Edema in legs, Causes of edema due to water retention

I am at Australia, toes on my foot are swollen often at night with no pain & redness, just the stiffness when trying to bend. I am studying & spend most hours sitting at my desk. Do advise is this cause for worry and what can I do to prevent the swelling?
(25 Jul 2008)

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The condition and the reasons for your condition you have described make it sound like a clear case of edema. Edema is the medical term applied to any swelling of the legs and feet caused typically due to sitting down too much. Since you are spending large amounts of time sitting on a desk and studying, obviously your feet are hanging all the time.

This is the commonest cause for edema. The best thing to do in your situation is to take breaks every hour or so. You need to get up, walk around, and drink two to four glasses of water with each break.

This will ensure a couple of things very well. One would be that you are not letting the blood pool at your feet, which is the tendency in people who have edema. The short walk will ensure that your blood keeps circulating and not jamming itself in one place. If you drink so much water, you will also manage to flush the excess of water out of your system. Water retention is also one of the causes of edema. If you are suffering from water retention, then you will be able to cleanse your system this way easily and effectively.
The other remedy you can employ is to keep a footstool where you are sitting, and keep your feet elevated on it as much as you can. This will discourage swelling and will also make you feel better. You must also generally avoid wearing high heeled shoes when you are suffering from edema, since this also tends to add to the swelling. Wear flat shoes that are sturdy and allow for sensible walking. If possible take a short walk of about 30 minutes everyday. This will go a long way towards taking care of the problem.

answered by G R on 25 Jul 2008, 3:45:59

Edema in legs, Causes of edema due to water retention

I am at Australia, toes on my foot are swollen often at night with no pain & redness, just the stiffness when trying to bend. I am studying & spend most hours sitting at my desk. Do advise is this cause for worry and what can I do to prevent the swelling? (25 Jul 2008)

I am at Australia, toes on my foot are swollen often at night with no pain & redness, just the stiffness when trying to bend. I am studying & spend most hours sitting at my desk. Do advise is this cause for worry and what can I do to prevent the swelling?
(25 Jul 2008)