Content

• Steps
• Part 1 of 4: Identifying peripheral edema
• Part 2 of 4: Changing your diet and lifestyle
• Part 3 of 4: Alternative Natural Methods
• Part 4 of 4: Removing Internal Edema
• Tips
• Warnings

With edema, excess fluid accumulates in the tissues of the body. Most often, swelling occurs on the ankles, feet, legs, arms and hands. In some cases, the swelling may be due to temporary changes in the body, such as pregnancy or injury. In addition, swelling can be associated with heart, kidney, or liver disease, or a side effect of medications. A distinction is made between peripheral edema, such as edema of the ankles, feet, legs, hands, or palms, and internal edema, that is, edema of internal organs such as the lungs.

Attention:the information in this article is for informational purposes only. Before using any methods, consult your doctor.

Steps

Part 1 of 4: Identifying peripheral edema

1. 1 Pay attention to general symptoms. Peripheral edema is characterized by swelling of the ankles, feet, hands, or palms. Swelling can make your skin look tight and shiny.
   • If you press your finger on the swollen area and then remove your finger, a dimple will remain in this area for a while. This swelling is often seen after prolonged sitting.
2. 2 Evaluate risk factors for peripheral edema. Mild to moderate peripheral edema can occur for a variety of reasons, including the following:
   • prolonged sitting position without warm-up and exercise;
   • excessive consumption of salty foods;
   • hormonal changes (including premenstrual bloating and changes in estrogen levels);
   • pregnancy;
   • postoperative damage to the lymphatic system and lymph nodes (often occurs after removal of the breast due to cancer);
   • Taking certain medications, including steroids, blood pressure lowering drugs, diabetes medications, and non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs).
3. 3 Learn about the health problems that cause swelling. In addition to the risk factors listed above, edema can be associated with a wide variety of systemic diseases. See your doctor to check if the swelling is caused by the following:
   • congestive heart failure;
   • liver disease;
   • kidney disease or nephrotic syndrome - a kidney-related disease in which there is a low level of albumin (an important protein) in the blood;
   • chronic venous insufficiency, such as varicose veins, in which the veins are unable to efficiently pass blood;
   • lymphatic insufficiency or damage to the lymphatic system (for example, from chemotherapy, surgery, or injury).

