Swollen feet and ankles can occur due to a variety of causes. Some reasons such as mild injury are obvious and simple to cure. Others, on the other hand, maybe symptoms of a dangerous underlying health problem that needs immediate medical treatment. In this manner, you can alleviate your discomfort and resume your everyday routines. If your feet remain swollen or are accompanied by other symptoms, this might be an indicator of a more serious health condition.

What are the 10 Causes of Swollen Ankle and Feet?

1. Ankle or foot injury:

Swelling in this region of the body might result from trauma to the foot or ankle. A sprained ankle, for example, might cause the foot to enlarge if the ligaments get overstretched.

Treatment: To treat a foot or ankle injury, elevate the foot whenever feasible and avoid bearing weight on the afflicted limb.

An ice pack or compression bandage can assist minimize swelling, and over-the-counter pain medications can help alleviate discomfort.

If the swelling and pain persist, a person should consult a doctor to rule out more serious injury.

2. Edema:

 Edema is the medical word for swelling caused by fluid becoming trapped in the tissues of the body. It often affects the legs and feet, but it can also affect other regions of the body such as the face or belly.

Other symptoms of edema include:

• Glossy, stretched skin over the afflicted region,
• Skin that remains dimpled after pushing it,
• Pain, and
• Decreased movement.

If it affects the lungs, you may have coughing or trouble breathing.

Treatment: Edema may resolve on its own, or there may be an underlying reason that needs medical attention.

Wearing support stockings, limiting salt consumption, and laying down with the legs raised above the chest are all home treatments.

If the swelling does not go away, a person should consult their doctor to rule out any underlying reasons.

3. A drug side effect:

Certain medicines, particularly those that induce water retention, might cause swelling in the foot. Hormones like estrogen and testosterone, calcium-channel blockers that assist manage blood pressure, androgenic and anabolic steroids, and corticosteroids, antidepressants, Non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, and diabetes-management medicines

Treatment: Anyone who suspects that their medicine is causing their feet to swell should consult a doctor, who may be able to adjust the dosage or prescribe an alternative prescription.

4. Hot Weather:

During warmer weather, the veins in the feet expand to cool the body, causing the feet to swell. Fluid may seep into the surrounding tissue as a result of this process. Fluid may also accumulate in the ankles and feet.

Treatment: Drinking plenty of water and wearing well-fitting, comfortable shoes with some ventilation might help keep your feet from swelling in hot weather.

5. Pregnancy complications:

Some ankle and foot swelling is typical during pregnancy. However, sudden or severe swelling may be a symptom of preeclampsia, a dangerous disease characterized by high blood pressure and protein in the urine after the 20th week of pregnancy.

Treatment: To manage swollen feet during pregnancy, women should elevate their feet whenever possible, wear comfortable and supportive footwear, and avoid standing for long periods.

Staying cool, limiting salt, and drinking more water can all assist to minimize fluid retention. Wearing supportive clothes, such as tights or compression stockings, should also assist to alleviate discomfort and minimize swelling.

6. Preeclampsia:

If swelling occurs abruptly and is significant during pregnancy, it might be a symptom of preeclampsia. This is a disorder that can develop during pregnancy or shortly after birth. Protein in the urine, fast excessive fluid retention, and elevated blood pressure are all symptoms.

This is a serious illness that generally develops in the second part of pregnancy and can proceed to eclampsia, which is even more hazardous and requires immediate medical attention.

Preeclampsia symptoms include:

• Headaches with significant swelling
• Dizziness
• Changes in eyesight due to nausea and vomiting
• Urination is less frequent

Treatment: If a pregnant woman suffers any of these symptoms, she should immediately contact her doctor or midwife.

7. Venous insufficiency:

Venous insufficiency occurs when a person's blood does not circulate correctly around the body. This is caused to faulty valves that let blood flow down the veins and cause fluid retention in the lower legs, notably around the feet and ankles.

The following are symptoms of venous insufficiency:

• Aching legs
• Skin changes, such as peeling  
• The appearance of new varicose veins, as well as skin ulcers
• Infection

Treatment: Anyone suffering from symptoms of venous insufficiency should see their doctor as soon as possible.

To treat venous insufficiency, a doctor may advise adopting certain lifestyle adjustments, such as increasing physical activity, to help maintain the blood flowing effectively throughout the body. Compression stockings and anti-clotting medicines can also be beneficial.

A doctor may recommend surgery in some situations to try to restore the damaged valves.

8. Lymphedema:

This is an accumulation of lymphatic fluid in the tissues that can form due to a lack of or difficulties with lymph veins, or after lymph node excision. Lymph is a protein-rich fluid that typically circulates via a complex network of arteries and capillaries. It is filtered by lymph nodes, which capture and eliminate undesirable things like germs. However, when there is a problem with the arteries or lymph nodes, the fluid flow might be obstructed. Lymph accumulation, if left untreated, can impede wound healing and lead to infection and deformity. Lymphedema is prevalent in cancer patients after radiation therapy or lymph node excision. If you have had cancer treatment and are experiencing swelling, visit your doctor as soon as possible.

Signs of lymphedema include:

• A swelling of the feet,
• Recurring infections
• Slowed movement
• An agonizing sensation of constriction or heaviness
• Skin thickening

Treatment: These options for lymphedema include exercises and focused massage, both of which can help drain excess fluid. Bandages or compression clothing may also be useful.

9. Blood clot:

A blood clot occurs when blood does not circulate properly across the body, causing platelets to clump together.

If blood clots form in the leg veins, they can block blood from returning to the heart. This might cause swelling in the ankles and feet.

