Swelling during pregnancy, what to do?
Content:
- Causes of edema during pregnancy
- Swelling of the legs during pregnancy
- Swelling of the hands during pregnancy
- Facial swelling during pregnancy
- What to do? - first steps
- How to remove swelling during pregnancy?
Most pregnant women face such a common pathology as edema. They arise due to the excessive accumulation of fluid in the tissues and are considered the first symptom of diseases of various categories, including:
- cardiological,
- exchange,
- kidney disease
- allergy
and others. All these are numerous failures that occur in the body of the expectant mother. Often the reason for their appearance is the course of natural, physiological processes that are standard for the female body. There are many factors contributing to the occurrence of the corresponding symptoms. All of them bring discomfort to expectant mothers, including psychological. These causes are identified as early as possible, and the stage of combating symptoms immediately begins.
Causes of edema during pregnancy
The development of edema during pregnancy is based on changes in water-salt metabolism. They also appear due to disruptions in the outflow of blood, which is carried out in the veins of the legs and captures the lymph, and changes in the composition of blood cells and the vascular wall.
There are 4 stages of development of this phenomenon:
- Puffiness formation in the lower parts of the leg - feet and lower leg.
- In the lower extremities, lower abdomen and lumbosacral region.
- The formation of tumors on the hands, "puffiness".
- General edema.
It is not difficult to identify the presence of this health disorder. To do this, simply press on the skin with your finger. If after that the skin has risen almost immediately, then most likely there are no problems. But if a hole remains, then this is an alarming signal. He says that the skin suffers from edema.
Swelling of the legs during pregnancy
There are times when only the legs swell, or rather the feet and ankles. This is a fairly natural phenomenon associated with a lack of fluid in the body. In this state, a woman experiences a constant feeling of thirst - after all, the needs of the body increase markedly.
Often a number of others are connected to this problem:
- swelling of the fingers (it becomes impossible to wear the ring),
- swelling on the legs turns into a permanent phenomenon (shoes no longer fit),
- the person also suffers from edema, and often this turns out to be a warning of the onset of a very serious disease - gestosis (that is, such a complication of pregnancy as late toxicosis).
How does leg edema manifest during pregnancy?
In a standard situation, from 20 weeks, varieties of edema may appear, which are considered alarming. In this case, the patient will need examinations that can establish the causes of the edema. At the same time, one should not forget: edema is not always the result of gestosis. If the pregnancy is late, then the cause is most often the impaired outflow of urine, which occurs due to the proliferation of the uterus and compression of the ureters.
Outflows occur for specific reasons. Among them are not only the origin of changes in the body of the observed patient, but also all kinds of pathologies.
Among the physiological problems, the following stand out:
- Edema of a pathological nature.
- Kidney pathologies and diseases.
- Disorders of the cardiovascular resource of the body.
- Varicose veins.
Consider the physiological disorders due to which edema of the legs occurs during pregnancy, in more detail:
- The fetus grows in the womb, and the uterus grows at the same time. Thus, pressure begins to be exerted on the surrounding organs and vessels of various sizes, which in some cases are large in size. Because of this, it becomes difficult to withdraw fluid that has not been processed by the body. Edema of this category most often manifests itself after 20 weeks, and primarily in those who abuse salty foods. For such problems, they resort to outpatient methods.
- Pathological types of edema (gestosis) are dangerous. With it, the edema captures the entire body, which results in weight gain with increased pressure in the vessels carrying blood. The reason for this condition lies in the spasms of the blood vessels, the deterioration in fluidity and the disturbed movement of human blood. This is how the process of tissue death begins. Gestosis is little more than a physiological effect, when medical supervision is required.
- In addition to physiology, edema is widespread in the pathology of an organ such as the kidney. More precisely, they develop due to glomerulonephritis. As a rule, such observable diseases are known in advance. This greatly simplifies the diagnosis. But it is not uncommon for a woman in her condition to first find out that she is sick. If edema occurs with a similar pathology, this says little about the duration of pregnancy. First, at any stage of the condition, the face begins to swell, then the arms and legs.
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When the functionality of the kidneys is impaired, and the natural exchange of liquid substance between the vessels and tissues is knocked down, it is time for the development of pathologies of the cardiovascular organs. Its manifestations look in a certain way. In order for the fluid to leave the vessels, the heart must function within normal limits, and if its work is disrupted, problems arise. A characteristic accompaniment of edema is considered to be pain in the heart, shortness of breath, attacks of weakness. When the corresponding symptoms are diagnosed, hospitalization is required.
