What to do if your face, arms or legs are swollen

1.What is urticaria and its causes?

In hives, light red, swollen blisters

. Usually, hives are the result of an allergic reaction, but sometimes hives appear for other reasons. The name urticaria, or nettle fever, appeared because the blisters look very similar to burns from the most common nettle.

Hives usually cause itching

, but sometimes it is accompanied by
a burning sensation on the skin
. Rashes and blisters can appear on any part of the body, even on the face, lips, tongue, throat or ears. The affected area of ​​skin can be any size - from a few millimeters to the size of an ordinary plate. Redness and swelling with urticaria go away over varying periods of time - from several hours to several weeks.

There is another condition somewhat similar to urticaria - Quincke's edema

. But in this case, the tumor begins under the skin, and not on its surface. With angioedema, deep swelling begins around the eyes and lips, and sometimes the genitals, arms and legs. Typically, angioedema resolves in less than 24 hours. In very rare cases, angioedema in the throat, tongue, or lungs can block the airway and cause breathing problems. And then it becomes life-threatening.

Why do urticaria and Quincke's edema appear?

Urticaria and angioedema develop when blood plasma leaks from small blood vessels in the skin in response to histamine production. Histamine is a chemical that is released from special cells located in these vessels. The production of histamine can be caused by a variety of factors - allergies, chemicals from food, exposure to sunlight, medications, insect bites. There are quite a few factors for the appearance of urticaria, and therefore it is not always possible to accurately determine its cause.

A must read! Help with treatment and hospitalization!

What to do if your face, arms or legs are swollen

Home — Social networks — What to do if your face, arms or legs swell

The fact that you are swelling is an unpleasant thing. Firstly, it’s not aesthetically pleasing, and secondly, it’s alarming: what if it’s a signal of some kind of illness. Now we’ll figure out what to think and do if your face, arms or legs swell.

Edema, in essence, is fluid retention in tissues: in the intercellular space, where normally it should not exist. How does she get there? From lymphatic or blood vessels. If everything is swollen at the site of injury or acute inflammation, the situation is clear: call a doctor and be treated as prescribed. But what if the body increases in volume for no obvious reason?

Face swelling

IT'S NORMAL IF...

• Yesterday there was a party. A puffy appearance and bags under the eyes are normal after drinking alcohol: it retains fluid and, as a punishment for intemperance, localizes swelling around the eyes.
• Drank a lot of fluids before bed. Popular wisdom says that 2 liters of water at night is the best cure for wrinkles. The next morning, the face will be large and smooth, because it is difficult for the kidneys to remove large volumes of fluid at night. And if you snack on what you drink with something salty (salt, as you know, retains moisture), you’re definitely in for trouble.
• I drank little during the day. Not receiving enough fluid, the body stores water just in case, and it accumulates in the tissues.
• She slept on a low pillow or with her head down, like a bat. In this case, it is physically difficult for blood and lymph to flow away from the face against gravity.

What to do?

The path to salvation is obvious: drink water during the day, but in the evening - without fanaticism. Don't sleep like a bat. Well, if it’s a holiday... Be prepared for the consequences and hide the mirror in advance.

THIS IS WORRYING IF...

• My face swells every morning. And without the reasons described above. “Regular swelling of the face in the morning, in which fluid accumulates under the lower eyelids, has a name – “renal”
  , says our expert Iraida Belyaeva. Don't panic: this doesn't mean you're already deficient. But it seems that life is not very comfortable for the kidneys and for some reason they are not working at their best.

What to do?

Don’t immediately run to a urologist - go to a therapist, describe the problem and get examined. “To exclude renal pathology, the doctor will first prescribe general urine and blood tests plus an ultrasound examination of the organ,” continues Iraida. This way you and your doctor will find the cause and eliminate it.

The swelling is accompanied by regular headaches or neck discomfort. In this case, you can suspect some kind of disorder in the cervical spine: osteochondrosis, hernia or protrusion. The more complexities there are in the column, the worse the blood and lymph flow from the head - the more fluid goes into the tissues.

What to do?

Go to a neurologist, he will prescribe an X-ray or MRI of the cervical spine.

Swelling ankles

IT'S NORMAL IF...

• It's hot outside. “Then the capillaries expand, their permeability increases - and the fluid flows into the tissue. The body’s reaction to elevated temperature is quite adequate,” explains Iraida Belyaeva.
• You walked 20 km in sneakers or 5 km in stilettos without preparation. In general, the legs are tired: the vessels cannot cope with the removal of fluid. They have the right, after all!
• You are pregnant. In this case, swelling can occur even after a slight load: the larger your unborn child becomes, the more it interferes with the outflow of blood from the lower extremities.

