Edema is swelling caused by the combination of several tissues in the body and the subsequent accumulation of fluid . Edema can occur in most parts of the body; legs, arms, abdomen. Edema caused by prolonged standing and sitting are temporary edema and do not require treatment. Edema is more common in older people and people who work standing. The most common types of edema are primary lymphedema, idiopathic edema, abdominal cavity edema, pulmonary edema, cerebral edema, ocular edema, peripheral edema and pedal edema.
How to Eliminate Edema Fast?
There are herbal and nutritional recipes that can be applied at home to remove edema quickly. You can consume some of them as tea and some of them between normal meals.
There are foods that help remove edema from the body. When these foods are consumed regularly and in moderation, they can be beneficial. We can list the foods as follows;
- Pineapple (must be freshly sliced).
- Yogurt (yogurt should be natural).
- Green Tea (among the most effective edema-removing herbal teas).
- Parsley (juice should be squeezed and drunk softened with lemon).
- Cherry Stalk (one of the strongest edema-removing herbal teas).
Corn Stalk and Cherry Stalk Tea
- 1 pinch of corn tassels
- 1 pinch of cherry stalk
- 1 liter of drinking water
Throw the above ingredients into boiled water and infuse for 10 minutes. You can consume your brewed tea cold after it is ready.
Green Tea
- Plain soda
- Green tea
- Sliced lemon
- 500 ml of drinking water
Add your green tea into your boiling water and brew for 10 minutes, then let it cool. You can add plain soda and sliced lemon to your cooled tea and consume it during the day.
Dandelion Cure
- 200 ml of drinking water
- 2 teaspoons dandelion
Add the dandelion into your boiled water and let it brew for 10 minutes. After your brewed tea cools down, you can put it in a glass and consume it during the day.
Green Cure Parsley Recipe
- 1 bunch of parsley
- 1 apple
- 1 handful of spinach
- 1 green cucumber
After washing the above ingredients thoroughly, place them in the blender and add drinking water. You can consume your prepared drink slowly throughout the day.
Why Edema Occurs, What are the Symptoms?
Edema is a condition that causes swelling in the person's body and generally means that the body retains excess water. It causes swelling in our body, especially in the abdomen, legs and arms. There are 3 important reasons for the formation of fluid between the tissues with capillaries;
- Sudden high pressure inside the blood vessels (hypertension).
- Applying pressure outside the blood vessels causes the fluid in the body to be absorbed.
- Pressure from the outside can compromise the periphery of the blood vessels, upsetting the balance and causing fluid loss.
Edema can occur in many parts of the body. In particular, swelling can occur in the eyelids, feet, face, arms, legs and even fingers. In addition to these, tense skin, inability to open the eyes due to swelling in the eyelids, formation of pits and whiteness in that area when pressed with a finger in the areas where there is swelling are among the symptoms. A person with edema in the body may have a change in pulse rate during the day. People who experience one or more of these symptoms are strongly advised to consult a specialist doctor without wasting time and start treatment.
Pulmonary edema can cause a person to face serious illnesses. These symptoms include respiratory failure, breathing difficulties, and intense pain in the chest. If people are exposed to these ailments in addition to the symptoms of edema, they should go to the doctor for treatment without wasting any time. Otherwise, edema in the lung puts the person's life at risk. Edema is also likely to occur in people who remain inactive for a long time, but these edemas are known as edemas that disappear spontaneously or disappear as a result of a small treatment.
We can list the reasons that cause edema to occur as follows;
- Side effects of some medications (blood pressure medications, steroid medications, birth control medications)
- Unhealthy eating
- Not getting enough vitamin B
- Consuming salty foods
- Sunburn on the skin (causes swelling of the skin).
- Being pregnant
- Excess weight
- Having entered menopause
- Lying down for a long time after surgery
What Should We Do to Prevent Edema?
You can protect your body from edema with a few simple methods. You can consult a specialist doctor before applying these measures. The things to be done to prevent edema are listed as follows;
- Drink water: There is a thought that edema increases after drinking water, but this is wrong because if the body cannot store enough daily water needs, it will not be able to fulfill its duties. For this reason, you should drink about 6-8 glasses of water daily.
- Movement: Exercises such as moving the muscles in the body and walking help to pump excess fluid back to the heart.
- Reduce salt consumption: Minimize salt consumption. Salt causes the body to retain too much water.
- Avoid carbohydrates: Foods high in carbohydrates should be avoided.
- Avoiding alcohol and smoking: Alcohol, cigarettes, coffee varieties, acidic drinks, tea and drinks with high acid and caffeine content should be avoided.
What are the Diseases Causing Edema?
In addition to the negative effects of edema in our body, there are also health hazards. These damages can lead to serious health problems. Many of the diseases are as follows;
Congestive heart failure: Whencongestive heart failure occurs, the heart's pumping ability weakens. For this reason, blood can cause edema in the legs, feet, in short, in the body. In congestive heart failure, edema may occur around the abdomen and waist and may cause fluid accumulation in the lungs.
Kidney diseases: If the kidneys do not take as much water from the body as they should, the pressure level in the blood starts to rise, which can lead to edema.
Cirrhosis: Cirrhosis causes protein deficiency and congestion in the liver, leading to increased pressure in the blood.
Emphysema: Emphysema is caused by increased pressure in the lungs and heart, leading to edema in the body.
What are the Types of Edema?
There are 8 types of edema and each of them can cause health problems. Some of the types of edema are as follows;
Peripheral edema: It is usually seen in the ankle, leg, hand, arm and face areas. It is a type of edema that occurs in relation to the position we sit and lie in during the day.
Pulmonary edema: It is a type of edema that should be taken into consideration. As a result of pulmonary edema, fluid accumulation occurs in the lung. As a result, heart failure may occur.
Cerebral edema: It is a type of edema that occurs in the brain. If it occurs, serious health problems may occur.
Pedal edema: Mostly due to side effects of medications.
Eye edema: It is the swelling edema in and around the eye.
Primary lymphedema: It is the edema that occurs due to lymphedema.
Idiopathic edema: Edema occurs due to an unidentified cause.