Severe Edema

Edema, also known as oedema, is a condition, characterized by abnormal accumulation of fluids in the cells, tissues and other openings of the body. Edema is known to occur in a particular part of the body, such as, the legs, hands, brain and heart. In some cases, it can occur in more than one body part. The initial symptom of edema is weight gain. However, when edema becomes severe, i.e. there is more than fifteen percent of extra fluids in the body, swelling in the affected body part/parts is also seen. Here are some of the causes of severe edema, followed by its treatments.

Severe Edema Causes

Imbalance of Water in the Body
Sixty percent of our body weight is due to water. In our bodies, there is a constant exchange of water between the blood and the tissues, through the capillaries. In a normal person, there is a perfect balance of water in the blood and the tissues, at any given time. Kidneys too, help in maintaining this water balance. However, if there is any problem in the capillaries or kidneys of a person, this entire water balancing process can get disturbed, resulting in water retention and edema.

Lack of Nutrition
Another cause behind severe edema is an insufficient diet. Lack of protein is especially known to cause accumulation of fluids in the body.

Medications
Certain chemotherapy drugs, such as, steroids, bexarotene, liposomal cytarabine and aldesleukin, can cause salt and fluid build up in the body. Non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, such as ibuprofen, indomethacin and naproxen, can also cause edema in an occasional person.

Diseases
Certain diseases such as cancer, cirrhosis of the liver, nephrotic syndrome and even heart failure can cause severe edema in a person.

Severe Edema Treatments

As severe edema is caused mostly by very serious diseases and conditions, treating it immediately might not be possible. However, along with the treatment of the disease which has caused severe edema, below given measures can be undertaken.

In order to get rid of the excess water and salt in the body, medicines such as diuretics should be taken. Clinical loop diuretics, such as, butethamine and torsemide, are often the first ones to be given to a patient to treat severe edema. If they prove to be ineffective, they are combined with thiazide type diuretics, such as hydrochlorothiazide or metolazone and given to the patient. All these diuretics can cause a potassium deficiency in the person, that is why supplementing the patient's diet with potassium rich foods such as bananas, tomatoes and potatoes, is also very important and recommended by the doctors. Alternately, potassium-sparing diuretics, such as triamterene, which only removes the extra fluids in the body, and does not disturb the potassium levels, can be given to the patient too.

Another measure for getting rid of severe edema is decreasing the salt intake, by eating food which is very low in salt content. Protecting the body parts affected by edema from injuries, pressure and extreme climates, can help the person suffering from severe edema too. In addition to this, sleeping with raised legs, wearing compression stockings, resting for long hours and eating healthy will make the person feel better.

As you can see, severe edema is a very serious condition which requires immediate medical intervention. A person who experiences chest tightness, trouble while breathing, gains about five pounds in one day, does not urinate normally, should contact a doctor immediately as all these signal the onset of edema.