Swollen Feet and Ankles - Health - Nutrition

Swollen feet and ankles is a condition that may result from one or more causes. One can have an injury such as a sprain, broken bone or strain. One may also have gout, a condition that happens when the fluid surrounding joints becomes infiltrated by uric acid crystals, which play a significant part in digestion and are usually expelled during excretion. Also, swelling can occur as the result of arthritis or from blood flow problems. And it could also result from edema, which can itself be the result of another cause entirely, such as pregnancy and its related conditions for instance.

If you are suffering from this condition it may be best to see a health professional even if you think you know what is wrong (e.g. if you are pregnant) just to make sure that you do deal with the ultimate cause of the problem. But there are some things you can do to relieve your discomfort while your health professional deals with the ultimate cause of your problem.

If its cause is not injury-related, swollen feet and ankles can be dealt with by any of the following methods. (Make sure you ask your health professional which of these methods, if any, you can resort to in order to help you find some relief. Some may aggravate your condition - you need to find out first.)

First, you can try to put your feet up when you are seated - the higher the better. This may not be all that feasible if you are working at a desk, especially if you have to face other people such as clients, but you can put your feet up on a stool for example. Doing so will help gravity the fluid drain out of your legs. And make sure that if you are at work, get up and stretch from time to time, or, better yet, move around a little bit, to prevent fluid buildup due to gravity.

Next, you could also try changing your clothing. Compression stockings can really help alleviate swollen feet and ankles by slowing the transfer of fluid down to your legs from the rest of your body.

Next, consider dietary and lifestyle changes. Are you taking in enough water - at least eight glasses of clean water a day? If not, you should be. Paradoxically, not taking in enough water can lead to water retention because if the body feels it is getting dehydrated, it holds on to the water it already has. Are you exercising enough? Exercise can help improve circulation and strengthen muscles, as well as help you lose fluid through sweating, and being overweight can make maintaining proper circulation hard. (Note though that a lot of exercise may contribute to swelling, especially if you are pregnant.) Are you taking in too much salt? A high level of salt can lead to fluid retention.

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