Part 2 of 4: Changing your diet and lifestyle

1. 1 Reduce your salt intake. Excess salt in your body attracts water to your tissues, so try to eat less salt to reduce swelling. It may be worth consulting with a dietitian about a low-salt diet. There are also some simple ways to reduce your salt intake.
   • Do not add salt to food. It may take a while to get used to the less salty food, but then you can enjoy the flavor of the food more fully. Also try adding herbs and spices instead of salt, such as dill, curry powder, pepper, cumin, or thyme.
   • Limit your intake of processed foods. This includes packaged, frozen and canned foods (including soups) sold in stores.
   • Eat self-prepared, natural foods. When you prepare your own food, you can be sure it contains no added salt. A good way is to buy groceries at the edges of the supermarket floor rather than in the central sections. As a rule, all the necessary fresh food is available at the periphery of the hall, including meat and seafood, dairy products, vegetables and fruits (including beans and other legumes, whole grains, nuts).
   • Visit the organic food section. More useful analogs of conventional products are often found in this department. Examine processed food labels to check how much salt they contain.
2. 2 Balance your diet. The best way to get enough nutrients is to eat a wide variety of fruits and vegetables. They are low in salt and rich in a variety of beneficial nutrients.
   • Eat a variety of fruits and vegetables, including asparagus, parsley, beets, grapes, green beans, green leafy vegetables, pumpkin, pineapples, onions, green onions, and garlic.
   • Brightly colored vegetables often have the greatest nutritional value.
   • For edema, it is helpful to include antioxidant-rich foods in your diet, such as blueberries, raspberries, cherries and other berries, tomatoes, pumpkin, and bell peppers.
3. 3 Limit your meat intake. Meat should be consumed in moderation. Some meats (such as cold meats, cold cuts, and red meats) are high in sodium. In addition, consuming excess fat can negatively affect the functioning of the liver, gallbladder and digestive organs, which can increase edema.
4. 4 Drink plenty of water. It may seem strange that you need to drink more water if excess fluid has accumulated in your body. However, this is the best way to cleanse the body. Drink 6-8 glasses (1.5-2 liters) of water daily.
   • If your doctor has prescribed diuretics (diuretics) for you, be sure to talk to him about how much water you should drink each day.
5. 5 Avoid alcohol, caffeine, and tobacco. These foods can increase peripheral edema and negatively affect overall health. Alcohol and caffeine dehydrate your body, and if you do, drink plenty of water to replenish your fluid loss.
6. 6 Get enough time for appropriate exercise. It is common knowledge that swelling can occur due to a sedentary lifestyle and lack of exercise. However, many do not know that swelling can also be caused by too intense physical activity. Talk to your doctor about the appropriate amount (and type) of exercise.
   • If you are not used to intense physical activity, increase it gradually. Be careful if you are recovering from surgery or illness and gradually increase your activity under the supervision of a doctor or physical therapist.
7. 7 Don't sit for long periods. The most common cause of edema is a sedentary lifestyle and lack of movement. If you just walk, you will stretch your leg muscles, and they, in turn, "massage" and stimulate the veins, and they will begin to push blood better back to the heart and lungs. With prolonged sitting, blood stagnates in the limbs.
8. 8 Raise your legs when sitting or resting for extended periods. If you have to sit for long periods of time, try elevating your legs so that blood does not accumulate in them. Place your feet on a table, stool, or ottoman. For convenience, you can even place pillows under your feet.
9. 9 Walk about once an hour. If you have to sit for long periods of time, get up and walk for five minutes every hour to relieve swelling. Walk around the room, leave to get water, or walk down the street around the building. This will help lift your mood, get some rest, and reduce swelling.
   • For many, the swelling worsens in the evening. If you are relaxing on the couch after a hard day at work, try to get up and walk around 1-2 times an hour anyway.
10. 10 Raise your hands. If your palms and wrists are mostly swollen, try raising your arms high above your head every 30 to 60 minutes. As a result, the fluid accumulated in the limbs will flow downward under the influence of gravity.
    • It may be worth shaking or shaking slightly with your arms raised above your head.
11. 11 Wear compression stockings. Compression (or supportive) stockings made of elastic fabric fit tightly around the calves and ankles and thus prevent fluid accumulation. These stockings can be purchased at a drug store or medical supply store.
    • Compression stockings are difficult to put on as they are so tight. The best way is to roll up the stocking all the way to your foot. After that, pass your foot into the stocking and roll it along the ankle and calf.
    • Many doctors and physical therapists recommend wearing compression garments when exercising. Check with your doctor about this.
    • Some compression garments need to be tailored specifically to your body. For example, some women wear special compression sleeves after breast surgery.
    • Sometimes you need a compression garment with a pump that will periodically pump it up.

