What causes foot swelling?
Disease description:
I am 45 years old this year, and my health has generally been quite good. However, recently I don't know what's happened—both of my feet have become swollen. When pressed, there's a small indentation that takes a while to recover. My shoes feel tight, and walking feels somewhat uncomfortable. What could be causing this? Why are my feet experiencing edema?
Doctor's answer (1)
Dr. Chen Jian
Foot swelling, known as lower extremity edema, can be caused by various factors.
1. Prolonged sitting or standing: Maintaining the same posture for extended periods, especially sitting or standing for long durations, may affect blood circulation in the lower limbs, leading to blood accumulation and subsequent swelling.
2. Kidney disease: Abnormal kidney function, such as nephritis or nephrotic syndrome, can result in significant loss of protein through urine, reducing plasma protein levels and decreasing osmotic pressure, which causes fluid to leak out of blood vessels and form edema.
3. Cirrhosis: Patients with advanced cirrhosis may develop lower limb edema due to hypoalbuminemia and portal hypertension.
4. Medications: Certain drugs, such as calcium channel blockers, estrogen, and nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs), may cause lower extremity edema.
