Swollen Ankles: 5 Health Problems

Commonly, swollen feet and ankles can be due to fluid retention or injury after a certain movement, but not only. There are other reasons to take into account and we will discuss them in more detail below.

It is important to take into account the possible causes and go to the doctor to find out which one is directly affecting us so that appropriate treatment can be started.

Treatment usually consists of a series of very simple measures. On the other hand, there are complementary methods that help to obtain relief from certain discomforts.

1. Venous insufficiency

Often, patients come for consultation and comment on their discomfort and refer to their poor circulation and their intuition may not fail them. Swollen ankles and other discomforts can occur as a result of this and, in particular, due to a vascular problem.

Vascular diseases in the lower extremities are classified as arterial or venous :

• Arterial: may be due to a local defect in the arteries, for example, aneurysms. Or be a consequence of other ailments such as arteriosclerosis.
• Venous: include varicose veins and venous thrombosis.

According to the MSD Manual: “Chronic venous insufficiency is damage to the veins in the legs that prevents blood from flowing normally. Postphlebitic syndrome is a chronic venous insufficiency caused by a blood clot in the veins ”.

2. Blood clots

Blood clots in the veins of the legs can be the cause of swollen ankles and other discomforts.

Experts at MedicalNewsToday explain: “ If blood clots develop in the veins of the legs, they can prevent blood from returning to the heart. This can cause the ankles and feet to swell ”. And they add that deep vein thrombosis (DVT) occurs when blood clots form in the legs. In these cases, the person may also experience:

• Pain.
• Low-grade fever
• Color changes in the skin of the legs.

3. Exercising the wrong way

If you exercise on your own, you may be doing it wrong. To be sure, see if you have any kind of swelling in your ankles.

At this point we must be careful, because swelling should not be confused with inflammation of muscular origin.

• The latter are different because they are accompanied by pain, and are felt inside, rather than superficially.
• Muscle inflammations are more frequent in a single limb. But if they show up at both, you should be wondering if you’re exercising incorrectly or wearing poor shoes.

4. Bad life habits

Just as a balanced diet can contribute greatly to health, a diet rich in salt and fat can harm it and cause all kinds of problems, such as fluid retention and swelling of the limbs. On the other hand, smoking and alcoholism often trigger several health problems and, in turn, reinforce others.

5. Some medication

There are some medications that can have side effects such as swelling of the lower extremities. For example, drugs for diabetes, antidepressants, non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, corticosteroids, among others.

In the event that the swelling of the ankles is due to a specific medication, we should not suspend its consumption, but consult with the doctor. In some cases it may be an effect that will have to be tolerated, but in others it is an indicator that the medication should be regulated or changed to another.

Natural remedy to relieve swollen ankles

In addition to following the doctor’s instructions, to obtain relief it is also possible to resort to certain measures, such as a gentle massage at home with a little chamomile essential oil.

This oil has anti-inflammatory properties, therefore, it is used to obtain relief in case of swelling.

Ingredients

• 2 cups of water (500 ml).
• Chamomile essential oil.
• 2 tablespoons of chamomile flowers (20 g).

Preparation

• First, heat the water and when it starts to boil, add a few drops of chamomile essential oil.
• Then, let the decoction cook for 10 minutes.
• Add the chamomile flowers and cook for another 5 or 6 minutes.
• Then, remove from the heat and wait for it to cool.
• Finally, strain and pour over the legs little by little.
• For a few minutes, massage in circular motions, from your feet to your knees.

Remember that this is a remedy that can contribute to relief, but it is not a cure for the problem as such. Therefore, use it only as a complement to what the doctor prescribes.