- The consequences of varicose veins can be very dangerous. Their appearance is associated with the pressure that is exerted on the vessels by the overgrown uterus. A pregnant woman has a feeling of heaviness in the legs, and venous nodes may form. There are cases when these symptoms are recognized as one-sided.
The degree of danger of edema can be quite high. This is especially true when they are not being treated. Then the doctor conducts an additional examination. Neither his methods, nor the prescribed treatment should harm either the mother or the fetus. Otherwise, unforeseen complications may arise. There are times when a hospital is appointed. With exacerbations, self-medication is unacceptable.
We have already listed a number of reasons due to which edema occurs. Most often they develop due to liquid substances that are not excreted from the body. They linger in areas called the lower limbs. The uterus, which enlarges naturally, compresses the veins. They become a factor due to which the veins that carry out the outflow of blood are compressed.
In addition to the increase in body weight, because of this, an increase in hydrostatic pressure is carried out, which brings the venous vessels into working condition, and the liquid component of blood plasma escapes into the tissue. If there is a predisposition, then due to prolonged exposure to the venous wall, a structural change occurs. With the development of varicose veins, blood vessels cease to be elastic, their expansion and deformation begin. This leads to an even greater aggravation of the situation.
In particular, this is due to the following phenomena:
- Violations of water-salt metabolism.
- Deficiency in the intake of protein from food.
- Growing stress on the kidneys.
- Compression of the renal vessels.
If the swelling during pregnancy becomes pathological, this may be evidence of decompensation of chronic diseases of organs such as the heart or kidneys.
With its prevalence, leg swelling during pregnancy has not ceased to be a painful phenomenon. It is not so difficult to make sure that they appear. When your favorite shoes turn into a squeezing instrument for torture, and the weight exceeds 300 grams. per week, despite the apparent accuracy of the symptoms, sometimes puffiness is confused with natural weight gain in this case.
If the pregnant woman does not have kidney and heart disease, then leg edema can be observed only in the second half of pregnancy. The development of the phenomenon is different. There are often cases when the legs swell first, and then the arms, stomach and face. In the morning, the picture does not seem deplorable, but by the evening, fluid accumulations reappear in the leg area.
Swelling of the legs during pregnancy is not always considered a pathology. The body of a pregnant woman willingly accumulates compounds such as sodium. It has the property of attracting water, and the liquid cannot leave the body. But usually the process is aggravated by facts such as eating salty and fried foods. Heat is an additional negative factor. Meanwhile, it is believed that the edema itself does not pose a threat to health and is, in fact, a kind of natural consequence of this condition.
On the subject: All information about leg edema
How to treat leg swelling during pregnancy?
In mild cases, it will take a little to relieve symptoms - just lie on your side, giving the body the opportunity to rest, take a course of diuretic tea, and also minimize the use of salt with food. Legs that swell during pregnancy can be a complication - in particular, when a woman gains more weight than she should. Then this formation becomes massive, covering the arms, face and lower back. There is practically no state of rest. This condition is called "gestosis". Requires strict supervision and possibly hospitalization. When a severe form of gestosis occurs, a noticeable increase in pressure begins, protein is excreted in the urine, and the fetus and the mother's health are at risk.
Complications appear:
- High blood pressure.
- Excretion of protein in urine
Swelling of the hands during pregnancy
Often during pregnancy, hands and fingers begin to swell. This is excess fluid in areas such as the wrists and fingers. When the mass of fluid becomes large, it blocks the nerves that are naturally formed in the hands, which deprives them of sensitivity, and the expectant mother feels severe discomfort from this.
When the time comes for the third trimester, doctors do not advise wearing rings on your hands. For many, puffiness occurs in the second trimester - then jewelry is removed earlier. If you do not take them off in time, they will stick to the skin. And when the stage of constant swelling comes, they cannot be removed.
The appearance of such puffiness occurs for certain reasons:
- Change in hormonal levels. When the time of pregnancy comes, the hormone progesterone begins to be produced in the body of the expectant mother, due to which severe changes occur. In addition to unreasonable mood changes, water begins to linger in the body in large quantities.
- The body becomes open to infection. Edema is often a natural response to certain viral diseases.
- Often it turns out to be an allergic reaction to food or household chemicals; Bad quality.
