What is Edema

Medilexicon's medical dictionary defines edema as accumulation of excessive amount of watery fluid in cells or inter cellular tissues. In simple terms, edema is a swelling that is caused due to retention of excess fluid in our body tissues. It commonly occurs in the feet, legs, hands, arms and ankles. Apart from these, edema is also known to occur in the lungs, abdomen or the peritoneal cavity of the chest. Edema in the lung is called pulmonary edema and is generally caused by heart failures. Edema, often is a symptomatic manifestation of other underlying diseases of the liver, heart, and kidney. A patient suffering from these diseases have a problem in processing and eliminating excessive salt. The circulation of blood is blocked or reduced in people with heart disease. This affects the kidney's function to eliminate excess fluid, thereby, retaining the salt water.

Causes

1. During walking, running or exercising, the muscles contract and compress to promote blood flow. If these muscles are not used for long, blood gets collected making it difficult for the fluid to flow freely from the tissues to the vessels.
2. Our body requires a certain concentration of salt in its tissues. If the intake of salt is high, retention of excess salt manifests as edema.
3. Certain medication such as steroids, hormone replacement drugs, anti-inflammatory drugs and some blood pressure medication causes edema.
4. Heart diseases block or reduce the blood flow in the circulatory system. The excess fluid pressure within the blood vessels can cause the fluid to shift into the interstitial spaces.
5. In an attempt to maintain a balanced concentration of protein, in malnourished people, the fluid may shift out of the blood vessels and cause edema in the tissues.
6. Thyroid and other liver diseases may change the fluid concentration of protein in blood.
7. Malfunction of the kidney retains fluid leading to edema.

Types

There are two types of edema; pitting and non-pitting. If the swollen area shows indentation in response to any kind of pressure that persists for a long time, then the edema is pitting. If no indentation occurs when pressure is applied, then it is non-pitting. Disorders of the lymphatic system cause non-pitting edema.

Symptoms

• Swelling of the skin
• Depending on the type of edema, the skin may retain a dimple after pressing the affected area
• Stiff joints
• High blood pressure
• Skin may appear shiny
• Increased pulse rate
• Weight loss or weight gain
• Abdominal bloating
• Water retention in body
• Puffiness
• Night sweats

Diagnosis

The doctor diagnoses the underlying cause before prescribing any medication. After knowing the history of the patient, the doctor carries out physical examination that may include, chest X-ray, blood test, urine test, liver function test and heart function test.

Treatment

Once the doctor understands the cause, medication is then prescribed. To keep the swelling down and to expel the excess fluid, a diuretic or a water pill is prescribed. This drug raises the rate of urination and thus, increases the excretion of water from the body. A diuretic treats only the symptoms and not the cause of edema.

Self-care techniques help in reducing the problem of fluid retention by controlling the severity of edema. Regular exercise and low sodium diet have known to bring down edema. The things you need to avoid are extreme temperatures, excess consumption of fluids, smoking and alcohol.