the body.
• The consumption of infusions of natural plants such as rosemary, sage, mistletoe, ginkgo biloba, ginger, horsetail, corn beard, cayenne, dandelion, among others. Each of them has an excellent diuretic effect.
• The application of lymphatic drainage helps to stimulate circulation through gentle massages, improving edema, fluid retention and inflammation.

In the following article, you can also see good home remedies for swollen feet in pregnancy .

If you want to apply any of these remedies for swollen feet, you should consult with your doctor, who, after evaluation, will determine the diagnosis and recommend which of them will be the most appropriate for you, taking into account the symptoms you present.

This article is merely informative, at FastlyHeal .com we do not have the power to prescribe medical treatments or make any type of diagnosis. We invite you to see a doctor in the case of presenting any type of condition or discomfort.

If you want to read more articles similar to How to deflate your feet , we recommend that you enter our Bones, Joints and Muscles category .