Swelling of the legs: causes and treatment - drug treatment of swelling of the lower extremities

What is leg swelling

Swelling of the legs is an external manifestation of the accumulation of fluid in the body. At the same time, the limb itself noticeably increases in size, the skin on it becomes loose, and when pressed, dents appear that do not disappear instantly.

Swelling usually occurs in the evening, although it can still cause discomfort the next morning. It is localized:

in the feet;
in the ankles;
in the legs;
from socks to knee.

Depending on the reasons, either one leg or both may swell. Symmetrical distribution often indicates generalized edema, which may be a symptom of a life-threatening condition.

If this trouble appears rarely, then you can fight it with folk remedies. The regularity of occurrence indicates a disease of the internal organs. Therefore, it is important to establish the nature of the swelling.

Symptoms of knee swelling

Swelling can be internal and external. With the development of external edema, an accumulation of fluid under the skin and an increase in the size of the knee are immediately visible. Internal swelling causes acute pain, as it puts pressure on the constituent elements of the knee structure and limits their functions.

Main symptoms of swelling:

the knee increases in diameter;
seals appear;
as inflammation develops, the skin of the leg slightly higher and around the entire knee becomes noticeably warmer than other tissues;
movement becomes difficult, especially when bending and straightening the legs at the knees;
severe pain appears.

If there are symptoms of swelling, the doctor prescribes a comprehensive diagnosis:

Ultrasound of joints;
CT;
MRI;
X-ray examination;
puncture of the synovial cavity;
arthroscopy.

The direction of treatment depends on the diagnostic results. First of all, you should relieve swelling of the knee joint, whether it is arthrosis, arthritis or another disease.

After a simple injury, classical methods of local treatment are used. If surgical treatment is required after an injury, folk remedies help remove the tumor from the knee after the operation, as they are the most gentle and harmless.

Causes of leg swelling

When there is too much fluid in the tissues, it means that there is a malfunction in the functioning of the body. Most often, swelling is caused by:

protein metabolism disorder;
damage to cell membranes, increasing their permeability;
changes in pressure differences in tissues and vessels;
impaired blood circulation.

There are many reasons for such failures. Some are temporary (allergic reaction, bruise, infection). Others indicate the development of pathologies of the lower extremities (varicose veins, thrombophlebitis). Still others indicate serious diseases of the internal organs (heart, kidneys, lymphatic system).

A person cannot independently determine why his foot is swollen: because of uncomfortable shoes or because of a blocked blood vessel. Therefore, you should not postpone a visit to the doctor for subsequent treatment.

How dangerous is the disease?

Arthritis of the knee joint is dangerous because it leads to deformation and destruction of the articular surfaces - cartilage and bone tissue. As a result, the function of one of the main joints involved in movement is lost, and the person becomes disabled. The various signs of the disease vary from stage to stage.

Stages of knee arthritis

Any form of arthritis has serious complications, so you should not delay treatment.
See how easily the disease can be cured in 10-12 sessions.

There are 4 stages of disease development with the gradual formation of arthrosis and persistent dysfunction of the joint:

The initial stage is inflammatory.
Inflammation, swelling, and severe joint pain cause reversible movement disorders. The general condition of the patient is impaired.
Progressive - formation of pannus.
The acute inflammatory process subsides, granulations of loose connective tissue grow in the knee joint, covering the articular surface and destroying the cartilage. Pain during movement is associated with low-grade inflammation and destruction of cartilage tissue. These disorders are also reversible.
Ankylosing - the formation of fibrous ankylosis (immobility of the knee).
The connective tissue becomes dense and fuses with the bone surface, ensuring immobility. The course of the disease has an undulating nature: relapses alternate with remissions. Complete restoration of joint function is problematic.
Deforming - the formation of bone ankylosis and deformation of the knee joint.
In place of the connective tissue, bone grows, the knee is motionless, and it is impossible to restore its function.

Possible complications

Full or partial restoration of joint function is possible at any stage, but if you self-medicate, the consequences can be very sad:

in acute purulent knee arthritis
- melting of articular tissues, rapid formation of ankylosis, spread of a purulent inflammatory process to surrounding and distant organs and tissues;
in infectious diseases
- a chronic progressive course with the formation of ankylosis, persistent pain and dysfunction of the knee;
in rheumatoid arthritis
- spread of inflammation to small joints with persistent pain, joint deformation and disability.