- Wrong lifestyle, overwork. During a condition such as pregnancy, even a perfectly healthy body begins to suffer from changes, among which is a deterioration in the condition of the skin, and the usual state of fatigue causes poor skin condition and swelling.
It is not always possible to independently understand why edema occurred during pregnancy. It requires prompt delivery of laboratory tests, constant observation by a doctor, and then it will be possible to reduce the harm of such a phenomenon to a minimum.
How dangerous is hand swelling during pregnancy?
Swelling of the hands and fingers is a standard condition for the gestation period.
The symptoms of hand edema are as follows:
- Numbness in the hands.
- Unpleasant sensations in the wrists.
- Constant tingling sensation in the fingers.
Usually, swelling of the hands occurs under certain conditions - for example, in women who are engaged in knitting or modeling. In addition, the symptom manifests itself in those working at the computer, when the same actions are constantly performed. So, these include working with knitting needles, pressing the keyboard. In addition to the listed manifestations, many begin to suffer from the so-called "tunnel syndrome". This is constant pain in the wrists.
These troubles are easy to avoid if you do gymnastics and warm-up for your arms. There are cases when the sacrum, abdomen, back join the edema on the hands. Then it is recommended to urgently contact a specialist.
Facial swelling during pregnancy
Puffiness of the face during pregnancy is a phenomenon that is caused by certain reasons:
- Blood cells retain less salt and protein than other tissues, and the blood becomes dehydrated as water flows out of it.
- When the last weeks of pregnancy come, the uterus literally squeezes the veins and the system of lymphatic vessels coming from the legs.
To understand why edema has appeared, you need to learn to understand the stages of such a phenomenon as pregnancy.
There are only 4 of them:
- On the first - the areas of the feet and legs swell.
- In the second, the edema captures the lower extremities, the part of the abdomen closest to them and the lumbosacral region.
- At the third - hands swell, there is a feeling of puffiness of the face.
- The fourth is the stage of general edema.
According to external signs, the swollen face is easily distinguished: it begins to seem rounded, and when pressed with fingers, a fossa remains in the place of pressure. When these symptoms are established, it is necessary to consult a doctor, and then take measures, the purpose of which is to prevent serious complications. Most often, diet and medication are recommended.
Puffiness of the face during pregnancy is associated with certain mechanisms. First of all, there is a connection here with a change in water-salt metabolism. Due to a disturbance in the outflow of lymph and blood through the veins of the arms, face and legs, swelling. This should not be ignored.
On the subject: Why does the face swell and how to remove swelling from the face?
How to distinguish facial swelling?
Facial swelling is easy to distinguish visually. He has unpleasant roundness. In addition, we have already mentioned this method as pressing. Do not press hard - even if it's just fingers, bruising may remain when squeezing, and the condition will worsen.
A woman, convinced of the presence of such symptoms, seeks to visit a doctor as soon as possible. He can more accurately establish why such a state has come. Accordingly, further treatment follows.
This condition is quite common, and because of this, a number of signs have even appeared. So, there is a belief that you cannot touch your face - if you do it often, then the child will be born with birthmarks on the face. We can say that the connection with reality is rather fragile here. If you touch your face with your hands, the pores of the skin become polluted, and given the changes in the body, pollution can get to the fetus and cause similar consequences. Such cases are rare and, as a rule, frequent touching is harmful to the mother.
Swelling during pregnancy - what to do?
Each appointment is accompanied by an examination of the pregnant woman. This is especially true for the face and legs, as this allows you to identify pasty. You constantly need to carry out procedures such as weighing. This is the best way to detect excess weight gain. Edema during pregnancy is a certain phenomenon associated with an increase in a person's weight. On the legs, they may be mild. If they are completely not expressed, then this signals about hidden, internal, edema.
Before each examination by a gynecologist, a urine test is required. With the help of its results, renal function is established and "normal" edema is differentiated. They should not be confused with a phenomenon such as gestosis or kidney problems.
The causes of edema can be difficult to establish. The gynecologist will need the result of an additional examination (ultrasound of the kidneys, blood test). The patient must consider diuresis (for this, the volume of fluid consumed and the mass of excreted urine are determined). If the mass of urine is not enough, then it makes sense to start therapy.
First steps
The best way out is to drink clean water. Lemon is allowed. And you will have to refuse such a drink as coffee.
Prevention measures are based on the elimination of all provoking factors:
- It is better to start the maximum reduction in salty consumption with sauerkraut - it is excluded first. Pickled cucumbers, herring, black bread, pickled nuts, olives are then eliminated. Then cut food with spices, carbonated drinks, fried, smoked.
