Leg Swelling: Check Your Symptoms and Signs With the Symptom Checker by MedicineNet.com

Leg Swelling Symptoms

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Medical Author: William C. Shiel Jr., MD, FACP, FACR

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Symptoms & Signs

Leg swelling generally occurs because of an abnormal accumulation of fluid in the tissues of the lower extremity. The medical term for leg swelling from excessive fluid in the tissues is edema. Persisting indentation of a swollen leg after pressure from a finger is known as pitting edema.

Less common causes of leg swelling include diseases that cause thickness of the layers of skin, such as scleroderma and eosinophilic fasciitis. In these diseases, the leg swelling is characterized by non-pitting edema.

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REFERENCE:

Fauci, Anthony S., et al. Harrison's Principles of Internal Medicine. 17th ed. United States: McGraw-Hill Professional, 2008.

Terms related to Leg Swelling:

Swollen Legs
Edema

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