What to do?

Take the American cowboy's favorite pose: put your feet up on the table. Or somewhere else, it doesn’t matter, the main thing is that the feet are higher than the level of the hips. This way you will ease the outflow and the swelling will subside. Give your lower extremities a cool shower: not cold (so that they don’t cramp in horror), but cool. If you are expecting a baby, talk to your doctor about compression socks or stockings.

THIS IS WORRYING IF...

• The ankles swell regularly and out of nowhere. “ This is one of the symptoms that can signal heart disease
  ,” says the therapist. Plus, blue discoloration may appear on the ankles. Pay attention to whether there are other signals from the main muscle: rhythm disturbances, chest pain, shortness of breath. Remember everything - and go to the doctor.

What to do?

Obediently take tests - again urine and blood, do an ECG and, possibly, an echocardiogram. Plus, the doctor will probably order a kidney test (just in case, just to rule out any complications on their part).

• The feet and legs swell after slight exertion, this is accompanied by cramps at night, and bluish wreaths appear under the skin. The complex of these symptoms clearly hints at varicose veins. “It is precisely with this that the permeability of the vascular wall increases, and fluid easily enters the surrounding tissues,” Iraida Belyaeva reveals the “technology” for the formation of this type of edema.

What to do?

Go to a surgeon or a more specialized specialist - a phlebologist. The gold standard for examining potentially problematic veins is Doppler ultrasound (feels the same as ultrasound). And if they suddenly find something enlarged, get treatment, of course!

Hands become swollen

IT'S NORMAL IF...

• You are in the second half of your menstrual cycle. Counting from the beginning of the last menstruation, day fourteen or fifteen. “During this period, there is a lack of progesterone, which can lead to swelling of the lower abdomen, buttocks and arms,” continues the expert. “Most often, women notice the “rings” that appear on their wrists.”

What to do?

Don't forget to report this at your next visit to the gynecologist. At the moment - nothing extraordinary. But if other hormonal symptoms are added, the information may be relevant.

THIS IS WORRYING IF...

• Along with swelling, belching or nausea regularly occurs after eating. And this is already a hint of liver disease. It is a resilient organ: it recovers well, holds on until the last, practically does not communicate its suffering in any way, and does not even hurt (because it has no nerve endings). Therefore, swelling of the hands (and fingers!), along with heartburn and nausea, can be the only signal of a problem for a long time
  . And if the yellowness of the sclera (whites of the eyes) or skin is added to this, then there is no doubt: the liver is failing!

What to do?

If you don't believe it, see a doctor! First of all, see a therapist. If problems are found in the liver, contact a hepatologist. The tests include the same blood and urine tests plus an ultrasound of the biliary tract.

What not to do

Doctors agree that it is possible to get rid of edema only if its cause is identified and eliminated. However, despite this, some ladies prefer to expel excess fluid from the body on their own by drinking a diuretic.

– to quickly restore a spectacular appearance. We do not condone such behavior. “Such products wash out essential microelements from the body,” says Iraida Belyaeva. – And without the latter we cannot live, in the literal sense of the word. Not only the quality of skin, hair and nails, but also bone density and even heart rate depend on them. Therefore, diuretics should not be taken under any circumstances without a doctor’s prescription!”

2.What are the types of urticaria and Quincke's edema?

There are several different types of urticaria and angioedema:

• Acute urticaria and acute angioedema
  . This is hives or swelling that lasts less than six weeks. The most common causes of this reaction in the body are food, drugs, latex or infections. Insect bites or some kind of internal disease are another cause of acute urticaria. When it comes to foods, the most common causes of hives are nuts, chocolate, fish, tomatoes, eggs, fresh berries, soy, wheat and milk. Especially if they are all consumed in their raw form. Medicines that may cause hives or angioedema include aspirin and other nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (such as ibuprofen), high blood pressure medications, or pain relievers (codeine).
• Chronic urticaria or Quincke's edema
  . In this case, the hives or swelling last for more than six weeks. Usually the causes of this type of urticaria are more difficult to determine than in the case of the acute form of the disease. In fact, the cause of chronic urticaria may be the same, but perhaps it is all due to an autoimmune disease, chronic infections, hormonal disorders or malignant neoplasms.
• Physical urticaria
  . This is a rash caused by direct physical impact on the skin. For example, from cold, heat, sunlight, vibration, pressure, sweating or exercise. In this case, hives usually appear in the area where the skin was directly exposed and rarely occur elsewhere. In most cases, physical hives go away within an hour of stopping exposure. Cold allergy is one of the most common forms of physical urticaria.
• Dermatographism
  is hives that appear when the skin is rubbed or scratched too hard. Such urticaria can begin simultaneously with other forms of this disease.
• Hereditary angioedema
  . This is a painful swelling of the tissue. The disease is inherited.

