Water composes a vast amount of the body, making up around 78% as an infant and between 50% and 70% for the rest of your life. Fluid makes every important function in your body work: regulating body temperature with sweating, saliva breaking down food for digestion, eliminating waste, insulating joints, transporting oxygen and nutrients, and protecting organs.
When extra fluid develops in areas of the body as a result of illness or injury, it’s referred to as water retention, swelling, or edema, and it develops for a variety of reasons that can have an impact on your body’s health, especially in your kidneys. Let’s explore why this happens, what risk factors contribute to it, and what can be done to treat the problem.
Kidney issues can lead to edema. Sylacauga and Talladega, Alabama, residents dealing with edema and other medical issues related to kidney problems can find help from Dr. Ghayas Habach and the dedicated staff at Merit Health Care.
Edema is the trapping of fluid in your body’s tissues when fluid builds up faster than it can drain. It can occur almost anywhere but is common in your legs, ankles, and feet. When it happens, swelling is the most obvious symptom, but other signs are often present, such as stretched, shiny skin, pain and discomfort, and difficulty using the affected part of the body.
Fluid buildup occurs in the body either in a single part (localized) or in larger areas or multiple parts (generalized), with the latter potentially being the most dangerous. This is because if it occurs without an apparent cause, an underlying severe medical condition may be responsible.
The excess fluid edema results from a wide variety of injuries, illnesses, and other factors. Peripheral edema is a common type that occurs in the limbs, wrists, and ankles, and can result from injury, prolonged sitting, venous insufficiency, deep vein thrombosis (a blood clot in a deep leg vein), and lymphedema (blockage of lymph fluid).
When this happens in your kidneys due to damage or disease, it’s often because your body can't eliminate sodium and fluid from your blood. As a result, your blood vessels are under more pressure, which can lead to leakage and create eye and leg swelling.
The approach to managing edema issues varies depending on the type and severity. Mild cases can often be managed by elevating the affected area higher than the heart or by wearing compression garments. Medications can help to eliminate excess fluids in moderate to severe cases, and if medications are causing edema, changes in those regimens can be recommended.
If chronic edema issues are present due to long-term problems like kidney disease or kidney damage, we can customize solutions based on your needs and get your problems under control.
If you’re experiencing swelling or other symptoms due to edema, make an appointment with Dr. Habach and Merit Health Care today to get the help you need.
