Reasons for Retaining Water

Your body retains water for several different reasons. It can be from a temporary condition, due to something you ate or due to a chronic health problem. Knowing why your body is retaining fluid is an important step in staying healthy or in recognizing a developing or serious health condition.

Diet as Cause

• Too much salt can cause fluid retention.

  Excess sodium in the diet can cause the body to retain water. Sodium is necessary for many functions in the body. The kidneys are responsible for regulating the amount of sodium the body retains and excretes. Too much sodium and the body retains water. According to the Mayo Clinic, sodium intake should be between 1,500 mg and 2,300 mg per day. A diet low in sodium and high in fresh fruits and vegetables, with adequate water intake, helps to prevent water retention.

Temporary Conditions

• Pregnancy can create a water retention problem.

  Temporary conditions may cause water retention. Sunburn is one of those conditions. When the skin is burned, tissue injury causes fluids to shift in the body. PMS is another condition that causes water retention. The reason is unclear but according to the Mayo Clinic, it may be hormonal changes. During pregnancy, pressure on blood vessels causes poor circulation and swelling in the legs and feet (swelling in the hands and face should be reported to the doctor immediately). Some medications can also be responsible for water retention. Talk with your healthcare provider if you noticed this after starting a new medication.

Chronic Conditions

• Water retention can be due to a chronic, serious health condition. Congestive heart failure is a condition where the heart pumps ineffectively. It then sends inadequate amounts of blood to the kidneys. The kidneys do not filter enough blood to eliminate adequate fluids, causing retention. According to kidney.org, kidneys are responsible for balancing and filtering many things from the blood such as sodium. If the kidneys are not functioning properly, an imbalance occurs and the body retains fluids.

  Liver damage can cause fluid to leak into the abdominal cavity, causing retention in the abdomen. The liver produces a protein called albumin which holds fluids in the bloodstream. If the liver is producing inadequate amounts of albumin, fluid will leak from the bloodstream and cause retention in the legs and feet.

  Lung conditions such as COPD, chronic bronchitis, and emphysema also cause fluid retention when poor functioning lungs cause blood to back up into the heart and body tissues. Chronic inflammatory conditions can cause damage to the blood vessels and fluid retention. Some cancers such as bladder cancer and cancer of the lymph system can interfere with the body's ability to regulate fluids. Poor circulation or a blood clot can result in swelling.

Doctor Visit

• If you have a problem with chronic fluid retention check with your doctor. You may have, or be developing a serious medical condition. Left untreated, chronic fluid retention is damaging to the heart, lungs, kidneys, and liver because of the extra work load and strain it puts on these organs.