Visit our Allergology page

3.Diagnosis of the disease

The diagnosis of urticaria or Quincke's edema is made after examination. Your doctor will ask you a few questions to find out the possible cause of your hives or angioedema and examine your skin. Depending on your health condition, you may need to consult an allergist, immunologist or dermatologist.

Skin tests may be done to determine which substance is causing your allergy. And routine blood tests are needed to determine the presence of some systemic disease.

About our clinic Chistye Prudy metro station Medintercom page!

4.How to treat urticaria and Quincke's edema?

The easiest way to deal with urticaria and angioedema is if you can identify and eliminate the factor that caused the problem. But this is not always possible. Typically, antihistamines are used to treat hives. They will help relieve the symptoms of the disease. Sometimes antihistamine medications need to be taken regularly to prevent the rash and associated swelling.

Chronic urticaria is treated with antihistamines or a combination of them. But if this does not give the desired result, sometimes the doctor prescribes corticosteroids.

In severe cases of urticaria and angioedema, an injection of adrenaline or steroid medications may be necessary.

What else can be done to treat hives?

While the course of treatment is ongoing and you are waiting for the redness and swelling to disappear, follow these simple recommendations.

• Do not use hot water. Let it just be warm.
• Wash with mild soap.
• You can apply cold compresses or apply a damp cloth to the affected areas.
• Be in a cool room.
• Wear loose, lightweight clothing.

What is hand lymphedema

Lymphedema is chronic swelling that develops due to the accumulation of lymph fluid in the soft tissues of the hand. The reason for this phenomenon is the disruption of the outflow of tissue fluid as a result of complete or partial damage to the lymphatic vessels. When a large number of lymphatic vessels fail, part of the tissue fluid is “pumped” through the veins, and part remains and accumulates in the tissues.

This stagnant fluid creates a breeding ground for bacteria and can promote infection.

With certain knowledge and appropriate behavior, the development of lymphedema can be prevented.

What are the causes of lymphedema?

1. Surgical division of lymphatic vessels

Treatment of breast tumors involves the most thorough removal of the gland tissues involved in the tumor process along with the axillary lymph nodes, which may also contain tumor cells. During the operation, naturally, the lymphatic vessels through which the lymph moves from the arm are also intersected, since the axillary lymph nodes are common to the upper limb and the mammary gland.

1. Radiation therapy

Radiation therapy used to kill tumor cells damages small blood and lymph vessels. This can lead to scarring of the tissue and obstruction of the normal drainage of lymphatic fluid. Lymphedema can develop months or even years after surgery or radiation therapy. Its development can be provoked by sudden significant physical stress on the arm on the side of the operation, solar radiation, infection of the tissues of the arm, leading to erysipelas.

Symptoms of lymphedema

The first signs or symptoms of the development of lymphedema are a feeling of heaviness in the hand, decreased mobility of the hand and wrists, slight passing swelling of the hand in the evenings, a feeling of tightness when wearing rings, bracelets, watches. If you notice these signs, you should urgently seek advice from a doctor: timely diagnosis and treatment will prevent further development of edema.

Lymphedema usually develops gradually.

Stage I (transient swelling): the swelling is temporary and intensifies in the evening; when you press your fingers on the skin, “pits” form.

Stage II (mild swelling): the tissue of the affected limb is soft, but swelling persists.

Stage III (dense swelling): the skin acquires a spongy (porous) structure and does not form “pits” when pressed with fingers. In comparison with the opposite healthy arm, there is an increase in the length of the arm circumference by 2-4 cm.

If treatment is not started in time, fluid continues to accumulate, which leads to increased swelling and hardening of the arm tissue.

Stage IV (severe): at this stage the swelling is constant, the tissues of the arm are dense, the limb becomes very large and deformed, the function of the limb is reduced or completely lost. In this condition, the tissues of the swollen limb, saturated with stagnant lymph, are a good breeding ground for bacteria leading to the development of infections (erysipelas).

Lymphedema Treatment Methods

Treatment for lymphedema is most effective if it is started as early as possible. A mandatory preliminary examination by an oncologist is necessary to determine the cause of the swelling and decide on the necessary treatment measures.