- A fasting day is shown at least once a week, when only apples and juices are consumed.
- Hiking in the heat is prohibited.
- Overwork is excluded.
- Prolonged exposure to one position is contraindicated.
- Exercise is recommended.
All these measures are allowed if there are no contraindications. You need to devote time to full walks, outdoor recreation. When it is time for sleep, it is better to put your feet on a certain hill.
Swelling in your feet can help relieve:
- cool baths,
- foot massage,
- a decoction of dried apricots.
In the latter case, you will need to pour boiling water over dried apricots and leave overnight, and in the morning they drink compote 30-40 minutes before a meal. Many other so-called traditional medicine recipes against puffiness can be cited as an example. It is dangerous to independently start treating such formations with medications such as diuretic pills. Such decisions must be discussed with the attending physician.
Above we have listed physiological edema. In such cases, a diet for pregnant women is sufficient, as well as control of fluid intake. In the first situation, they refuse junk food - not only salty, but also fatty, fried, smoked. But it is salt that is the reason why fluid cannot leave the body. All food needs to be slightly undersalted. Statistics say: the norm of salt during pregnancy is 8 g, and in the normal state - 14 g.
When there is severe physiological edema, a salt-free diet can be followed for a while. There are cases when diuretics are prescribed, but this measure is started only after consulting a specialist.
There are types of edema that cannot be treated with diet. Then they resort to a medication method of treatment under the strict supervision of a doctor. The emphasis remains on the elimination of the root cause.
The problem of gestosis is very complex. Despite the swelling, expectant mothers almost universally suffer from dehydration. That is, there can be no question of excluding water from the menu. In this case, they resort to diet. She's pretty strict. But it is not an absolute solution to the problem, but a little relief is guaranteed. Also, the doctor gives recommendations that must be followed, and conscientiously undergo a course of drug treatment.
On the subject: How to remove swelling at home?
How to remove swelling during pregnancy?
At home, edema during pregnancy is treated quite successfully. As a rule, hospitalization is used in extreme cases. With long-term therapy, the result is guaranteed in most cases, but if it is imperceptible, the period of hospitalization begins. In severe cases, this is necessary in order to conduct additional conditions and identify the causes of the obvious pathology.
We want to pay attention to those tips in which the risk of harming yourself and the fetus will be minimal.
To do this, adhere to several simple recommendations:
- You need to drink 1-1.2 liters of liquid per day (this amount includes soups, juices, fruits, etc.).
- Stop eating salty foods and foods that trigger thirst.
- Refuse carbonated drinks.
- Perform exercises and exercises for pregnant women regularly.
- Eat stewed, boiled, steamed foods, cereals, vegetables and fruits as often as possible.
- If the swelling is pronounced, they often resort to diuretics (only by agreement with the observing doctor).
- The lifestyle should be sufficiently mobile and active.
- Long stay in stuffiness and heat is not recommended.
- As needed, cool foot baths are carried out.
- The wearing of uncomfortable shoes, shoes, flat-soled boots or excessively high heels is excluded.
- Wear special anti-edema underwear - tights or stockings.
- Arrange for rest for the legs, exclude being in a long standing or sitting position.
Treatment of pathological edema is usually based on the elimination of the manifestations of the disease that provoked their appearance. Despite the fact that in this state women sometimes take rash actions, you need to resort to any measures only after contacting specialists.
A diet for pregnant women against edema is one of the most common measures. It must be admitted that opinions differ here. Sometimes there are directly opposite statements. Many years ago some recommendations were adopted, but now it turned out that they were not entirely correct, and they were finalized.
We fight edema
Do not drink more than 1-1.2 liters of liquid per day. Remember that this includes soups and fruits, not just water. If you drink more fluids, the swelling will increase.
Diet advice is much more effective. It produces results most often because it represents the right measure. Diet is not a rejection of foods that the body needs, but certain recommendations. We also talked about them above. Recall that not only salt, but also protein contributes to fluid retention. Most often, it is recommended to switch to food of a dairy-vegetable nature.
Author of the article: Lebedev Andrey Sergeevich | Urologist
Education: Diploma in the specialty "Andrology" received after completing residency at the Department of Endoscopic Urology of the Russian Medical Academy of Postgraduate Education in the urological center of the Central Clinical Hospital No. 1 of JSC Russian Railways (2007). Postgraduate studies were completed here by 2010.