Why does one leg swell?

If the swelling is asymmetrical, its cause is localized directly in the affected limb. Swelling may occur due to bruises on the legs or more serious injuries:

ankle joint injuries;
meniscus tear;
separation of the calf muscle;
bone fracture;
tissue compression.

Venous edema is also most often unilateral. Varicose veins cause fluid stagnation, but they are localized in one limb where the vessels are affected. This is indicated by the characteristic venous network.

Thrombophlebitis disrupts blood circulation, and at the same time the outflow of fluid from tissues. In this case, swelling is accompanied by other unpleasant symptoms: fever, pain, compaction in the blockage area.

Treatment with folk remedies

You can use folk remedies for swelling of the knee joint if you have diagnosed arthritis or arthrosis. A diagnostic examination should exclude the presence of injuries and an inflammatory process of an infectious nature.

You can try the following home remedies:

Take beets (1 piece) and grate them. Cinquefoil tincture (10 drops) is added to the mixture. Use the composition as a compress on the swollen area of the knee;
herbal mixture (cinquefoil, mint, eucalyptus) is brewed with boiling water. The resulting decoction copes with swelling (used for baths);
You can make lotions from clay (blue or green). Keep on the problem area for 2 or 3 hours;
honey, mustard and salt in equal proportions . This composition is used during acute arthritis.

You can relieve swelling of the knee joint when treated with folk remedies using burdock. The procedure is performed as follows:

prepare a burdock leaf (wash and rinse with hot water);
Apply vegetable oil to the problem area of the limb;
Place a burdock on the oiled knee, then cover the top with a plastic bag.

The compress lasts for half an hour.

When the knee joint is swollen, treatment with raw potatoes will help:

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potatoes need to be grated or chopped in a meat grinder;
put the resulting mass in a double gauze cloth to remove the juice;
the compress is applied below the knee.

A potato compress relieves swelling and relieves redness of the skin of the affected limb. Do not apply potato mass to infectious inflammations of the joint or after bruises.

Lemon juice (freshly squeezed) helps relieve puffiness . Like a potato compress, the lotion is applied below the level of swelling. If discomfort appears during the procedure, the compress should be removed.

If swelling of the knee joint due to arthrosis bothers you after physical activity, then in addition to homemade compresses and lotions, you need to review the daily menu. It is worth paying attention to products containing vitamin C , thanks to which the restoration of cartilage joint tissues will progress faster. When cooking, it is advisable to use vegetable oil rather than butter.

You can prepare a herbal decoction. They use nettle, mint, eucalyptus, and hops .

The main thing is not to miss the moment and seek medical help in a timely manner.

Why do both legs swell?

If by the end of the day both lower limbs are swollen, it means that excess fluid is present throughout the body. Most often this condition is caused by:

heat;
excessive fluid intake;
obesity;
uncomfortable shoes (tight, high heels, completely flat soles);
flat feet;
unhealthy diet (lots of salty and spicy foods in the diet);
standing on your feet for a long time or in an uncomfortable position.

Fluid stagnation in these cases is caused by improper load distribution. None of the above indicates a threat to life, and the swelling goes away in a day or two. For some, it is enough to take off their shoes and relax, while others resort to folk remedies to relieve discomfort. But symmetrically swollen legs can also indicate more serious diseases that require urgent treatment.

When general swelling indicates danger to life

Sometimes swelling of the lower extremities is a symptom of a general imbalance in the body's hydrobalance. In the case of heart failure, the body's main muscle cannot cope with pumping blood. The fluid in the body is distributed unevenly, and too much accumulates at the bottom. If the patient stands or sits in one position for a long time, his feet and legs swell.

Kidney failure can also lead to swelling. It appears not only on the legs, but also on the arms, face (mainly under the eyes), and abdominal wall.

If cardiac edema develops gradually (over weeks), then renal edema develops very quickly. With cardiac diseases, the skin becomes colder, with kidney diseases it maintains a normal temperature.

Fluid retention can also be caused by lymphedema, which is damage to the lymphatic vessels. The swelling in this case is dense; after pressing on the skin, there is no indentation.