Depending on the stage of the disease and your general condition, the doctor recommends a treatment plan, which may include the following methods:

• wearing a special compression sleeve or using an elastic bandage,
• physiotherapy,
• drug treatment,
• hardware pneumomassage,
• constant implementation of preventive recommendations.

In some cases, according to clear indications, some methods of physiotherapy are used.

You should know that the treatment of lymphedema is long-term and requires a certain self-discipline and patience.

The application of an elastic bandage is used to increase pressure in the tissues of the limb and reduce swelling. An elastic bandage is used for this purpose. You can bandage your hand yourself. However, it should be remembered that the bandage should be applied evenly and not lead to the formation of “stripes” on the skin.

Wearing a compression sleeve is a more preferable treatment option compared to bandaging, since the pressure on the tissue is more measured and uniform. The production of these products is carried out to order at a prosthetic factory, where you can contact with a referral from your attending physician.

Exercise therapy is an essential part of lymphedema treatment. Specially selected exercises for the muscles of the shoulder girdle (“muscle pump”) can improve the flow of blood and lymph from the arm and improve your general condition.

Hardware pneumomassage is one of the most effective methods of treatment and prevention of lymphedema. Its action is based on slow dosing of tissue compression from hand to shoulder with air supplied into a special fabric sleeve.

Drug treatment includes the use of drugs that reduce blood viscosity and increase the tone of veins and lymphatic vessels. You can get a prescription for the necessary medications from your doctor.

Magnetic therapy has an anti-edema, analgesic effect, facilitates the outflow of blood and lymph from the hand. The use of this treatment method is especially indicated in the presence of shoulder pain.

For severe lymphedema, the best effect is achieved by surgical treatment (lymph drainage operations) followed by the use of the above methods.

Infectious complications (erysipelas, lymphangitis)

The infection can develop in the tissues of both the swollen and apparently healthy arm on the operated side. Each subsequent exacerbation of the infection contributes to an increase in swelling. Therefore, it is necessary to thoroughly understand the signs of infection and the rules of behavior during its development.

The main signs and symptoms of the development of erysipelas are:

• high body temperature;
• malaise, chills;
• the appearance of a rash and itching on the skin of the affected limb;
• change in the color of the skin of the hand (redness or the appearance of red spots);
• increased swelling;
• appearance of pain.

It is important to know that these symptoms can occur both simultaneously and separately.

If these signs appear, you should temporarily suspend any treatment associated with arm swelling and immediately consult a doctor.

Antibiotics are used to treat the infection. For repeated (recurrent) inflammations, preventive courses of antibacterial therapy are carried out twice a year. Treatment and prevention of infectious complications is carried out under the supervision of a doctor.

How to prevent the development of lymphedema

1. Monitor the condition of your hand daily. If you experience any of the above signs of swelling or inflammation, contact your doctor immediately.
2. Do not allow blood pressure to be taken or injections (blood drawn) to be taken on the arm on the operated side.
3. Avoid heavy lifting (no more than 6-7kg), vigorous movements that require excessive effort (pushing, pulling), or carrying a bag over your shoulder on the operated side.
4. Pay special attention to hygiene. Carefully and carefully dry the skin of your hand with wet movements after taking a shower (bath). Make sure there is no moisture left in the folds or between the fingers.
5. Systematically engage in physical therapy under the supervision of a doctor (even if mobility in the shoulder joint has been completely restored).
6. Avoid wearing tight-fitting jewelry or clothing on your affected arm. Try not to let woolen items come into contact with the skin of this hand.
7. Use gloves to protect your hands when doing laundry, cleaning the apartment, and other work where there is a risk of injury.
8. In case of accidental damage to the skin, treat the wound with alcohol (but not alcohol tincture of iodine!) and cover it with a bactericidal plaster or apply a bandage. If you have previously had cases of erysipelas, consult a doctor who will prescribe a course of preventive antibacterial treatment.
9. If you already have swelling in your limb, wear a well-fitting compression sleeve at all times throughout the day to prevent further swelling. Recommendations for its purchase and use can be obtained from your doctor.
10. Protect your hand from direct sunlight.
11. Avoid smoking and drinking alcohol.
12. Maintain your optimal weight through a balanced, low-salt, high-fiber diet.

If there is a sharp increase in arm swelling and/or pain, you should immediately contact your doctor to find out the cause and rule out recurrence of the tumor.

Remember! You yourself should take more care of your health!