Effective Home Remedies for Swollen Legs

Introduction

 When you take long flights or car rides, you might notice a slight swelling in your legs, especially in the ankles and feet.¹ This swelling caused due to fluid retention in tissues is called edema.2 It is the effect of gravity that makes it more noticeable in the foot, ankle, and legs, but it can occur in any part of the body.^1,2 When our feet get swollen, all we can do is temporarily manage the pain and discomfort.² Moreover, mild swelling generally disappears on its own.

What Causes Swelling in the Legs?

There is a wide range of reasons that can cause swelling of the legs. From lifestyle choices to certain normal physiological conditions, to a few serious medical conditions, one or more reasons may be responsible for it. Some of them are as follows: 

• As we continuously stand for long durations of time, fluid tends to build up in the tissues of the leg by the action of gravity, which causes edema. 4  During summers, when the weather is hot, our body becomes inefficient in removing the tissue fluids, thus causing edema. ⁴  
• In burn injuries including sunburns, the skin retains fluid as a response, causing swelling. ⁴  
• Swelling of ankles can be commonly seen during pregnancy as the blood vessels of the lower limbs experience pressure from the growing uterus. Furthermore, the pregnancy hormones encourage retention of water.^{2, 4}  
• Oedema can sometimes be seen two weeks before the beginning of the menstrual cycle in some women. ⁴  
• The use of certain contraceptive pills containing the hormone oestrogen can also cause oedema. ⁴  
• The regular use of certain prescribed medications that you take for conditions like high blood pressure (anti-hypertensives), and pain relief (corticosteroids and non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs) might be the cause of edema. ⁴  
• The deficiency of protein or vitamin B1 may cause oedema. ⁴  
• Swelling can be seen in certain allergic reactions and severe inflammation.²  
• Oedema can occur or it might worsen in certain diseases like congestive heart failure, and lung, liver, kidney, and thyroid diseases.²  
• Chronic venous insufficiency is a condition in which the valves in the veins of the leg weaken, causing the pooling of blood, and leading to varicose veins. This leads to swelling in the legs if left untreated. ^{2, 4}  

Symptoms of Swollen Legs

The signs that indicate the presence of oedema are: 

• Swelling in ankles, feet, etc. i.e. the affected area ⁴  
• There might be a shiny or stretched appearance of the skin in the swollen area  
• There might be pain in the legs ⁴  
• Stiffening of joints may be noted ⁴  
• Due to swollen legs, you might experience difficulty in walking²  
• Fluctuations in weight, such as rapid weight gain in a few weeks or month, might be experienced ⁴  
• On pressing the skin over the swollen area for 5 seconds, the formation of a dimple-like depression can be seen; this is referred to as pitting oedema^{2, 4}  
• If the above-mentioned test doesn’t leave a depression on your skin, it is called non-pitting oedema^{2, 4}  

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Home Remedies for Swollen Legs

We can adopt certain lifestyle and home remedies that help in the reduction of swelling and management of pain and discomfort experienced due to swollen legs.  

1. Massage of the Swollen Leg

Massaging the swollen area without application of too much pressure or causing pain, but with firm strokes upwards towards the heart has been found to be helpful. This helps in draining the excess fluid build-up by directing the fluid toward the heart and preventing it from pooling in the feet.³ 

2. Epsom Salt Baths

There are tons of people who testify that the use of Epsom baths relieves swelling of the legs. The exact mechanism is unknown, but it is seen that soaking legs in water with dissolved Epsom salt brings down the swelling by supplementing magnesium through the skin. Being an easily available ingredient, it is cost-effective, easy to use, and nearly risk-free. Therefore, it is a hack recommended even by doctors.² 

3. Application of Lepas

Ayurvedic pastes which are applied to our body are called lepas and some of them help relieve swollen legs. A semisolid paste made by adding the herbs punarnava, ginger, and deodar (cedar) can help reduce swelling in feet.  

4. Abhyanga Treatment

In this Ayurvedic treatment, oil is poured on the body and massaged. In this method, a decoction (dashamoola katha) is used to reduce the swelling.  

5. Application of Essential Oils

Essential oils such as peppermint, lavender, helichrysum, marjoram, eucalyptus, and chamomile can be used to reduce swelling. We can use it by adding 2-3 drops of it in a hot water bath and soaking the swollen legs in it for 10 minutes or until the water turns cold. Essential oils can also be used to massage the legs. Before using it for massage, the essential oil should be diluted by the addition of another oil like coconut oil.^2,  

6. Ayurvedic Herbs

Certain Ayurvedic herbs are used for the reduction of swellings. Herbs such as arjuna, punarnava and adraka (ginger) can be used in the form of powders, pastes, decoctions, juices, and herbal wines in doses as directed by an Ayurvedic physician.    

A condition commonly encountered in clinical practice is Lymphedema which occurs when your body’s lymph nodes aren’t filtering lymph fluid as well as they should. When that happens, it can cause swelling of one or more limbs, ranging from mild to dramatic, lymphatic drainage and compression stockings might be very helpful here.

