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Water retention - signs, causes and therapy
- Edema have different causes and occur in different parts of the body.
- Edema in the tissue near the epidermis we see as external swelling. We often recognize internal edema only from physical complaints.
- Edema usually has an underlying cause, such as heart failure, circulatory problems, liver cirrhosis or nephritis.
- Edema does not have to be pathological. Most water retention in the body occurs in healthy people and returns on its own.
contents
- symptoms
- Causes of edema
- Are edema dangerous?
- Angioedema - edema in the tissue
- Angioedema in ACE inhibitors
- diagnosis
- therapy
symptoms
Edema occur on different parts of the body and have there each certain characteristics.
Edema can have a variety of causes and occur in different parts of the body. Often they are harmless and go back by themselves. (Image: bennytrapp / fotolia.com) Edema on the feet
Here the feet swell. Often, those affected no longer fit their shoes or the elastic bands of stockings cut into the skin.
Swelling of the hands
Those who suffer from swollen hands often have their fingers too thick to pull a ring over it that fit before, or the skin hurts and hurts when they clench a fist.
Edema on the face
Those affected look like they've been through a fight: their eyelids swell. Some also look as if they have gained weight without this being the case. Her cheeks become round. Often the face looks bloated, as if they had an alcohol problem. Such facial swelling can form within minutes. Those affected look as if a wasp has stabbed them in the lip.
Here, the body reacts to a stimulus, be it medication, food or an infection. Also physical exertion, great cold or vibration can trigger an angioedema.
Thick lip? Immediately to the doctor!
You should definitely go to the doctor, because the edema can be life-threatening if it extends to the tongue, throat or larynx. Then breathlessness threatens, and that can lead to suffocation. Patients who have ever had such an edema on their face, therefore get an emergency kit that they should always carry with them.
Edema in the stomach
If edema forms in the abdominal cavity, then those affected look like they have a "beer belly". The belly swells. Problematic for the diagnosis: People are also gaining weight as a result of the accumulation of fluid, and may therefore falsely conclude that they have become "fatter". But the big belly does not come from fat but from liquid.
If water accumulates in the abdominal cavity, one might suspect from the visual appearance also causes such as obesity. (Image: PeJo / fotolia.com) Edema in the body
Less obvious are edema of internal organs such as the lungs, brain or throat. Here, the affected do not see the swelling itself, but only notice the physical consequences. These are also very specific.
pulmonary edema
Edema in the lungs is sometimes the result of untreated heart failure. Here, the excess fluid gradually penetrates into the alveoli. Breathing is difficult and sounds like bubbling, but it can also cause a rattling. Caution: Progressive pulmonary edema may cause respiratory arrest and thus result in death. Pulmonary edema needs to be corrected as soon as possible.
brain edema
In the brain, excessive fluid accumulates, especially in the following situations: After a stroke, with a brain inflammation, a brain injury and altitude sickness.
Cerebral edema is characterized by headache, nausea and vomiting. This is followed by irritations, ie a disturbance of consciousness. Immediate treatment is required: as cerebral edema progresses, a coma may result and even death or lifelong disabilities such as paralysis, blindness or extreme mental distress - depending on which area of the brain is affected.
Edema on the epiglottis
This edema is as rare as it is dangerous. Allergies or infections can cause glottic edema. It is manifested by breathing difficulties, whistling in the throat, difficulty swallowing, a deep or hoarse voice. The symptoms get worse the more the epiglottis gets swollen. If breathing is no longer possible, the lack of oxygen leads to unconsciousness. The circulation collapses and at the end the patient dies.
Glottic edema - edema on the epiglottis - is as rare as it is dangerous. The associated breathing difficulties can have fatal consequences. (Image: pictworks / fotolia.com) Causes of edema
Water retention in the body is not a disease of its own, but a consequence of illnesses. In pulmonary edema, the origin is usually in a heart failure. Other causes include allergies, disorders of lymphatic drainage, protein deficiency, problems with blood transport in the veins or kidney weakness. Some of these diseases are caused by alcoholism, heavy obesity as well as malnutrition, nicotine, tar and other substances contained in tobacco smoke.
Edema on the ankle is not only caused by sprains, but also after prolonged standing or sitting or by heat. That's not a cause for concern. Such swellings go back by themselves.
Much more serious are edema as a result of liver diseases such as liver cirrhosis, kidney inflammation or heart valve defects. Also varicose veins or blood clots in the veins can cause edema. Rarely, edema is also caused by tumors.
Many medications cause water retention in the body. These include antihypertensive products such as diuretics and calcium antagonists, nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs and antidepressants. The most well-known is probably the "flooding" of patients taking cortisone.
Are edema dangerous?
Most edema occurs in healthy people and is harmless. Many women accumulate fluid shortly before the period, especially on the face, hands and body tissues. We then speak of premenstrual edema.
When we stand for a long time, liquid accumulates in the shins. This is not due to illness, but to gravity. When we lie down at night, they form back.
Angioedema - edema in the tissue
If the skin swells during an edema, the water usually collects in deeper-lying tissue. The blood vessels of the subcutis become holey and allow water from the nearby veins into it. Even though we can see the swelling on the outside, it is deeper. Most clearly it shows itself on the mucous membranes, the eyes or lips.
Histamine-mediated angioedema is both allergic and medicated. Then there is angioedema due to C1 inhibitor deficiency. They are hereditary. DC1 inhibitor is a protein that is used in the blood for immune defense. Either the patients do not make this inhibitor in sufficient quantity or with deficiencies. Rarely, there is also angioedema due to an acquired C1 inhibitor deficiency.
An angioedema is very common as a symptom of hives, also called nettle fever, which affects 20 to 25 percent of all people at least once in their lives. However, genetically caused angioedema affects only one in 100,000 people.
Angioedema can also occur in conjunction with hives. In contrast to a genetic angioedema, this variant is much more common. (Image: juefraphoto / fotolia.com) Angioedema in ACE inhibitors
Often, such edema forms when treated with ACE inhibitors, drugs for hypertension or heart failure. Up to 2.2 percent of those treated develop angioedema, more often in the first three weeks of use, but sometimes much later. For such edema that occurs months or years after treatment, the cause is often not recognized. Although the ACE inhibitors are known to cause edema, we do not know exactly why.
Very important: If an ACE inhibitor causes edema in them, they must not use it anymore.
diagnosis
Edema can have a number of causes. First of all, the doctor or doctor must therefore narrow down which it might be. If an intolerance to a particular substance in food is suspected, the patient is advised to avoid it and to see if the edema will regress.
In addition, those affected are asked in detail what medications they take. Are there ACE inhibitors, antidepressants or cortisone, there is a high probability that this is the trigger. Further, allergy tests are often performed to show if the edema is an allergic reaction. A detailed survey of the medical history can provide further information. X-rays, ultrasound, blood and urine samples show the exact cause.
therapy
Minor edema of the feet and hands usually goes away by itself. In histamine-induced angioedema, doctors can inject antihistamines. They will do so even with suspected harmless accumulations, when eyes and lips are swollen, so that those concerned do not have to run around in disguise. Swelling of the larynx requires immediate adrenaline spray and an oxygen mask against the respiratory distress - in extreme cases, artificial respiration. Doctor or doctor then administer antihistamines by infusion.