Part 3 of 4: Alternative Natural Methods

1. 1 Consult your doctor. Natural remedies are generally safe, but you should consult your doctor before taking them.
2. 2 Drink diuretic tea. Diuretic teas increase the flow of urine and thereby help remove excess fluid from the body. When doing this, be careful, as herbal remedies can cause allergies, and consult your doctor or pharmacist about interactions of these teas with medications you are taking. Drink 3-4 glasses of tea every day and add honey, lemon, or stevia to taste.
   • Dandelion leaf tea: Use dandelion leaves, not dandelion roots, which are also beneficial, but do not help to get rid of the swelling.
   • Cardamom tea: To brew tea, pour 1 teaspoon of seeds or dried cardamom leaves with 1 cup (240 ml) hot water.
   • Chamomile tea: This tea helps to relax and sleep.
   • Chicory tea: it is a good substitute for coffee.
   • Fennel tea: To brew tea, pour 1 teaspoon of fennel seeds or leaves with a glass (240 ml) of water. Among other things, fennel aids digestion and freshens breath.
   • Parsley tea: This tea is diuretic and aids in digestion.
   • Stinging nettle tea: This tea is diuretic and contains vitamins and minerals.
3. 3 Take antioxidants. Antioxidants indirectly help with swelling as they strengthen the veins. In addition to foods containing antioxidants, supplements such as grape seed extract (360 milligrams twice daily) or blueberry seed extract (80 milligrams three times daily) can be taken.
4. 4 Try acupuncture. It is a popular traditional Chinese medicine technique that involves inserting fine needles at specific points on the body. Traditional Chinese medicine strives to balance the body, and swelling is seen as a sign of imbalance. Acupuncture helps restore a balance in which all body fluids flow appropriately.
   • Ask your doctor to recommend a professional acupuncturist or search online.
5. 5 Try massage therapy. The massage stimulates blood circulation and helps move fluid from the swollen tissues back into the bloodstream and lymphatic system. Lymphedema massage, also known as lymphatic drainage or lymphatic drainage therapy, is a type of massage that is beneficial to the lymphatic system and helps to strengthen the immune system.
   • Your doctor may recommend a lymphatic drainage therapist.
   • Search the internet for the right lymphatic drainage therapist (search for "lymphatic drainage").
6. 6 Do a water massage. Naturopaths often recommend so-called "water massage" to stimulate lymph flow, which helps reduce swelling by compressing and stretching the lymphatic vessels and valves, which pushes fluid from the limbs back to the heart. Water massage can be done at home using a hand shower.
   • Start by pouring cold water on your feet from the shower. Water one foot, then another, and then move the stream of water from the foot up each leg towards the heart.
   • Then pour cold water over your palm and move the stream of cold water from each palm up your hand towards your heart. Do the same with the other hand.
   • Turn on hot water. The water should be as hot as possible without scalding you.
   • Repeat the procedure with hot water: douse each foot with water and go up along the legs, then put each palm under the stream in turn and go up along the arm.
   • Re-run cold water and repeat the above steps to complete the procedure.
7. 7 Try dry brushing. This procedure is also called lymphatic massage and is practiced in traditional Chinese medicine. This massage can be done at home using a soft-bristled long-handled brush or fluffy cotton towel.
   • Before the massage, your skin and brush (or towel) must be completely dry.
   • You should move the brush widely and sweepingly towards the heart. Do not rub your skin from side to side.
   • Sweep the brush along your arms from your palms up towards your shoulders.
   • Sweep the brush across your back from your lower back up to your shoulders.
   • Sweep the brush along your neck from top to bottom, from the hairline to your shoulders.
   • Brush across your chest towards your throat.
   • Brush from your navel to the center of your chest.
   • Sweep the brush across your chest from the center to your armpits.
   • Brush up and down your legs, starting from your feet. Then brush your feet from the ankles to the knees at the front and back and on both sides. Then brush from the knees to the groin front and back and on both sides.
   • Brush from groin to navel.
   • The lymphatic massage with a brush should last about 5 minutes, followed by a warm bath or shower and cold water at the end. This massage can be done 1-2 times a day.

Part 4 of 4: Removing Internal Edema

1. 1 Identify the symptoms. Internal edema may be accompanied by bloating (ascites). Pulmonary edema can cause shortness of breath, difficulty breathing, and chest pain.
2. 2 Get medical attention. Internal edema is very dangerous. Don't try to self-medicate. See your doctor and follow their instructions to relieve swelling.
3. 3 Treat internal edema with a doctor's supervision. For internal edema, your doctor may prescribe diuretics, ACE inhibitors, beta-blockers, or corticosteroids. Before treatment, be sure to consult your doctor.

Tips

• If you have swelling, take care of your skin. You may need additional lotions or creams to relieve swelling-induced skin stretch.
• Mild swelling can sometimes be relieved with an ice pack. Wrap the bladder in a towel and apply to the swollen area for about 10 minutes. Repeat every 2-4 hours.

Warnings

• Do not combine water massage and brushing as this can lead to overstimulation.
• If the swelling has not improved or increased after 4-5 days of home remedies, consult your doctor.
• Be sure to check with your doctor before using any natural remedies or methods.