Dr. Ashish Bajaj, M.B.B.S., M.D. in Clinical Pharmacology and Toxicology 

Other Solutions for Swollen Legs

1. Increasing Movement 

Constantly standing or sitting in a place or specific position may cause or worsen the swelling in the legs. This effect can be countered by increasing your activity and movement. As we exercise the muscles of the leg, the retained fluid gets pumped back to the heart, reducing the swelling.³ Even slight movement of legs and knees every few minutes may help.² 

2. Elevation of Legs

Yoga poses, like the ones involving lying on the floor with raised legs leaning against the wall, might help reduce swelling in the legs. Simply elevating the leg above the level of our heart using pillows as props for a few hours a day, or while lying down is helpful. By doing this we help our legs, with a little assistance from gravity, to restore circulation and drain the built-up fluid.^2,3 

3. Use of Compression Socks

Wearing compression socks, gloves, or stockings is recommended by doctors after the swelling has gone down to prevent swelling in the future. These socks gently squeeze our leg and improve blood circulation, thus reducing pain and preventing the recurrence of swelling. They are not to be too tight and should be worn only till they provide comfort to you.^2,3 

4. Eating Magnesium-rich Food

Deficiency of magnesium can lead to water retention and swelling. Therefore, including magnesium-rich food in your diet can help reduce swelling of the legs. Some magnesium-rich foods are: 

• Nuts and seeds – almonds, cashews, peanuts, flaxseeds and pumpkin seeds 
• Legumes – black beans and lima beans 
• Whole grains rich in fiber – quinoa 
• Dairy products that are low in fat – milk, yogurt  
• Green leafy vegetables – spinach 
• Dark chocolate 

5. Increasing Water Intake

Our body retains and tries to conserve what it lacks. Decreased water in the body can lead to water retention and swelling. By increasing your water intake, encourage your body to flush out water and with it, the mineral sodium. Sodium loves water and takes away all the excess water with it. Therefore gulping a lot of water helps reduce fluid retention and swelling of the legs.² 

6. Decreasing our Salt Intake

Having salt is tricky. Too much or too little can cause a lot of trouble. Increased salt intake can lead to water retention, but before coming to conclusions we must consult our physician to know if this is the actual cause. After being absolutely sure, the necessary changes as per the doctor’s recommendation can be made.⁴ 

NOTE: We must take extra care of our feet by wearing comfortable shoes, and avoid getting cuts or wounds when they are swollen. This is to prevent the worsening of the situation, as snugly fit shoes disrupt circulation to the foot and wounds take longer to heal, becoming prone to infections.^2,4 

Normal pregnancy swelling throughout the day the extra water tends to gather in the lowest parts of the body, especially if the weather is hot or you have been standing a lot. The pressure of your growing womb can also affect the blood flow in your legs. This can cause fluid to build up in your legs, ankles and feet.

Dr. M.G. Kartheeka, MBBS, MD

When to Seek Medical Help

Seek medical help under the following circumstances: 

• When you have difficulty breathing and experience shortness of breath¹  
• When you experience pressure or tightness in your chest along with swelling¹  
• If you are diagnosed with heart or kidney disease and there is worsening of swelling¹  
• If you’ve ever had liver disease and are experiencing swelling in your legs and abdomen¹  
• When you have a fever along with swollen feet  
• When you notice redness in the swollen foot and it is hot to touch¹  
• If you are pregnant and the swelling increases rapidly ¹  
• If you experience increased pain, see blisters developing, find ulcerations or tears over the skin in the swollen area and notice pus draining from it²  

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Conclusion

Swellings in legs can be due to various reasons, it can be due to just standing or sitting for a long duration or an indicator of diseases of heart, lungs, etc. Thus, remedies for these also range widely. We can adopt a few lifestyle changes and take care of our feet by performing simple methods like massages, elevation, compression socks, water baths, etc. to manage swollen feet. These simple home remedies can prove to be a game changer for you in day-to-day life.   

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

References:

  1. Martin LJ, Zieve D. Foot, leg, and ankle swelling. US Natl Libr Med [Internet]. 2015;1. Available from: https://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/ency/article/003104.htm 

2. Cleveland Clinic. Botek G. Swollen Feet and Ankles: Treatments to Try. Cleveland clinic. 2021. [Internet]. 2018. Available from: https://health.clevelandclinic.org/6-best-ways-relieve-swollen-feet-ankles-home/  

3.  Press MC. Oedema [Internet]. Available from: https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/edema/diagnosis-treatment/drc-20366532  

4. Better Health Channel. Fluid Retention (Oedema). 2017;3–5. Available from: https://www.betterhealth.vic.gov.au/health/conditionsandtreatments/Fluid-retention-oedema  

Disclaimer: The information provided here is for educational/awareness purposes only and is not intended to be a substitute for medical treatment by a healthcare professional and should not be relied upon to diagnose or treat any medical condition. The reader should consult a registered medical practitioner to determine the appropriateness of the information before consuming any medication. PharmEasy does not provide any guarantee or warranty (express or implied) regarding the accuracy, adequacy, completeness, legality, reliability or usefulness of the information; and disclaims any liability arising thereof.

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