Swollen feet in the elderly: Causes and treatment

Leg swelling in the elderly is a condition that greatly interferes with their daily activities. Besides, in some cases, swelling of the feet, ankles or legs can be seen as a sign of other chronic diseases such as kidney, heart, liver, blood vessel disease…

Let’s learn with Hello Bacsi the causes and ways to reduce leg edema in the elderly to improve the patient’s quality of life better.

Impact of foot edema disease on the life of the elderly

Foot edema in the elderly will directly interfere with walking and daily activities. Because of age, elderly people’s legs are not only weak and painful, but also prone to swelling. Swollen feet lead to stretched skin, causing uncomfortable itchy skin .

So, what should elderly people with leg swelling do to cure it? What causes swollen feet in the elderly? Let’s find out now.

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Causes of leg swelling in the elderly

Edema is the accumulation of fluid in the tissues of the legs, which causes the legs to swell. Swollen feet in the elderly can have many causes.

• • Signs of serious diseases such as kidneys, blood vessels, liver …
  • Skeletal muscles in the elderly are very weak, so they are prone to injury , causing leg swelling.
  • Swollen feet due to heart failure.

• The cause of leg swelling in the elderly can come from thrombophlebitis. When pressing on the site of leg swelling, the elderly will feel pain and discomfort.
• In particular, elderly people with diabetes or neuropathy have infections that can cause swollen feet and ankles. In addition, the elderly are at high risk of foot swelling if standing or sitting still for too long.

Due to the diet

Improper diet menu can cause the elderly to have swollen feet. Even worse is swollen feet.

• Eating habits contain a lot of salt. As recommended, adults should not eat more than 6g of salt per day (about 1 teaspoon).
• Due to lack of vitamin B1 will make the “born” have the feeling that the legs are numb as if there are ants crawling. At the same time, the elderly’s legs are prone to cramps and loss or decreased reflexes.

Due to drug use

Some medications increase water and salt retention, which in turn causes edema. Some drugs can cause leg edema such as antihypertensive drugs, calcium channel blockers, beta blockers, Clonidine, Hydralazine, Minoxidil, etc.

Symptoms of leg swelling in the elderly

The characteristics of foot edema vary depending on the type of disease. Swollen feet in the elderly often have some symptoms such as:

• Swollen feet, tight, puffy, or discolored skin
• Skin edema dimpled after pressing for a few seconds

• The joints become stiff
• Increase belly size, gain weight
• The edema is white, soft, and may or may not be concave when pressed.
• Subcutaneous tissue and skin become thickened and hard, accompanied by itching. As a result, patients often have difficulty moving and moving.
• If the skin has a bacterial superinfection, it can become hard, thick, and deformed. The swelling can even cause the genitals to swell, called hydrocele .

Progression of foot edema in the elderly

Initially, signs of leg swelling can be difficult to identify. However, patients often show signs of weight gain.

In the later stages, leg edema becomes more and more obvious. Sometimes this happens in the morning or afternoon. Even continuous stretching is accompanied by a feeling of fatigue and heaviness.

Leg edema can appear in places such as: ankles, legs, even legs, causing the legs to be deformed (may have elephantiasis edema ). Older adults will often feel pain, heat, and soreness in one or both swollen legs.

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Complications from swollen feet in the elderly

Is it dangerous for the elderly to have leg swelling? When it comes to leg edema in the elderly, leg swelling isn’t the only concern. Besides, foot edema can also lead to some of the following complications:

• Legs are painful and stiff
• Hard to move
• Itchy and uncomfortable skin
• Reduced blood circulation
• Decreased elasticity of arteries, joints and veins
• Increased risk of infection in the swollen area. Scars form between layers of tissue, thereby impeding blood circulation. At the same time, leg swelling can also reduce the elasticity of the arteries, veins, muscles and joints.
• Increased risk of skin ulcers.

Diagnosis of foot edema in the elderly

Usually, the doctor will check by gently pressing on the swollen area, and when applying pressure on the swollen area, the leg will be indented for a few seconds to a few minutes before returning to normal. At the same time, the doctor observes whether the patient has varicose veins , skin discoloration, skin ulcers or dry skin ..

In addition, the doctor also checks the heart rate, pulse and blood pressure to determine the cause of the disease. Based on the information the patient provides such as medical history and what the doctor examines. The physician will then determine whether additional laboratory testing is needed.

Tests to diagnose foot edema

Basic tests that may be ordered when diagnosing edematous foot disease include:

• Urinalysis (to look for protein in the urine)
• Creatinine (kidney function test)
• TSH (certain thyroid conditions that lead to edema)
• Glucose
• Albumin (a major protein found in the blood)
• Other liver function tests.

In addition, a number of laboratory evaluations of cardiac function are also performed. For example, a chest X-ray to see if the heart is abnormally large, or contains pleural fluid, or an echocardiogram to look at the heart chambers and state of the heart muscle contraction.

The D-dimer is a blood test that can help detect blood clots and doppler ultrasound in the legs to look for deep vein thrombosis . Both are common causes of swelling in only one leg.

Visit with a doctor

What to prepare before going to the doctor for foot edema in the elderly?

For definitive treatment and relief of symptoms, the doctor needs to determine the cause of the disease. The causes can originate from diseases related to the heart, kidneys, liver. The doctor may ask the patient a number of questions, such as:

• How long has this situation lasted?
• Are both legs the same, or does one leg hurt more than the other?
• Swollen feet but does it hurt when pressed?
• What medications is the patient taking? Has there been a recent medication change?
• Does leg swelling get better overnight? Or when putting your feet up to a higher position?
• Swollen feet with shortness of breath? Does the patient have difficulty lying down?

In addition, the doctor will also want to know the complete medical history, to determine if the person has had cancer, radiation or surgery, or has other medical problems.

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How to treat leg swelling in the elderly?

Depending on the severity of the disease and the stage in which the foot edema disease in the elderly will have appropriate treatment.

Detecting elderly people with leg swelling should do what? As soon as you discover abnormal symptoms, suspect foot edema. You should quickly take the patient to a reputable hospital immediately. Timely diagnosis and treatment will help patients avoid bad complications.

In addition, patients should also adhere to some of the following:

• Walking often and massaging the joints help improve blood circulation. The swollen leg area should be gently massaged to apply pressure to the excess fluid to move. Simultaneously, exercise the muscles near the edema.
• Avoid sudden temperature changes. This will make the foot edema worse in the elderly. Therefore, avoid letting the elderly bathe in high temperature water and always keep them warm when the weather is cold.
• Talk to your doctor about how much water to drink each day.
• Nutritional diet – science. Cut down on salt and increase fiber intake from vegetables. Specifically, elderly people should add foods rich in vitamins , minerals and antioxidants into their diet such as: green vegetables, asparagus, pumpkin, pineapple, green beans, grapes, garlic, beets , onion,..

How to prevent disease

• Reduce the amount of salt in your diet because salt will retain water. In addition, this also helps reduce the risk of high blood pressure.
• Elevate your legs at least at heart level for 30 minutes 3-4 times per day.
• Exercise, move the legs for 10-15 minutes, and 3-4 times a day to improve blood circulation in the legs.
• Get up and walk every 1-2 hours to reduce swelling, eliminate excess fluid, circulate blood, and strengthen the cardiovascular system.

• Do not stand in place or sit for long periods of time.
• Be careful when using certain drugs (such as anti-inflammatory drugs).
• Keep the swollen area clean and protected with shoes, socks, and other clothing to prevent injury and infection.

When it is suspected that the elderly have any signs related to swollen feet, it is necessary to take them to the doctor as soon as possible, to avoid delay leading to long-term complications.