How do the various clinical forms of knee arthritis occur?

The course of various clinical forms of knee arthritis has its own characteristics.

Acute purulent drive

Symptoms of the disease develop at lightning speed, within a few hours. High fever, chills, muscle pain, headache. The periarticular tissues of the affected knee joint swell, and the skin over it turns red. The pain is very severe, the pain syndrome increases as purulent inflammatory fluid accumulates in the knee.

Acute purulent arthritis of the knee joint

A general blood test shows signs of an acute inflammatory process; an x-ray shows narrowing of the joint space, foci of destruction of cartilage and bone tissue. Ultrasound reveals an increase in the volume of inflammatory joint fluid. When a joint is punctured, a cloudy exudate with a putrid odor is removed. Acute purulent arthritis of the knee joint can result in complete recovery or be complicated by deforming arthrosis and disability.

The patient's condition may be serious. The patient requires hospitalization and emergency medical care.

Post-traumatic

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Joint pain at rest

The inflammatory process begins with damage to the inner shell of the joint capsule - synovitis. Slight swelling and tenderness in the knee area limit its movement. All symptoms of post-traumatic arthritis appear within a few hours after the injury. The general condition does not suffer. The course of synovitis is favorable if infection does not occur. Infection from the outside through wounds or through blood flow from distant foci contributes to the development of purulent gonitis. X-rays sometimes show widening of the joint space.

Infectious

Arthritis of the knee joint can develop from a variety of bacterial, fungal, viral and parasitic infections. Each of these diseases has its own characteristics:

Gonorrheal drives.
It begins acutely 14–21 days after a sexually transmitted infection. Fever appears and the general condition of the patient is disrupted. Usually one knee is affected, it swells, the skin over it turns red, and severe pain appears. In the future, in the absence of adequate treatment, the process can take a chronic course with the rapid formation of deformity and ankylosis and disability. With timely treatment, the outcome is favorable - complete recovery.
Tuberculosis drives.
It begins gradually and has a chronic course with exacerbations and remissions. The pain is minor at first, but gradually increases. Redness and swelling of the periarticular tissues are not pronounced and appear only during an exacerbation, at which time fever may appear. Muscle atrophy (decrease in volume) increases - one leg is thinner than the other, and excess hair growth is observed on the affected limb (hypertrichosis). Movement is limited due to pain. In advanced stages - dislocations and subluxations, breakthroughs of discharge from the articular cavity onto the surface of the skin (fistulas). Gradual complete destruction of the joint and disability.

You should know: even severe infectious gonitis can be treated. In the early stages, they can be cured completely; in the later stages, they can suppress the progression of the pathological process and maintain a normal state. Therefore, seek medical help as soon as possible!

Rheumatoid

The disease is associated with autoimmune reactions (allergy to the patient’s own tissues). Damage to one knee joint in rheumatoid arthritis is rare. More often, polyarthritis develops with gonitis and damage to the small joints of the hand and foot. The disease progresses over a long period of time, in waves, with exacerbations and remissions.

The main sign of rheumatoid gonitis is swelling and redness of the tissue in the knee area and severe debilitating pain. Articular deformity and flexion contracture develop very quickly. Over time, knee stiffness and ankylosis develop.

Systematic correct treatment can stop the progression of rheumatoid gonitis.

Reactive

Reactive arthritis of the knee joint develops within a month after a genitourinary, intestinal or nasopharyngeal infection, mainly in genetically predisposed individuals. The knee swells, the skin over it turns red, and the body temperature rises. Often the course becomes chronic and relapsing. If left untreated, permanent impairment of motor function may occur. But more often the prognosis is favorable - complete recovery occurs.

Juvenile idiopathic

This diagnosis is made if it is impossible to determine the cause of the disease. It occurs mainly in childhood and adolescence in hereditarily predisposed children (more often in girls). The long wave-like course of juvenile arthritis with exacerbations and remissions gradually leads to the formation of ankylosis and early disability.

With timely treatment, it is possible to stop the progression of the process and return the child to normal life.

