Leg Swelling: What It Is, Causes, Risks & Venous Diseases
When you experience leg swelling it can be alarming. Not only is it a noticeable condition, but you also might experience anxiety over the fact that there might be something wrong. So, you might find yourself searching “leg swelling clinic near me” or “leg swelling doctor near me.” Consider our clinic’s assessment of leg swelling and the type of treatment options.
Don’t fret. If your leg is swelling, we’re here to give you the information that you need to figure out what is going on. Let’s discuss leg swelling so that you can be more informed about the condition.
Leg Swelling Causes
Multiple different things can cause leg swelling. For one, it might be because of fluid buildup factors, that is, peripheral edema. Peripheral edema is going to occur when your blood vessels produce fluid that sneaks into your tissue. When there is extra fluid that has built up in your legs, your leg tissue is going to swell. This explains why your legs appear swollen—it is simply built-up fluid. Edema is not clinically present until fluid has increased by 2.5 litres.
A second thing to consider is leg swelling venous disorders. Vein diseases are complex, but to put things simply, your heart functions to pump blood through your body. However, sometimes, when the valves in your heart aren’t working properly, there a buildup of blood will occur in your leg veins.
Leg Swelling Visual Examples
Venous Edema: Venous edema is a noticeable increase in the volume of fluid in the skin and subcutaneous tissue. When putting pressure on the area, the indentation remains on the skin after the pressure is released.
Lympathic Edema, Lipedema: Lymphedema is swelling of lymph fluid in the body because of build up. Think of lymph nodes acting like a drain in your sink. If the drain is clogged, the fluid is unable to drain.
Common Causes of Edema
This can appear alarming because your legs will inevitably swell substantially. You’re more likely to be at risk for venous diseases if you’re overweight, pregnant, have a family history, or have experienced trauma in your leg because of past surgeries or blood clots.
Different Types of Body Parts That Can Swell
Although leg swelling is one phenomenon that could affect your body because of either venous diseases or built-up fluid, other parts of your body can swell, too. Be on the lookout for leg swelling of course, but also keep an eye out for any ankle swelling, foot swelling, limb swelling, and below knee swelling.
Leg Swelling Assessment
If you’re concerned and have leg swelling, you must get the issue checked out by a healthcare professional. Because conditions like Peripheral Arterial Disease, for example, can lead to issues like heart attacks or strokes, you want to be proactive if you think there’s an issue.
Edema Evaluation
- History
- Physical examination
- Lab tests/ECG
- Imaging
Important Questions to Ask in Edema Evaluation
- What is the duration?
- Is the edema painful?
- Is the patient on any medication?
- Does edema improve overnight or worsen in evenings?
- Any history of abdominal/pelvic neoplasm or radiation?
- Is there history consistent with sleep apnoea?
Venous Diseases and Leg Swelling
Since there are several different kinds of venous diseases, it’s important to discuss the different kinds of vein-related issues that cause leg swelling. For example, you might have deep vein thrombosis, which is a condition where a blood clot forms inside of your veins. This could happen in one vein or several veins, and this often happens if you’re immobile for a long period.
Another condition that you might have if you’re experiencing leg swelling, is varicose veins. Varicose veins are relatively common, as they are simply twisted and enlarged veins. Because walking and standing puts excess pressure on your veins in the lower body, varicose veins are veins that are close to the skin’s surface, that eventually get prominent and visible.
Finally, you may have peripheral arterial disease. When you have this condition, your legs have a blockage that stops blood vessels from carrying blood to the legs, from the heart. The risk of this is much higher in seniors, especially seniors who smoke, have high cholesterol, and diabetes.
Supreme Vascular and Interventional Clinic Treatments
There are more several types of venous diseases we offer to treat different problems. Swipe to learn more.
Read More About Venous Diseases on Our Blog
To dive deeper into the types of venous diseases, head over to our clinic’s blog.
Read our recommended venous diseases related blog posts to stay informed.
- Sclerotherapy: Treatment for Varicose Veins and Spider Veins
- Varicose Veins Treatments: Types, Causes, And Diagnosis
- How to Prevent Varicose Veins: Best Practices to Follow
- Deep Vein Thrombosis: Symptoms, Signs, And Treatment
- Cerebral Venous Thrombosis: Diagnosis, Management, and Treatments
Varicose Veins Resources
Explore our varicose veins and spider veins resources for patients. Gain insight into the diagnosis and treatment of varicose and spider veins conditions, their underlying causes, symptoms, and complications. Connect with your vascular health.
Venous Diseases Treatments
Keep Varicose Veins and Spider Veins at Bay
If your legs feel sore persistently, achy when standing long periods, or maybe you notice blue or purple veins even bulging in the area, chances are these symptoms of varicose veins and spider veins could lead to other serious venous diseases such as Deep Vein Thrombosis (DVT), Chronic Venous Insufficiency (CVI), or Leg Swelling due to increased pressure forming larger blood clots over time. Varicose veins are fully treatable with minimally invasive procedures and treatments offering minimal downtime and quick recovery preventing further complications. Long term effects of untreated varicose veins can hinder your daily life and impact your health.
The Supreme Vascular and Interventional Clinic in Singapore is here to diagnose and treat varicose veins smoothening patients’ experience to find relief and comfort. As a vascular and interventional radiology specialist based in Singapore, Dr. Manish Taneja, looks after a spectrum of venous diseases, peripheral vascular malformations, and peripheral arterial disease. Dr. Manish Taneja also has extensive experience in performing all vascular interventions, non-vascular interventions and interventional oncology procedures.
Other Health Conditions
At Supreme Vascular and Interventional Clinic, we want all of our patients to find relief. Our clinic is one of the best in Singapore, and we are eager to help you. If you have leg swelling, you’ll want to find a leg swelling specialist or a vascular specialist — that’s Dr. Manish Taneja. We are your “go-to” facility for various conditions and pain management. Contact us to arrange an appointment on our website or call us at +65 6904 8084.