What Are the Treatments for Ankle Edema?

Understanding and treating the underlying cause of edema is vital to properly resolving it. Self-help care combined with medication can help to minimize the swelling.

Identification

• Edema is caused by water trapped in bodily tissues resulting in a swelling or puffiness of extremities. It primarily affects legs, ankles, and feet, but other areas are also susceptible.

Significance

• Edema itself cannot be cured. It is normally the result of another illness, or often pregnancy, negatively affecting the body's ability to circulate and control fluids. Heart, liver, or kidney disease often produce edema.

Treatment

• Treatment for ankle edema include placing pillows under your legs when lying down, wearing support hose, limiting fluid intake and the amount of salt consumed, and exercising the ankle by not sitting or standing for long periods of time.

Medical Treatment

• A physician will often prescribe a diuretic (water pill) to help remove fluid from the body. "If it is not treated, your skin may keep stretching, which can lead to other problems," according to The American Academy of Family Physicians.

Warning

• A doctor should be consulted immediately if you experience swelling in only one ankle or limb, extreme pain, redness or heat in the affected area, open sores, or shortness of breath.