Psoriatic

Psoriatic arthritis of the knee

Drives with psoriasis can develop in one or both knees. Most often, the first signs of articular damage appear against the background of existing skin manifestations. But sometimes pain in the knee appears several years before the characteristic rashes appear. If characteristic lesions of the end joints of the fingers and nails appear simultaneously, then the diagnosis of psoriatic gonitis is beyond doubt. With a long course of gonitis, persistent ankylosis develops. Interestingly, no pannus is formed.

If symptoms of arthritis of the knee joint appear, treatment is prescribed by a dermatovenerologist together with a rheumatologist.

Gouty

Knee damage due to gout occurs due to the deposition of uric acid salts in the tissues. In the knee area, such a pathology is rare, but can occur acutely with severe pain, significant tissue swelling and redness of the skin. The leg cannot bend due to severe pain. The attack lasts several days, after which it passes without consequences. But with a long course of gout, gradual, persistent impairment of knee function is possible.

Deforming

Long-term chronic recurrent inflammation in the knee leads to the destruction of the cartilage tissue of the articular surfaces. This contributes to constant injury and proliferation of bone tissue. It can grow in the form of spines and marginal growths, deforming the knee and disrupting its function. Arthrosis-arthritis is gradually formed - a combination of inflammatory and degenerative joint processes. Movements in the knee are painful, especially with loads and prolonged standing. The function of the knee joint may be significantly impaired.

Chronic drives

Any form of gonitis can take a chronic course with exacerbations and remissions. This will inevitably lead to impaired joint function. This is why it is so important to promptly seek medical help if knee pain occurs.

Why do feet swell during pregnancy?

During pregnancy, the outflow of fluid is often disrupted. This is explained by large-scale changes occurring in the body:

weight gain;
changes in hormonal levels;
compression of the inferior vena cava by the enlarging uterus;
decreased mobility;
diet correction.

In most cases, swelling is considered as a variant of the physiological norm. There is no need to resort to drug treatment; it is enough to keep the situation under control. However, the spread of edema throughout the body can result in serious pathologies, such as preeclampsia.

The expectant mother should monitor the dynamics of the increase in calf circumference, blood pressure and the ratio of fluid consumed and excreted. The kidneys experience increased stress during pregnancy, so at the first alarming symptoms it is better to be examined by a nephrologist.

Treatment of leg swelling

The treatment package depends on the cause of the unpleasant symptom. If it is not associated with serious diseases, but is caused by improper distribution of the load, it is enough to locally relieve the swelling. This can be done at home.

If it is caused by local reactions (bruise, allergy, infection), then it is necessary to provide the victim with the necessary assistance:

treat the damaged area;
apply ice;
give medicine.

Sometimes this can be done at home, sometimes medical attention is required. After a few days, the swelling will disappear as the tissue heals.

Drug treatment under the supervision of a phlebologist is required for varicose veins and thrombophlebitis. If the disease is advanced, surgery may be required. After restoration of venous tone and normal blood circulation, external symptoms will disappear.

The most common causes of knee swelling

Most often, the knee swells and hurts due to the following reasons:

tendonitis (inflammatory process in the tendons). Tendons are thick fibers of connective tissue. With the help of these fibers, muscles are attached to bones. When the tendons become injured or inflamed, the knee begins to hurt and swell;
knee ligament injury. Severe swelling and sharp pain may occur in the knee area due to sprained or torn ligaments;
A knee injury is usually accompanied by redness, swelling and pain during movement;
osteoporosis of the knee is accompanied by pain and swelling of varying degrees of severity;
displacement of the kneecap is very often accompanied by discomfort and swelling;
septic arthritis is manifested by sharp pain, redness and even fever;
rheumatoid arthritis manifests itself as a constantly swollen knee and aching pain;
bursitis or inflammation of the joint capsule. This disease is manifested by pronounced swelling and severe pain when trying to bend the affected leg at the knee;
gout. If the cause of the tumor lies in this disease, then the knee may periodically swell and be very painful for several days, and then suddenly subside, and so on until the next time.

How to relieve swelling after a bruise

Treatment for a leg bruise usually comes down to eliminating pain and swelling. The swelling in this case is caused by damage to the blood vessels and the accumulation of fluid from them under the skin. The latter puts pressure on the nerve endings, hence the pain. So eliminating swelling also helps to get rid of unpleasant sensations.

