Don’t Ignore These 8 Serious Reasons For Swelling!
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Remember those old boots you’d bought that you promised yourself you’d wear to every dinner party to come? It would be a damn right shame to miss out on them because suddenly your feet have swollen. Here are eight things you don’t want to ignore if you want your feet (and the rest of your body) exactly the way they were when you bought those boots!
1. Salt
The recommended salt per day for adults is 8.1g (1). Any more and your body starts storing up fluid for future use. Eat the right amount of salt and make sure you keep yourself hydrated.
What you could do: If you think your food is too bland with the amount of salt you have, try adding some spices or maybe some herbs.
2. Allergy
Sometimes you get a swelling, and it just goes away on it’s own without any explanation. But if you’re dealing with a rash alongside that swelling, then you might be in for some trouble. Swellings with rashes usually point towards an allergy, and allergies are not to be ignored.
What you could do: Antihistamines help but beyond that, you need a doctor’s attention as soon as possible.
3. Hormones
Boy, you wouldn’t believe the number of reasons that fluid accumulates in the body. Hormones get in on the act too! Hormonal imbalance causes various problems such as rhinitis (2). Not only your nose, but various other parts of your body can swell up too. Remember those boots from the beginning of the article? Well, hormones play a part too.
What you could do: Visit your gynecologist, the best place for advice. Otherwise, change your diet. Do you like sweet, spice, and the all-killing salt? Change it around a little bit. Cut it down to a minimum and you should be just fine.
4. Kidney Disease
Ever had a swelling on your face that appears only in the morning? Well, you might be in for some trouble. And we’re talking the kidney-kind. Other signs include a change in the color of your urine and back pain.
What you could do: Avoid sleeping on your stomach. You’d be surprised how this basic change can improve chances of kidney problems. And if you think it’s really getting bad, don’t be afraid to visit a nephrologist.
5. Heart Disease
Do you have shortness of breath? Combine that with chest pain and fatigue, and you might be in for some heart trouble. There’s no need to panic, but watch out for the obvious signs: pain in the chest, labored breathing, and fatigue are all genuine symptoms of heart afflictions.
What you could do: There is only one thing to do in these situations: visit a heart specialist, i.e., a cardiologist. Do not fall for any mumbo-jumbo healer.
6. Medicine
Medicine isn’t a science. Okay, it is. But things can go wrong with science too, that’s why it hasn’t stopped – science keeps growing. And every medicine that you’re prescribed comes with side effects and a warning: maybe these pills work but they’re not for you. You don’t want a healed chest with a side of swollen feet, right?
What you could do: Visit your doctor, tell him what’s going wrong and he might be able to prescribe you an alternative. There is little you can do beyond that.
7. Lifestyle
It’s the 21st century, and most likely, you’re reading this on a mobile device, sitting down. Your job pays you to sit at a desk in front of a computer and get on with whatever it is that your boss says you’ve got to do. Doesn’t seem like a very healthy lifestyle, does it? But we all do it, from teens on their phones to balding men in a midlife crisis.
What you could do: You have to move around. Get your feet moving a little. Take a break every half an hour. Stop crossing your legs. If you stand a lot (and I cannot say this enough) – sit. Try massaging your feet. And don’t get stingy when it comes to footwear. Buy the right shoes, go for the compression socks. You do NOT want swelling.
8. Dehydration
Your body is smart. When you cut down its water supply, it starts to store it for later. Life is nothing without water and your body knows that. Your hands, feet, abdomen, and other places begin to accumulate water, which you do not want.
What you could do: Drink more water! It’s that simple. Various studies show that we need anywhere between 1.2 to 3 liters of water per day.
With these eight things in mind, we hope that the only thing swelling is your excitement for a healthy body. Body swelling is not to be ignored, you never know the underlying cause and its side effects. Worst case scenario: go to your general physician. Take care of yourself.
