What causes swollen feet?

Quick Overview: Swollen Feet

What can cause swollen feet? Triggers can be long periods of standing or sitting, heat, pregnancy, certain medications or diseases such as venous insufficiency.

Can swollen feet be caused by the heart? Yes, swollen feet can be a symptom of heart failure, especially when accompanied by shortness of breath and fatigue.

Which home remedies help against swollen feet? Elevating the legs, cold foot baths, massages and compression stockings can help reduce swelling and discomfort.

What role does diet play in swollen feet? A low-salt diet, adequate fluid intake and avoiding alcohol can help reduce water in the feet.

Article contents at a glance:

What are swollen feet and who is affected?

It is a build-up of fluid in the tissue of the feet, which can lead to visible enlargement and often discomfort. People who sit or stand a lot for work often have swollen feet and ankles in the evening, and their legs feel heavy and can be painful. Sometimes the swelling is so severe that shoes no longer fit.

The phenomenon occurs more frequently with increasing age and in high temperatures, and pregnant women are also often affected. In general, women suffer from swollen feet much more often than men.

Swollen feet: causes and risk factors

In most cases, an age-related loss of tissue tension is responsible for swollen legs: the venous valves can no longer close properly, causing blood to build up in the veins, resulting in spider veins and varicose veins. Over time, the vein walls become overly stressed and permeable due to the accumulated blood and natural gravity. The escaping fluid sinks into the surrounding tissue and forms lymphedema. If left untreated, this venous weakness (venous insufficiency) can lead to skin and vein inflammation or open legs.

The fact that women are significantly more likely to suffer from swollen feet than men is due to their weaker connective tissue: the leg veins do not get enough support and expand excessively. The hormonal changes during pregnancy increase this effect on the blood vessels. High temperatures can also cause the feet to swell: the veins then expand to release heat and thus keep the body temperature constant.

Even after standing or sitting for a long time, the veins are unable to transport blood back to the heart properly; lack of exercise is a common cause. And in some cases, very overweight people develop fat deposits in their legs, which prevent blood from flowing out of their feet.

Diseases as triggers

It is much rarer for swollen feet to be caused by a serious illness. These include, for example:

The cause of recurring or permanent swelling in the feet should therefore definitely be clarified by a doctor.

Home remedies: What helps against swollen feet?

If you only suffer from swollen feet occasionally – for example on hot days or after sitting for a long time – you can relieve the lower extremities by putting your legs up. This allows blood and fluid to flow back and can also prevent lymphedema.

Cooling the legs, ankles and feet also provides relief because this causes the blood vessels to contract and improves blood flow to the tissue. However, these measures only combat the symptoms, not the causes of the swollen feet.

Treatment of swollen feet

The treatment depends on the underlying disease. If a venous disease is the cause of the swollen feet, the following treatment options are possible:

• Compression stockings: They support the return transport of blood to the heart and reduce the risk of water retention, lymphedema, spider veins and varicose veins.

• Destruction: If spider veins or varicose veins are already present, they can be treated with cauterization. Sclerotherapy damages the walls of the diseased veins so that they stick together and no blood can flow through them. Other, healthy veins then take over the blood circulation.

• Vein stripping: During a procedure called stripping, the diseased vein is pulled out of the leg using a wire during an operation.

If a lymphatic vessel disease is the cause of the swollen feet, doctors may prescribe lymphatic drainage: the accumulated fluid is transported upwards from the lymphatic systems of the legs using a special massage technique.

If swollen feet are a symptom of heart, kidney, liver or thyroid disease, the underlying disease must be treated adequately, for example with medication.

Diagnosis of swollen feet

The first port of call is the GP’s practice, from where, if necessary, you will be referred to a specialist in phlebology or cardiology. In a detailed conversation (anamnesis), the symptoms, medical history and any hereditary predisposition to venous diseases are first asked about. The heart is listened to and an ECG is written, and a blood count is used to record kidney, liver and thyroid values.

If venous disease is suspected, special phlebological examinations are carried out to record the blood flow in the veins or check the function of the venous valves.

Course and prognosis

Often, swollen feet are simply the result of acute overload caused by high temperatures, long periods of sitting or standing. In these cases, they disappear on their own, helped by cooling and elevating the feet.

Sometimes, however, swollen feet are caused by a serious illness. If they occur repeatedly or without any apparent cause, you should definitely seek help from a doctor. If left untreated, venous diseases can lead to serious complications – such as skin and vein inflammation or open legs.

It should also be clarified whether heart failure or another illness could be the cause of the swollen feet.

How can swollen feet be prevented?

If you want to avoid problems with swollen feet, you should avoid sitting and standing for long periods. Regular exercise and a balanced diet also prevent the development of excess weight, which is considered a risk factor for the development of edema. With targeted exercises for the leg muscles, the veins can be relieved and stabilized from the outside.

Drinking a lot boosts your metabolism and ensures a balanced fluid ratio in the body. You should also pay attention to your salt intake. When choosing trousers and shoes, you should make sure they are airy and comfortable so that your feet are not unnecessarily constricted and blood flow in your legs is not inhibited.