How to get rid of leg swelling?
Legs can swell for various reasons - inappropriate clothes and shoes, metabolic disorders, kidney diseases, varicose veins, physiological changes in the body during menopause or pregnancy. If the swelling is accompanied by pain and heaviness in the legs, then it can be symptoms of serious diseases, but more often they are the result of an unpleasant disease - "heavy legs syndrome".
The very first cause of the development of heavy legs syndrome is considered to be varicose veins. Often this disease proceeds imperceptibly, without the appearance of large blood vessels under the skin and characteristic "stars" on the legs. In addition to edema, there are other symptoms of this disease - a feeling of heaviness in the legs, pain in the afternoon or evening, cramps in the calf muscles, a tingling sensation in the feet and lower third of the lower leg, causeless fatigue.
The exact causes of heavy legs syndrome have not been established. Most likely, the syndrome develops against the background of a genetic predisposition with significant loads on the legs. At risk are people who are in an upright position for a long time. The development of the syndrome is also provoked by improperly sized shoes or with the wrong shoe, the presence of flat feet, excessive enthusiasm for solarium, overweight, too high heels. The veins are stretched, gradually overflowing with blood, the normal outflow of fluid is disrupted and it accumulates in the tissues.
What to do if your legs are swollen?
The first thing to do when edema appears is to see a specialist. It is recommended to do Doppler ultrasound and ultrasound of the leg veins in order to timely identify the disease and prescribe appropriate treatment. Often, after treatment, all symptoms disappear, but measures should be taken to avoid re-occurrence of the disease. First of all, this is the implementation of special gymnastic exercises, a well-designed diet, normalization of weight and a decrease in the load on the legs.
Sometimes the doctor, depending on the severity of the symptoms, may prescribe a special massage, physiotherapy, wearing special compression tights or socks. Surgery may be required to eliminate varicose veins.
In no case should you purchase compression products yourself! They all have different parameters, so only a phlebologist will help you choose the right product.
Exercises for fatigue and leg swelling
If your legs get tired during a long working day, then do the following simple exercises when you return home, which remove excess fluid from the tissues and improve blood circulation:
- Take the starting position - stand on a low threshold or step of the stairs, and transfer your body weight to the front of the foot. Relax the leg muscles, straighten your back. Lean back, holding on to the step with the leg muscles, and slowly return to the previous position. If you find it difficult to keep your balance, you can rest your hand on the railing or wall. Breathing should be even and rhythmic. Do this exercise three to four times.
- Sit in a comfortable chair. Place a few buttons or other small items on the floor. Pick up objects alternately with your right and left toes. Breathing is even and measured.
- Sit on a stable chair with your legs wide apart. Tighten your toes, pull them to your feet, and wiggle your feet. In this case, the legs should not move on the floor. Do the exercise until you feel tired.
Foot baths
Gymnastics will be even more effective if you make foot baths after it. It also does not hurt to have a special foot massage device with you, which looks like a mini jacuzzi. But if you don't have one, it doesn't matter. You can make baths in a regular bowl with the addition of sea salt, herbs and other aromatic additives.
In case of severe swelling of the legs, the following bath is recommended: pour cool water into the bath so that its level reaches the middle of your legs, add one glass of sea salt there, wait until it dissolves. Walk around the bath for ten minutes with your legs raised low. Then rinse your feet in warm water and knead them.
Here is another effective bath with a decoction of medicinal plants that will help quickly relieve leg fatigue after a hard day at work. Combine two tablespoons of peppermint, one tablespoon of juniper cones, two tablespoons of lavender leaves, and two tablespoons of oregano. Pour the herbs with three cups of boiling water, let it brew for one hour and strain. Pour this infusion into a bath of warm water and sit in it for ten minutes. You can also take essential oil baths instead of herbs.
In the absence of contraindications, a contrast shower and massage with water jets of swollen legs are very effective. The procedure is recommended for ten minutes.
Recommendations on how to avoid leg swelling
Choose shoes exactly in size or leave a small margin, because by the evening the volume of the foot increases in size, even if you do not suffer from edema of the legs. If you spend most of your time on your feet, avoid wearing thin high heels and shoes with tapered toes and stiff heels. It is better to choose practical, stable and comfortable shoes, since now there are many fashionable models for every taste. Give preference to shoes made of genuine leather, so that your feet "breathe", and excess moisture is easily removed outside.
During the day, try to do a little gymnastics for your legs - lift them up to ensure the drainage of accumulated fluid. In some countries, by the way, it is not considered bad manners to sit with your feet up on the table. The main thing is health!
And, of course, try to eat less salt, as excess salt retains fluid in the body. It is better to add aromatic seasonings when preparing dishes.
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