You can help a bruised limb at home:

stretch and provide peace;
apply a wet towel, ice or a heating pad with cold water;
apply a tight bandage.

You can also resort to drug treatment. External agents containing troxerutin or heparin will help. They strengthen capillaries, optimize blood viscosity and relieve inflammation.

Bone marrow edema of the knee joint

Treatment for bone marrow edema of the knee joint depends on the type of pathology, which can be:

The first type of pathology is accompanied by such symptoms as pain, jamming during physical activity, knee instability and swelling. For severe injuries that cause swelling, arthroscopy is prescribed. During the operation, the cruciate ligament is restored and the damaged meniscal area is removed.

In case of perifocal damage, both traditional treatment methods and surgical intervention can be used.

How to relieve leg swelling caused by heat

The best medicine in this case is gravity. Arriving home and throwing away the shoes that have become a vice, it is enough to lie down and place your feet higher (at a minimum - on several pillows, at a maximum - against the wall).

When it becomes easier to move, you need to take a shower. Ideally, a contrasting one that trains blood vessels, but you can limit yourself to just cool. In this case, you should direct the pressure to the feet: such a hydromassage will restore blood circulation.

You can disperse the fluid with light exercises: pulling the toe towards you and away from you, rotating your feet, squatting. But if you don’t have the strength to do this, and your legs hurt, it’s better not to torture them.

Foot baths are also useful. Even plain water will provide relief, but you can enhance the effects with additives. This could be sea salt or herbal infusions. Compresses made from cabbage leaves or bandages soaked in a decoction of birch leaves improve the condition of the limbs.

How to treat inflammation of the knee joint

Treatment of inflammation of the knee joint is aimed at relieving pain, eliminating swelling and preventing complications. It is also important to restore metabolism and microcirculation of blood in the periarticular tissues, protect cartilage tissue from destruction and stimulate its restoration.

Comprehensive treatment of inflammation of the knee joints will give the most lasting result in getting rid of pain.

In the early stages, purely conservative treatment of inflammation in the knee joint is carried out:

pharmacotherapy;
physiotherapy;
diet therapy.

If there are large foci of erosion, cracks and chips in the cartilage, massive accumulations of exudate, as well as overgrowing of the joint space with osteophytes, surgical treatment of inflammation in the knee joint is carried out using:

punctures;
cartilage polishing;
arthroscopy;
periarticular osteotomy;
partial or complete endoprosthetics.

Injecting synovial fluid into the prosthetic joint also helps relieve inflammation.

In addition to the main treatment, you need to adhere to the recommendations of doctors regarding the orthopedic regimen:

wear comfortable low-heeled shoes;
try not to sit for a long time in a cross-legged position;
strengthen your muscles and relieve stress on your knees using the “bicycle” exercise as soon as possible;
dress for the weather.

Physiotherapy

Physiotherapeutic techniques for inflammation of the knee joint are aimed at combating swelling, pain and trophic disorders, normalizing blood circulation and metabolism, strengthening muscles and ligaments, and restoring mobility to the joint. For this we use:

low frequency pulse currents (amplipulse);
UHF therapy (ultra-high frequency currents);
electrophoresis (with drugs for inflammation of the knee joints);
ultrasound therapy;
radon, hydrogen sulfide baths and other balneological procedures;
cryotherapy;
paraffin therapy.

Before a course of physical therapy, you need to get a doctor's referral: some techniques can only increase inflammation.

Massage

Massage for inflammation in the knee is indicated only after the exacerbation has resolved. If the skin is sensitive and painful, there is an untreated injury, any massage effect is strictly contraindicated!

In other cases, patients are recommended to undergo therapeutic classical and lymphatic drainage massage from a rehabilitation specialist. The standard therapeutic course is 10 sessions.

With the doctor's permission, light self-massage with external medications for inflammation in the knee joints can be done at home to improve tissue trophism. You need to massage not the sore knee itself, but the entire leg from the hip to the ankle joint, performing rotational movements without strong pressure for 10-15 minutes. Even if inflammation was diagnosed in only one knee, both need to be massaged. The massage should be performed once a day and stopped at the first discomfort.

