Oedema & Ascites

Oedema, better known as edema, is the abnormal accumulation of fluid beneath the skin or in one of the cavities of the body. The general flow of bodily fluid throughout the body is maintained by homeostasis, and when it is disrupted, it may impede in the body's ability to remove fluid from a certain area or may flush an area with fluid due to injury. Ascites is the accumulation of fluid in the abdominal cavity. Specifically, ascites occur when fluid is rushed into the peritoneal cavity, giving the abdomen an enlarged, dome-like shape.

Oedama/Edema Formation

• Oedema's formation can be attributed to five factors: an increase in hydrostatic pressure, reduced oncotic pressure in blood vessels, inflammation, lymphatic system obstruction, and the state of the kidneys' ability to retain water. Any of these factors can give rise to oedema in a specific area.

Organ Specific Oedema

• Oedema can occur in any of the organs due to a inflammatory response. The following are the most observed cases of oedema. Cutaneous oedema is probably the most common type of oedema. This can be caused by inflamed skin from mosquito, spider and snake bites. Cerebral oedema is the accumulation of extracellular fluid in the cranial cavity. Diseases like Lupus can cause abnormal metabolic states leading to cerebral oedema. Cerebral oedema can cause drowsiness. Pulmonary oedema is caused when the blood vessels are unable to remove blood from the lungs through the pulmonary veins. Failure to remove blood from the lungs may cause shortness of breath and may cause pleural effusions which leads to fluid escaping into the pleural cavity.

Natural Ways to Alleviate Oedema

• Modify your diet. Watch your salt intake, cut back on sugary foods and dairy products and stay away from fatty foods. Increase your intake of fiber and protein-rich foods, like skinless chicken and turkey. You may find that elevating your legs and feet may help bring down some of the swelling. Take alfalfa tablets daily, around 2,000 to 3,000 milligrams. It helps to detoxify you body effectively. Make sure that you don't take them all at once, but divide up the doses, to avoid stomach upset or diarrhea. Lastly, consider using ayurvedic remedies to help get rid of fluid buildup. These include behera, chirchita and kateli. It is best to go to an ayurvedic practitioner, however, to see if these are the best treatments for you and to get ayurvedic remedies that are safe. If you are already on a prescription diuretic, you need to call your doctor before taking these ayurvedic herbs, to see if there could be interaction issues.

Ascites

• Ascites is an extremely serious case of oedema. Diagnosis of the cause is usually with blood tests, an ultrasound scan of the abdomen, and direct removal of the fluid by needle or paracentesis. Treatment may be with medication, paracentesis, or other treatments directed at the cause. There are three levels of ascites. Level 1 is a mild case of asictes which can only be detected by ultra sound, and level 3 is considered a more serious case which can be detected and seen by the naked eye.

Ascites Treatment

• Ascites is generally treated while an underlying etiology is sought, in order to prevent complications, relieve symptoms, and prevent further progression. In patients with mild ascites, therapy is usually as an outpatient. The goal is weight loss of no more than 1.0 kg per day for patients with both ascites and peripheral edema and no more than 0.5 kg per day for patients with ascites alone. Salt restrictions, diuretic medications, water restrictions, liver transplantation and shunting are all applicable ascites treatments.