Deep vein thrombosis (DVT) is a condition in which blood clots develop deep in the legs. DVT is a severe disease that can result in a blockage of the main leg veins. Clots may break free and go to the heart or lungs in certain circumstances.

Swelling in one leg, pain or discomfort in the leg, low-grade fever, and color changes in the leg are all symptoms of DVT.

Treatment: If a person sees any of the symptoms of DVT, they should seek immediate medical treatment. To treat blood clots, a doctor may prescribe blood-thinning medicine.

Wearing tights, compression stockings, or loose-fitting clothes around the ankles can help avoid blood clots.

Other strategies of prevention include staying active and limiting salt consumption. It's also a good idea to avoid standing or sitting motionless for long periods, especially with your legs crossed.

10. Cardiovascular Diseases:

Foot swelling might be an indication of heart disease or heart failure. If the heart is injured, it is unable to properly pump blood to the heart.

Swollen feet can be caused by right-sided heart failure because the body retains salt and fluids.

Symptoms of heart failure include: edema of the legs, ankles, and feet, as well as:

• Shortness of breath, especially while exercising or sitting down, fast pulse, weakness, and tiredness coughing or wheezing white or pink, phlegm with a bloody tint
• bloating in the abdomen
• Rapid weight increase as a result of fluid retention
• Appetite loss
• nausea or vomiting inability to concentrate or confusion

Treatment: If a person suffers any of the aforementioned symptoms, they should seek medical treatment right once.

Medication, medical devices to assist the heart, and surgery are all possibilities for treating heart failure.

What are the Signs and Symptoms of Swollen Ankle and Feet?

The symptoms of swollen feet and ankles are determined by the underlying reasons listed above.

• In general, swelling caused by dependent edema, pregnancy, medications, and the majority of diseases generates bilateral (occurring in both feet or ankles) swelling that starts as a soft, puffy skin expansion in the feet and moves quickly (often within hours) to the ankles.
• When pressed with a finger, the skin easily indents and eventually returns to its more puffy state when the finger pressure is relaxed.
• When shoes or socks are removed, indentations in the swollen skin are classic indicators of edema.
• The skin tone is generally normal or somewhat pale with this swelling; indentation marks are significantly darker than the surrounding swollen tissue.
• Many people may simply lie on their backs and elevate their feet and ankles higher than their hearts for a short period of time (typically a few hours), and the swelling will go down.
• However, in some chronic conditions and when certain drugs are taken for an extended length of time, the swelling becomes chronic, and the skin becomes more stiff, reddish, and occasionally faintly discolored or mottled, and does not return to normal after a few hours of elevation.
• Many patients with chronic congestive heart failure (CHF), for example, will have persistent bilateral swelling of the feet and ankles, as well as skin abnormalities.

What are the Risk Factors?

Swollen ankles and feet affect a huge number of people. The following are the causes and those who are at risk:

• Dependent edema: those who stand or walk for extended periods of time, such as salespeople, mothers with children, construction workers, obese people, and anyone with underlying health issues (see below)
• Pregnancy: most typical pregnant ladies, particularly in the third trimester.
• Medications (side effects): individuals using anti-inflammatory treatments (steroids and NSAIDs), hormones, diabetic medications, antidepressants, and a variety of calcium channel blockers (anti-hypertensive and cardiac medications).
• Any individual who has suffered foot or ankle injuries is considered injured.
• Patients with heart illness (particularly congestive heart failure), liver disease, and renal disease (all of these diseases can influence fluid mobilization in the body by physical, metabolic, and electrolyte-water interactions)
• Infection: any individual who has a foot or ankle infection, whether localized (abscess) or widespread (cellulitis).
• Lymphedema: People who have blocked lymph vessels or lymph nodes as a result of illnesses, trauma, or surgical treatments.
• Blood clot(s): People who have a blockage of blood vessels (typically venous) that allows fluid to seep into tissue.

What are the Complications?

If left untreated, edema can result in:

• Swelling that is becoming increasingly uncomfortable
• Walking is difficult.
• Stiffness
• Skin that has been stretched and might become itchy and unpleasant
• Infection risk in the enlarged region is increased.
• Scarring between tissue layers
• Reduced blood circulation Reduced artery, vein, joint, and muscle suppleness

When you should consult a doctor?

Some types of swollen feet necessitate immediate medical attention. If you have the following symptoms in addition to swollen feet, get medical attention right away:

• Unidentified, painful swelling in your feet or legs
• The afflicted region may experience warmth, redness, or inflammation.
• New foot swelling during pregnancy that is accompanied by a fever
• Chest discomfort, pressure, or tightness shortness of breath swelling of just one leg.

Prevention and Home Remedies for Swollen Ankle and Feet:

Potential treatments for swollen feet or ankles may already be in your kitchen cabinet or strewn around your living room.

Here are a few examples:

Compression socks: Compression socks apply gentle pressure to your legs, facilitating better blood circulation. This keeps fluid from building up in your ankles and feet, decreasing swelling and pain.

Elevation: Raising your legs above the level of your heart aids in the drainage of accumulated fluid from your lower extremities. Simply said, you help your circulatory system by allowing gravity to do its job.

Magnesium-rich foods:

Water retention and edema may be signs of a magnesium deficiency. In this case, including magnesium-rich foods into your diet might be a tasty solution to your problem.

Other measures that you can take:

• Increase your overall movement, since sitting or standing in one place for a lengthy amount of time can promote edema. Simply moving your knees and flexing your ankles might help.
• Limit your salt and carbohydrate intake.
• Try essential oils like peppermint, eucalyptus, lavender, or chamomile.