Exercise therapy

Therapeutic exercises after inflammation of the knee joint are performed with the greatest care and under the supervision of an instructor. You can start exercises in the complete absence of pain (including when bending) and muscle atony, as well as effusion in the joint. The loads are constantly increasing, and rehabilitation involves 3 stages.

Passive strengthening (up to 1.5 months).
- The patient sits on the floor with a straight back, legs straight. The kneecap slowly rises up by the tension of the femoral muscles, and is fixed at the top point for several seconds.
I.p. - lying on your stomach, legs straight, arms along the body. Bend the leg at the knee joint 45-90 degrees and hold for 5 seconds.
Active rehabilitation (1.5-2 months).
- We perform shallow squats as far as the condition of the joint allows.
Preferably: swings with an expander (we fasten the loop on the foot, and fasten the expander at a level of approximately 20 cm from the floor). I.p. - standing, hands on your belt, back straight. When performing, we try to pull the toe towards ourselves.
Final rehabilitation (up to 4 months).
At this stage, training on a simulator is recommended. If this is not possible, do the following exercises:
- I.p. - sitting on a chair, back straight. Bend and straighten your legs until a burning sensation or pulsation appears.
I.p. - standing in front of a chair, hands on the back. Holding your back, gradually squat so that your thigh is perpendicular to the floor.

Treatment of leg swelling due to heart or kidney failure

Patients with heart or kidney failure should be under the supervision of a physician. In acute attacks, resuscitation is required. If the disease takes a chronic form, swelling is removed as it appears with the help of diuretics and nutritional correction. Medicines should:

stabilize blood pressure;
remove excess sodium from the body;
prevent protein loss;
normalize blood flow speed.

When using diuretics (diuretics), it is important not to exceed the permissible dosage. Otherwise, there is a risk of getting the opposite effect in the form of drug-induced edema during withdrawal. They are caused by the kidneys’ reaction to a sudden change in the mode of fluid excretion.

Traditional medicine in the treatment of knees

When the knee is swollen and painful, treatment with folk remedies gives positive results if carried out regularly and always on the recommendation of the attending physician. It is difficult to completely recover from joint diseases, but you should not give up.

Effective folk recipes.

Tincture of fresh chestnut fruits . Peel 300 g horse chestnuts and chop. Pour into a 0.5 liter glass bottle and top up with homemade vodka. Close the lid tightly. Keep for 2 weeks in a dark place at room temperature. Shake the contents periodically. Strain the finished tincture and use it for warming rubs or compresses.

The course of treatment is 1 month, repeat the course according to the seasons, this will relieve the person from meteorological dependence.

Tincture of elecampane. Pour 100 g of dried crushed root into a 0.5 liter glass bottle, top up with vodka. Place in a dark, warm place for 2 days. Strain the finished tincture and use it to make rubbing or warming compresses. When using potions with elecampane, it is necessary to lubricate the skin with vegetable oil - this will prevent burns.

Burdock leaf compress . Press down a few leaves with a pan of hot, but not boiling, water. Spread the heated burdocks with vegetable oil and stick to the area of swelling on the knee. Cover with cellophane, wrap in warm clothes and leave overnight. Treatment can last 2 months. The compress helps relieve swelling of the knee due to arthrosis.

An infusion of a mixture of herbs. Mix calendula flowers, mint, nettle, and willow leaves in equal parts. 2 tbsp. l. pour the collection into a thermos and pour 0.9 liters of boiling water. Leave it on all night. Strain the finished infusion, take 120 ml 3 times a day, regardless of meals, or instead of water. The course of treatment is 2 months.

Rubbing with animal fats . Swelling of the joints is well relieved by rubbing with pork, badger, and bear fat. You need to rub the problem areas in the evening for the whole night and wrap them in warm clothes.

Blue clay compresses. Dilute the clay with water to a plasticine-like mass. Place the finished cake on the affected area and leave in a warm place for 2-3 hours. After the compress, remove the clay in a dark place: it can be used multiple times.

Lemon juice . Squeeze fresh lemon juice, moisten a multi-layer gauze bandage with it, and apply it behind the knee. Keep the compress for about 0.5 hours. If discomfort appears, remove the compress and wipe the sore spot with vegetable oil. For children, compresses with lemon juice are given in a 1:1 ratio with water.

