Occasional leg swelling is fairly normal and typically harmless. However, if your symptoms worsen and become more frequent, leg swelling may indicate problems in your veins or overall health. Thankfully, Houston leg swelling services can help diagnose your condition and provide comprehensive treatments for your wellness.

Often, swelling in your legs and feet is caused by venous problems. However, many people don’t understand the link between swollen legs and vein problems. For this reason, this guide provides insights into everything you ought to know about leg swelling.

Leg swelling explained

Swollen legs can occur due to your lifestyle, injuries, or underlying conditions that affect your heart or blood vessels. Also known as edema, leg swelling occurs when excess fluids build up with small capillaries and leak into the surrounding tissues. This swelling can occur in your ankles, feet, calves, or thighs.

Generally, you can experience leg swelling alongside issues like leg wounds, skin discoloration, or varicose veins. Swollen legs usually require immediate evaluation to prevent severe consequences. Untreated swollen legs increase your risk of infections and leg ulcers.

When does leg edema warrant visiting a doctor?

Since various factors may contribute to your swollen legs, seeking regular diagnostic evaluation is important. Typically, any swelling that occurs on both your legs signifies fluid retention. However, it’s essential to visit a doctor to get clarity.

If you experience leg swelling accompanied by leg pain, dizziness, chest pain, or shortness of breath, don’t hesitate to get a medical evaluation. Additionally, recurrent leg swelling is a warning sign of vascular problems. Also, leg swelling that doesn’t resolve with rest calls for immediate treatment.

Why are my legs swollen?

Leg swelling can be related to leading a sedentary lifestyle, weight gain, or excessive salt intake. Persistent leg edema, though, can be attributed to more severe venous problems. Mostly, leg edema often occurs as a result of venous reflux or lymphedema.

Both venous reflux and lymphedema involve blood vessel damage, leading to fluid buildup and leg swelling. Other conditions leading to swollen legs include congestive heart failure and deep-vein thrombosis. These issues require immediate diagnosis and treatments to address the underlying conditions.

Are there any lifestyle factors that can improve leg edema?

Mild cases of leg swelling can improve with certain lifestyle adjustments. Usually, this involves rest and elevating the affected leg. Also, wearing a medical-grade compression stocking can improve moderate to severe leg swelling.

Getting sufficient gentle exercises can as well alleviate leg edema. But if your situation doesn’t improve with any of these lifestyle changes, you require comprehensive assessment and treatment. When your legs become puffy, and the skin appears visibly stretched and shiny, you could suffer from chronic venous insufficiency or deep vein thrombosis.

How can you treat leg swelling?

Your treatment will be based on the underlying cause of your symptoms. First, your doctor will perform an ultrasound evaluation to identify the specific cause of your leg edema. You will receive a customized treatment plan for your specific issue, depending on your test results.

If your swollen legs result from venous reflux, your treatment involves removing the unhealthy veins using vein ablation or phlebectomy. Leg edema caused by lymphedema can improve with leg elevation, physical activity, and compression socks. The good thing is that despite the reason behind your swollen legs, working with a doctor guarantees you the best care.

Regardless of what causes leg swelling, the condition isn’t normal and requires advanced medical attention. Treatments for leg edema aren’t a one-fix-for-all patient. Vascular specialists have extensive experience providing a treatment strategy that fits your needs.

Have you been struggling with swollen, painful legs and problematic veins? Your suffering duration has come to an end. Hit the ball rolling and book your treatment session today!