Edema
Posted in Health Headlines
Edema is a medical condition that affects thousands of Americans each year. Edema can be mild but it can also be so severe that if left untreated it can cause serious medical problems and could even lead to death in the most extreme cases. Anyone suffering from a bout of edema should consult his or her physician immediately for examination and treatment for edema. Edema is defined as the abnormal accumulation of fluid underneath the skin anywhere in the body. Edema used to be known as dropsy and hydropsy. There are five main causes of edema and they include the following:
- An increased hydrostatic pressure
- Within the blood vessels, a reduced oncotic pressure
- Inflammation in the blood vessels
- The lymphatic has its fluid obstructed
- Water retaining properties of the tissues of the body have changed
There are a variety of different forms of edema, most of them associated with specific organs. The different forms of edema include the following:
- Cerebral edema
- Pulmonary edema
- Edema found in the cornea associated with glaucoma
- Periorbtial edema
- Contact dermatitis
- Myxedema
- Feet
- Lymphedema
There are various causes of edema, some of which include the following:
- Medicines
- Standing or walking a lot when the weather is warm
- Heart failure
- Lymph node problems
- Too much salt in one’s diet
- Sunburn
- Kidney disease
- Cirrhosis of the liver
- Pregnancy
One of the most common forms of treatment for edema, of any type, is diuretics. The following is a list of the most common diuretics used in pills today:
- Chlorothiazide (Diuril)
- Hydrochlorothiazide
- Metolazone (Zaroxolyn)
- Bumetanide (Bumex)
- Ethacrynic acid (Edecrin)
- Furosemide (Lasix)
- Torsemide (Demadex)
- Amiloride
- Triamterene (Dyrenium)
- Eplerenone (Inspra)
- Spironolactone (Aldactone)
There are side effects associated with taking diuretics for the treatment of edema. Those side effects include one or more of the following:
- Increased cholesterol
- A rash
- Joint disorders
- Low sodium in the blood
- Impotence in males
- Increased blood sugar
- Breast enlargement in males
- Menstrual irregularities
- Gout
If women suffer from edema during their pregnancy, typically swollen ankles or swollen feet, then the woman should sit with her legs elevated while avoiding lying on her back to help improve the blood flow throughout the body and decrease the swelling associated with edema. Another complication with edema if left untreated is that the skin around the area becomes worn down and fragile the longer edema goes untreated. If that area of the skin were to be burned, cut, or scraped it will have trouble healing and has an increased risk of developing an infection.
Anyone suffering from edema should visit their doctor as soon as possible if any side effects of the condition continue to linger even after treatments have been administered. These side effects could cause other serious medical problems and maybe even lead to death if left untreated altogether.
