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What is Edema?
Edema occurs when tiny blood vessels in your body (capillaries) leak fluid. This leakage can result from damage to or increased pressure in the capillaries, or from lowered levels of serum albumin, a protein in your blood. When your body senses the capillaries are leaking, your kidneys begin to retain more sodium and water than normal to compensate for the lost fluid from your blood vessels. This increases the amount of fluid circulating through your body, which causes the capillaries to leak more. The fluid from the capillaries leaks into the surrounding tissue, causing the tissue to swell.
Read more on www.mayoclinic.com
Also known as swelling, Dropsy, Hydrops, anasarca
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Edema information from trusted sources:
Edema - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Edema (American English) or oedema (British English; both words from the Greek οἴδημα, oídēma "swelling"), formerly known as dropsy or hydropsy, ... Read more on
en.wikipedia.org
Edema: Symptoms - MayoClinic.com
Diagnosis and treatment of pulmonary edema differ from other forms of edema. Causes Definition ... Clinical manifestations and diagnosis of edema in adults. ... Read more on
www.mayoclinic.com
Edema: Types, Causes, Symptoms, and Treatment
WebMD gives an overview of edema, including the types of edema, causes, symptoms , and treatments. Read more on
www.webmd.com
Macular Edema, Diabetic: eMedicine Ophthalmology
Oct 7, 2010 ... Overview: The Early Treatment Diabetic Retinopathy Study (EDTRS) set the guidelines for the treatment of diabetic macular edema (DME). Read more on
emedicine.medscape.com
Edema
Edema (or Oedema) is the abnormal accumulation of fluid in certain tissues within the body. The accumulation of fluid may be under the skin - usually in dependent areas such as the legs (peripheral edema, or ankle edema), or it may accumulate in the lungs (pulmonary edema). The location of edema can provide the health care practitioner the first clues in regard to the underlying cause of the fluid accumulation. Read more on
www.emedicinehealth.com
EDEMA - DermAtlas: Dermatology Image Atlas with 11978 Dermatology ...
Aug 24, 2010 ... DermAtlas: Dermatology Images- trauma,nephrotic syndrome,edema,dermatology image ,dermatitis,dermatitis,compartment syndrome,chair induced ... Read more on
dermatlas.med.jhmi.edu
Dropsy
Edema means swelling caused by fluid in your body's tissues. It usually occurs in the feet, ankles and legs, but it can involve your entire body. Causes of edema include Read more on
www.nlm.nih.gov
Contents
Complications
If left untreated, edema can cause: Increasingly painful swelling; Difficulty walking; Stiffness; Stretched skin, which can become itchy and uncomfortable; Increased risk of infection in the swollen area; Scarring between layers of tissue; Fibrous deposits in tissues; Decreased blood circulation; Decreased elasticity of arteries, veins, joints and muscles; Increased risk of skin breakdown (ulceration)
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www.mayoclinic.com
Lifestyle and home remedies
The following may help decrease edema and keep it from coming back. Before trying these self-care techniques, talk to your doctor about which ones are right for you.
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www.mayoclinic.com
Preparing for your appointment
Unless you're already under a specialist's care for a current medical condition, you'll probably start by seeing your family doctor or regular health care provider to begin evaluation for what could be causing your symptoms.
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www.mayoclinic.com
Risk factors
The following diseases and conditions can increase the risk of developing edema: Congestive heart failure; Cirrhosis; Kidney disease; Nephrotic syndrome; Chronic venous insufficiency (CVI); Deep vein thrombosis; Lymphedema
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www.mayoclinic.com
Symptoms
Signs and symptoms of edema include: Swelling or puffiness of the tissue under your skin (subcutaneous tissue); Stretched or shiny skin; Skin that retains a dimple after being pressed for several seconds; Increased abdominal size
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www.mayoclinic.com
Tests and diagnosis
To understand what might be causing your edema, your doctor will perform a physical exam and ask you questions about your medical history.
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www.mayoclinic.com
Treatments and drugs
Treating edema usually involves: Treating the underlying cause of edema; Taking medication to increase your kidneys' output of water and sodium (diuretics), including thiazide diuretics, furosemide (Lasix) or spironolactone (Aldactone); Limiting salt in your diet to decrease fluid retention, as recommended by your doctor
Read more on
www.mayoclinic.com