How To Reduce Swelling In Ankles And Feet?

by | Last updated on January 24, 2024

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  1. Put your legs on pillows to raise them above your heart while lying down.
  2. Exercise your legs. …
  3. Follow a low-salt diet, which may reduce fluid buildup and swelling.
  4. Wear support stockings (sold at most drugstores and medical supply stores).
  5. When traveling, take breaks often to stand up and move around.

What does it mean if your feet and ankles are swollen?


The abnormal buildup of fluid in the body is called edema

. Edema is commonly seen in the feet and ankles, because of the effect of gravity, swelling is particularly noticeable in these locations. Common causes of edema are prolonged standing, prolonged sitting, pregnancy, being overweight, and increase in age.

How do I get rid of fluid in my legs and feet?

  1. Movement. Moving and using the muscles in the part of your body affected by edema, especially your legs, may help pump the excess fluid back toward your heart. …
  2. Elevation. …
  3. Massage. …
  4. Compression. …
  5. Protection. …
  6. Reduce salt intake.

What makes swollen ankles go down?

Elevate when possible:

Allowing the fluid to drain out of your ankle when sitting or lying down

will help reduce swelling. Use a footstool or other supports to raise your legs as often as possible. Foot exercises: There are exercises for your feet and ankles that promote better movement and better circulation.

What is a good home remedy for swollen ankles?

  • Drink 8 to 10 glasses of water per day. …
  • Buy compression socks. …
  • Soak in a cool Epsom salt bath for about 15 to 20 minutes. …
  • Elevate your feet, preferably above your heart. …
  • Get moving! …
  • Magnesium supplements can be helpful for some people. …
  • Make some dietary changes. …
  • Lose weight if you’re overweight.

Can swollen ankles be serious?

Swollen ankles and swollen feet are common and usually not cause for concern, particularly if you have been standing or walking a lot. But

feet and ankles that stay swollen or are accompanied by other symptoms could signal a serious health problem

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Can dehydration cause swollen ankles?

Stay Hydrated –

dehydration causes the constriction of blood vessels leading to the forcing of fluids into the extracellular spaces between cells leading to retention particularly in the lower limbs

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Does walking help swollen ankles?

Tips to reduce ankle and foot swelling

Simple lifestyle changes — such as exercise and weight loss — also can help reduce or prevent swelling while also improving your overall health, says Dr. Botek.

She suggested activities such as walking and swimming.

What happens if edema is left untreated?

If left untreated, edema can lead to

increasingly painful swelling, stiffness, difficulty walking, stretched or itchy skin, skin ulcers, scarring, and decreased blood circulation

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How do you get rid of water retention overnight?

  1. Reduce sodium (salt) intake. Share on Pinterest Water weight may feel uncomfortable and cause bloating or puffiness in the body. …
  2. Drink more water. While counterintuitive, drinking water can actually reduce water weight. …
  3. Reduce carbohydrate intake. …
  4. Supplements. …
  5. Exercise. …
  6. Water pills.

How long should I elevate my feet to reduce swelling?

Body positioning — Leg, ankle, and foot edema can be improved by elevating the legs above heart level for

30 minutes three or four times per day

. Elevating the legs may be sufficient to reduce or eliminate edema for people with mild venous disease, but more severe cases require other measures.

How do you get rid of water retention fast?

  1. Exercise on a Regular Basis. Share on Pinterest. …
  2. Sleep More. …
  3. Stress Less. …
  4. Take Electrolytes. …
  5. Manage Salt Intake. …
  6. Take a Magnesium Supplement. …
  7. Take a Dandelion Supplement. …
  8. Drink More Water.

What is a natural remedy for swollen legs?


Keep an ice pack on your legs for about 20 minutes every hour over the first 3 days after symptoms start

. Avoid using heat, as it may make swelling worse. Compression. Wrap an elastic bandage around your legs or wear compression stockings, which use pressure to keep swelling down.

How do you drain fluid from your legs?

  1. Compression – wearing special clothing or bandages that gently squeeze the part of your body that’s affected and encourage the fluid to drain away.
  2. Massage – a special type of massage called Manual Lymphatic Drainage encourages the fluid to drain away.

What foods to avoid when you have swollen feet?

To reduce swelling all over your body, podiatrist, Dr. Paul Ross near Rockville, MD recommends that you avoid

fast food, potato chips and packaged sweets

. Watch out for sneaky sources of sodium like condiments, sauces and canned food. Fruits and veggies are a staple of a bloat-free diet.

What foods reduce swelling in feet?

  • Vegetables. Tomatoes. …
  • Nuts. Almonds. …
  • Fatty fish. Salmon. …
  • Fruits. Strawberries. …
  • Coffee.

Does baking soda help swollen feet?

Baking Soda and Rice Water


Use them for 15-20 minutes to relieve swollen feet

. The baking soda provides the anti-inflammatory properties that help in bringing down the inflammation and also relives the pain; The rice water sponges up the fluid accumulation in the feet.

How do I get rid of fluid in my ankle?

  1. Put your legs on pillows to raise them above your heart while lying down.
  2. Exercise your legs. …
  3. Follow a low-salt diet, which may reduce fluid buildup and swelling.
  4. Wear support stockings (sold at most drugstores and medical supply stores).
  5. When traveling, take breaks often to stand up and move around.

How can you tell if your ankle is swollen and your heart is related?

Swelling in the Legs, Ankles, or Feet


Swelling (edema) in your lower legs is another sign of a heart problem

. When your heart doesn’t work as well, blood flow slows and backs up in the veins in your legs. This causes fluid to build up in your tissues.

Can High BP cause swollen ankles?

Your ankles can swell up after a long flight or from standing up for a long period of time, especially in hot weather.

Swollen ankles can occur as a side effect of some high blood pressure medicines

, for example calcium channel blockers.

Can high blood pressure cause swelling in feet?


Uncontrolled hypertension can also lead to heart disease, which may present as swelling in your feet and legs

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Why do my ankles swell during the day and go down at night?


Lymphoedema is swelling which is due to a build up of lymph in the limbs if the fluid is not draining out properly

. To start with, the swelling is often noticeable at the end of the day and goes down at night.

Does swollen ankles mean heart failure?

Congestive heart failure.

If you have congestive heart failure, one or both of your heart’s lower chambers lose their ability to pump blood effectively. As a result,

blood can back up in your legs, ankles and feet, causing edema

. Congestive heart failure can also cause swelling in your abdomen.

What causes fat ankles?

What Causes Cankles? Cankles can form due to a variety of reasons: Genetics can influence the distribution of fat within the body, predetermining the likelihood of developing cankles.

Weight gain as a result of diet or pregnancy

could lead to cankles developing due to the increased size of fat cells at the ankles.

Will Epsom salts help swollen feet?

Specifically, if you’re suffering from sore muscles and joint pain caused by arthritis or other bone-related ailments, soaking your feet in Epsom Salt could offer you lots of benefits and relief.

You might also try an Epsom Salt foot bath to decrease swelling triggered by a foot injury

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Rebecca Patel
Author
Rebecca Patel
Rebecca is a beauty and style expert with over 10 years of experience in the industry. She is a licensed esthetician and has worked with top brands in the beauty industry. Rebecca is passionate about helping people feel confident and beautiful in their own skin, and she uses her expertise to create informative and helpful content that educates readers on the latest trends and techniques in the beauty world.