Edema is a buildup of fluid in the spaces between body cells. Edema can occur anywhere in the body, but is most clearly seen in the arms or legs. Edema occurs when fluid in the blood vessels escapes into the surrounding tissue. The fluid then builds up, causing the body's tissues to swell.
Mild edema is harmless, but it can also signal more serious conditions, such as heart failure, liver, kidney, and brain disorders. Therefore, an examination to the doctor when there is edema is very important to find out the cause. Treatment will be based on the cause.
Symptoms of Edema
The symptoms that appear depend on the condition and location of the swollen tissue. Mild edema due to inflammation may not cause symptoms. Symptoms that appear and are felt by sufferers are:
- A limb, such as an arm or leg, becomes swollen.
- The skin of the edematous area becomes firm and shiny.
- If the skin in the area of edema is pressed, a dimple-like hole appears for a few seconds.
- Enlarged stomach size.
- Shortness of breath and cough if there is edema in the lungs.
- Difficulty walking because the legs feel heavier due to swelling.
- Severe leg edema can interfere with blood flow, causing skin ulcers.
Causes of Edema
Edema occurs when fluid in the blood vessels leaks into the surrounding tissue, so fluid builds up and becomes swollen. Mild edema is usually caused by standing or sitting too long, eating too many foods with high salt content, or before menstruation and during pregnancy for women.
Swollen tissue due to fluid buildup can also occur due to serious illnesses, including:
- Lack of albumin protein. Proteins, including albumin, play a role in keeping fluid in the blood vessels. Lack of protein in the blood can cause fluid in the blood vessels to leak and accumulate, causing edema. An example is the nephrotic syndrome.
- Allergic reaction. Edema occurs due to the body's response to an allergen, in which fluid in the blood vessels escapes into the area.
- Damage to the veins in the legs. This condition occurs in chronic venous insufficiency disease which causes the leg veins to be disrupted, so that fluid in the bloodstream accumulates in the leg veins and leaks out into the surrounding tissues.
- Heart failure. When the heart begins to fail, one or both chambers of the organ begin to lose their ability to pump blood effectively, so fluid builds up slowly and causes edema in the legs, lungs, or abdomen.
- Kidney illness. Edema can occur because fluid cannot be excreted through the kidneys. Edema may occur in the legs and around the eyes.
- Disorders of the brain. Head injury, brain tumor, brain infection, or fluid blockage in the brain can cause brain edema.
- Burns. Severe burns also cause fluid to leak into tissues throughout the body.
- As with burns, severe infections can also cause fluid leakage.
- Disorders of the lymphatic system. The lymph flow system functions to clean excess fluid from the tissue. Damage to this system can cause fluid to accumulate.
- Drug side effects. Some types of drugs can cause side effects in the form of edema. Examples are antihypertensive drugs, corticosteroids, nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs), the hormone estrogen, and diabetes drugs.
In some cases, edema occurs without a clear cause (idiopathic edema). Edema like this is common in women, and can get worse with age.
Edema diagnosis
Doctors can suspect a patient has edema based on the symptoms present. Before carrying out the examination, the doctor needs to know in advance the medical history, including the drugs consumed by the patient. This information is very important to determine the cause of edema. Furthermore, a physical examination may be performed, including checking blood pressure, swollen areas, and the condition of the liver, kidneys, and heart.
To determine the cause of the edema, the following tests may be performed, including:
- Urine test or urinalysis.
- Blood tests, to check kidney function, liver, or albumin levels.
- Scan with ultrasound, MRI and echocardiography.
Edema Treatment
Treatment is carried out according to the cause of edema. Mild cases will resolve on their own. Several attempts can be made to reduce the symptoms of edema, namely:
- Lose weight if you are overweight. Many people with edema are overweight. By losing weight gradually, the edema condition can improve.
- Avoid sitting or standing for too long.
- Prop your feet up when you're lying down.
- Exercise regularly, such as walking or swimming.
- Reduce salt intake in food. Salt can increase fluid buildup and worsen edema.
- Use special stockings to prevent the legs from getting swollen.
For more severe edema, treatment is done with drugs. Edema caused by allergies, the patient can take anti-allergic drugs to treat swollen limbs. While edema due to damage to blood vessels due to blood clots, can be treated with blood thinners. While leg edema associated with heart failure or liver disease, the doctor gave diuretic drugs to increase the frequency of urination. Thus, the fluid can return to flow in the blood vessels
If edema occurs as a side effect of taking medication, the doctor can adjust the medication so it doesn't cause edema in the patient. In addition to reducing edema, treatment of the underlying disease is the mainstay of treatment, rather edema does not continue to form.
Edema Complications
If left untreated, edema can lead to the following complications:
- It's hard to walk.
- The pain gets worse.
- The skin is getting tighter, so it becomes itchy and uncomfortable.
- There are scars between the layers of tissue.
- The risk of open wounds or skin ulcers increases.
- The elasticity of blood vessels, joints, and muscles decreases.