Some pregnant women may experience swelling in certain body parts or edema. Swelling of the legs often makes pregnant women uncomfortable and difficult to move. How to solve it?
Swollen feet during pregnancy is actually a natural and normal thing. Pregnant women generally experience swelling at the knee down. In addition, there may also be swelling of the eyes, face, or hands.
One of the most common causes of swollen feet during pregnancy is changes in hormone levels. The release of hormones during pregnancy can trigger the body to retain more fluids and salt (sodium).
sportm How to Overcomei Swollen Legs During Pregnancy
In medical parlance, swelling of the feet, ankles, hands and arms is called peripheral edema.peripheral edema). Edema is formed when there is damage or increased pressure in the capillaries. As a result, fluid seeps from the capillaries into the surrounding organ tissue, causing swelling in the area.
Here are some ways you can do to deal with swollen feet during pregnancy:
- When sitting or sleeping, prop your feet with a pillow, the goal is to improve blood circulation.
- Generally, edema occurs in pregnant women who do not exercise enough. Therefore, pregnant women are advised to regularly do light exercise, such as swimming or walking.
- Avoid sitting or standing for too long.
- It's best to avoid hot temperatures, whether it's bathing with warm water, or being exposed to the scorching sun. However, if you feel cold, you can wear warm clothes.
- Avoid strenuous physical activity.
- Wear comfortable shoes when traveling.
- Reduce the use of salt in cooking. Eating salty foods can make edema worse.
Also, although there is little research on using water pressure for swollen feet and ankles, standing or walking in a pool seems to help with swollen feet during pregnancy, too.
Factor Other Causes of Swollen Legs Apart from Pregnancy
Swollen legs during pregnancy need to be watched out for, especially if accompanied by symptoms such as difficulty breathing, severe headache, vomiting, severe pain in the upper abdomen, and visual disturbances.
Swollen feet can also come from other factors. Are as follows:
- Varicose veins
- Diabetes
- Blood clotting
- Kidney illness
- Chronic lung disease, such as chronic bronchitis, emphysema, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD)
- Heart failure
- liver disease
- Arthritis or joint inflammation
- Thyroid disease
- Cyst or tumor
During pregnancy, it is important to have regular prenatal visits to the obstetrician to monitor the health of the mother and fetus. Routine check-ups are also useful for early detection of whether swollen feet during pregnancy is a normal condition or caused by other serious conditions, so that they can get the right treatment.