Compresses with raw potatoes. Grate 2 raw potatoes or pass through a meat grinder. Transfer the mixture to a multi-layer gauze bandage. Place the compress on top or under the knee, hold until the mass naturally warms, immediately remove and apply a fresh cool portion.

Compress made from fresh white cabbage leaves. Apply the sheet to your knee for 15-20 minutes. Cabbage, with its natural freshness, cools the skin and relieves swelling. When a warming compress is needed, dip the cabbage in boiling water, then brush with honey. Wrap your knee in a warm sheet, cover with cling film and a warm blanket on top. Leave the compress on all night.

Using the same method, you can use coltsfoot leaves by warming them in water and spreading honey on the non-rough side.

Compress of aloe juice with black radish. Grate the radish and mix with aloe juice in a 1:1 ratio. Use for compresses as usual.

Flax seed compress. Heat the seeds in a hot frying pan and pour them into a cotton bag. Place the bag on a folded towel to keep it cool. Unroll the towel as it cools. When one layer remains, wrap it up to retain heat longer.

Preliminary rubbing of the knee with vodka is allowed. This enhances the anti-inflammatory effect and even relieves old inflammations. The compress should be kept for more than 10 minutes until it cools spontaneously. Place it daily at the same time.

Tincture of medicinal plants on triple cologne. Wash 100 dandelion or calendula flowers, dry in a cloth, pour into a glass container, pour in a bottle of Triple Cologne, and close with a tight lid. Leave for one and a half months in a cool, dark place. You need to shake the drug periodically. Rubbing cleanses blood vessels, gives room for blood movement, resolves inflammation, and relieves swelling.

There are many folk recipes. They all have different effects, so you should consult your doctor before use.

Relieving swelling during pregnancy

In the body of a woman carrying a fetus, the concentration of the hormone progesterone increases. It is one of the causes of edema during pregnancy. In no case should it be reduced, because it is this that ensures the attachment of the embryo.

There is no need to fight physiological swelling. The main thing is to prevent it from getting worse. To alleviate the symptoms, you can carry out the mentioned water procedures and adhere to a healthy lifestyle (moderate activity, water consumption within the daily norm, adjusted for restrictions imposed by pregnancy, rest on your side).

The pathological nature of edema can only be determined by a doctor based on test results (in particular, protein in the urine). Having discovered the cause, he will prescribe treatment. It is prohibited to take any medications on your own.

Approach to treating the disease in our clinic

The Paramita clinic has developed a unified approach to the treatment of knee arthritis. It includes:

Mandatory preliminary examination of the patient using the latest instrumental methods, including MRI.
Individual approach to the treatment of each patient.
Using two opposing approaches to treatment:
Eastern
- the traditional approach of doctors from China and Tibet, who consider the human body as a single whole, and the disease as an imbalance in the body; restoring balance leads to the elimination of pathology and overall improvement of the body; courses of acupuncture, moxotherapy, pharmacopuncture, herbal medicine, etc. are prescribed.

More detailed information about treatment methods at the clinic can be found on our website.

This approach to treatment allows the patient to quickly relieve pain, suppress the progression of the disease and restore joint function.

We combine proven techniques of the East and innovative methods of Western medicine.
Read more about our unique method of treating arthritis

Prevention

Swelling cannot always be prevented, since it can occur under the influence of uncontrollable factors. There is no way to prevent a bruise or insect bite. But in general, maintaining hydrobalance in the body is easy:

Observe the drinking regime: fully quench your thirst, but do not drink more than you should.
Stick to a diet during the hot season: minimize the consumption of salty and spicy foods, eat more fruits, drink tea with lemon instead of coffee.
Arrange water treatments: contrast showers, foot baths.
Move more: walking, swimming, aerobics do not allow fluid to stagnate.

In summer, you should avoid tight, high-heeled shoes. It is useful to periodically place your feet on an elevation so that fluid concentrated in the lower part of the body drains. There is no need to abuse medications. Urinary and antihypertensive drugs should be prescribed by a doctor. Any diseases that have a similar symptom must be treated in a timely manner.

Tokareva Lyudmila Georgievna, therapist, medical offices 36.6.

THERE ARE CONTRAINDICATIONS, BEFORE USE YOU MUST CONSULT WITH A SPECIALIST