Edema (uh-DEE-muh) is a condition that causes abnormal fluid buildup in your body’s tissues. It typically produces swelling in the legs, ankles and feet. Edema is commonly triggered by pregnancy, excess weight, aging and standing or sitting too long. Read on to learn more about edema.

What is Edema?

Edema refers to a condition that causes fluid from small blood vessels to leak and become trapped in your body’s tissues. Typically, the liquid collects in your feet, ankles or legs and causes them to swell. Edema can also impact other parts of your body, such as your abdomen, face and hands. Sometimes edema is a sign of an underlying condition.

There are six types of edema:

Peripheral edema

Peripheral edema is the most common form of the condition. It affects the feet, ankles and legs. It can also impact the hands, wrists and arms.

pedal edema

This type of edema occurs when fluid gathers in your feet and lower legs. Pedal edema can affect mobility because you may have diminished feeling in your feet.

pulmonary edema

Pulmonary edema is caused by the accumulation of fluid in your lungs’ air sacs. You may experience a rapid heartbeat, cough up blood, sweat excessively or feel suffocated.

Lymphedema

Damaged lymph nodes can cause swelling in the arms and legs. Lymph nodes are small glands that help remove germs and bodily waste. If they’re damaged, they might not drain correctly.

macular edema

Macular edema happens when fluid builds up in the part of your eye called the macula. The macula is the spot where vision is sharpest. It is in the center of your retina, which is the light-sensitive tissue at the back of your eyeball.

Cerebral edema

Cerebral edema is a dangerous condition that causes fluid to accumulate in the brain and induces swelling. Due to its hard skull, the brain has little room to expand, which blocks blood flow. If left unchecked, the brain may die due to a shortage of blood.

Symptoms

The symptoms of edema correlate to the location on the body and the severity of swelling. Generally, symptoms include:

Swelling or puffiness of the tissue

When fluid trapped under the skin causes swelling or puffiness, your skin feels painful and tight. Your shoes, socks and clothing may also feel too tight. You may need to wear compression socks, avoid prolonged sitting or standing or reduce your salt intake.

Stretched or shiny skin

Swelling can stretch the skin over the swollen area, making the skin look shiny and smooth. This tight, shiny skin is a distinctive sign of edema, and it can also make you more vulnerable to infections and cuts.

“pitting” skin

If you press on an area with edema, your skin will stay indented or dimpled rather than spring back. This is called “pitting” edema, and it usually occurs in the feet, legs and ankles.

When you have pitting edema, your doctor will assess its severity by pressing the affected area for 10 seconds and then seeing how quickly it bounces back. These are the grades doctors use to determine your level of pitting:

Grade 1 - You can barely see the dent.

Grade 2 - You can see a slight dent which resolves in up to 15 seconds.

Grade 30 - The dent is deeper and takes up to XNUMX seconds to disappear.
Grade 30 - The dent is very deep and takes more than XNUMX seconds to vanish.

Swelling of the belly

Edema can also cause an accumulation of fluids in the abdominal lining that causes the belly to abnormally expand. This is a painful condition called ascites (ah-SIGH-tees). Fluid can be drained by a small tube that’s inserted below your belly’s skin. If this is ineffective, you may need a permanent drain.

Feeling of leg heaviness

In addition to causing legs to swell, edema can make them feel heavy, tight or numb. It may be hard to walk or move your toes or ankles. With edema, legs can feel heavy because each one can hold up to 10 pounds of water!

Causes

Once you’re diagnosed with edema, it’s important to determine if it’s caused by a more serious, underlying condition. These conditions include:

Congestive heart failure

If your heart weakens and pumps blood less efficiently, fluids may build up and cause edema of the ankles, legs or feet. If this fluid accumulates rapidly, it can enter the lungs. Heart failure on the right side can cause edema to form in the abdomen.

Liver damage

Cirrhosis (scarring of the liver) slows blood flow through the organ. This elevates pressure in the liver’s primary vein (portal vein). As the pressure in this vein escalates, it can cause fluid to leak and build up in the abdomen and legs.

Kidney damage

When the tiny, filtering blood vessels (glomeruli) in your kidneys are damaged, it can cause a condition called nephrotic syndrome . The damage permits protein, which is normally in your plasma, to flood your urine. This decreases the levels of blood protein. Protein is essential for keeping fluid in the bloodstream. When this fluid leaks out of your bloodstream and into your tissues, it causes edema.

Deep vein thrombosis

Edema can also be caused by a blood clot deep in the veins of the thigh or lower leg. This is called deep vein thrombosis or DVT. DVT usually affects only one side of the body, whereas other edema-related conditions cause both legs to swell. DVT can result from prolonged sitting, such as at your computer or on a flight. Continuous inactivity can cause blood in the leg to clot. As a result, fluids get trapped around the clot, causing edema.

Side Effects of Some Medicines

Edema can also be a side effect of medicines including:

High blood pressure medicines
oral steroids
anabolic steroids
Oral diabetes medications
Non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs)
Certain antidepressants
Hormone drugs

HGH (Human Growth Hormone) Overdose

Human growth hormone (HGH) is a hormone produced by the brain’s pituitary gland. HGH helps build bones and muscles, promotes normal metabolism and can reduce body fat. However, taking too much HGH can lead to an overdose What if you take too much HGH ? Symptoms include:

Edema
Painful joints and muscles
An increase in insulin resistance or total insulin rejection
Carpal tunnel syndrome
Arthritis
Acromegaly - Acromegaly is a rare disorder in which excess HGH causes overgrowth of the bones in the feet, hands and face.

Conclusion

Edema should be taken seriously because it may be a sign of potentially dangerous underlying conditions. These conditions not only include HGH overdose but HGH deficiency. Getting prompt medical attention can aid in diagnosis and treatment of edema caused by insufficient human growth hormone. Please complete our online form today and schedule your appointment with our hormonal health experts to find out if HGH deficiency is at the root of your symptoms.