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art, lungs, abdomen, legs, and feet.

Your doctor will ask questions like the following:

• What specific body parts swell? Your ankles, feet, legs? Above the knee or below?

• o you have swelling at all times or is it worse in the morning or the evening?

• What makes your swelling better?

• What makes your swelling worse?

• oes the swelling get better when you elevate your legs?

• What other symptoms do you have?

iagnostic tests that may be performed include the following:

• !lood tests such as a "!" or  blood chemistry

• #"$

• "hest %&ray or  e%tremity %&ray

• 'rinalysis

(he specific treatment will be directed at whatever underlying cause is found. iuretics may beprescribed. (hese are effective in reducing the swelling but have some side effects. )ome treatment

for  benign causes of leg swelling should be tried before drug therapy under medical supervision.

Prevention

 Avoid sitting or standing without moving for prolonged periods of time. When flying, stretch your legs

often and get up to walk when possible. When driving, stop to stretch and walk every hour or so.

 Avoid wearing restrictive clothing or garters around your thighs. #%ercise regularly. *ose weight if you

need to.

Alternative Names

+welling of the ankles & feet & legs Ankle swelling -oot swelling *eg swelling #dema & peripheral

eripheral edema

References

$oldman *. Approach to the patient with possible cardiovascular disease. /n: $oldman *, Ausiello ,

eds. Cecil Medicine. 01rd ed. hiladelphia, a: +aunders #lsevier 0223:chap 45.

Update Date: 12/1/2009

'pdated by: A..A.6. #ditorial (eam: avid 7ieve, 6, 6)A, $reg 8uhn, 6(W, avid 9. #lt.

reviously reviewed by avid ". ugdale, ///, 6, rofessor of 6edicine, ivision of $eneral

6edicine, epartment of 6edicine, 'niversity of Washington +chool of 6edicine ;=022@.

http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/ency/article/003642.htmhttp://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/ency/article/003468.htmhttp://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/ency/article/003468.htmhttp://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/ency/article/003868.htmhttp://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/ency/article/003804.htmhttp://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/ency/article/003461.htmhttp://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/ency/article/003461.htmhttp://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/ency/article/003579.htmhttp://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/ency/article/002236.htmhttp://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/ency/article/002236.htmhttp://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/ency/article/002236.htmhttp://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/ency/article/003468.htmhttp://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/ency/article/003868.htmhttp://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/ency/article/003804.htmhttp://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/ency/article/003461.htmhttp://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/ency/article/003579.htmhttp://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/ency/article/002236.htmhttp://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/ency/article/003642.htm

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!rowse the #ncyclopedia

MedlinePlus Topics

•  Ankle /nuries and isorders

• #dema

• -oot /nuries and isorders

• *eg /nuries and isorders

ma!es

-oot swelling

*ower leg edema

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