Understanding and Managing Swollen Feet

Many things can cause swollen feet. In some cases, lifestyle factors, like inactivity or eating a diet high in sodium, can cause foot edema. In other cases, the causes of swollen feet may be more serious. Knowing what symptoms to look for can help you understand when your feet are swollen from something minor or if something more serious is happening in your body. In some cases, managing foot swelling can be accomplished with lifestyle changes; other times, it may be the first sign of a condition that requires more complicated treatment.

1. Heart and kidney diseases

Kidney disease occurs when the kidneys are damaged and cannot filter the blood as they should, which causes waste to accumulate in the body. Most people do not have any symptoms of kidney disease until the damage is advanced. If you have kidney disease, you are more likely to get heart disease. In fact, heart disease is the most common cause of death in people with kidney disease. Heart disease is any problem that prevents your heart from pumping as effectively as it should. The problem can start in either your blood vessels or your heart. In turn, high blood pressure can cause kidney disease as the blood vessels narrow, restricting blood flow and affecting their ability to filter blood.

When the kidneys can no longer remove waste and excess fluid, fluid accumulates in the tissues, leading to swollen ankles and feet. Treatment can involve taking diuretics to help remove the fluid from the body, but if the kidneys are too damaged, dialysis may be necessary.