Edema is the swelling of tissues as a result of excess water accumulation. Peripheral edema occurs in the feet and legs. There are two types of edema, non-pitting edema and pitting edema. Causes of pitting edema is caused by systemic diseases (most commonly involving the heart, liver, and kidneys), and medications. Local conditions that cause edema are thrombophlebitis and varicose veins. Edema or swelling of the legs, feet, ankles, and face are common during pregnancy. Idiopathic edema is edema in which the cause is not known. Pitting edema is scored on pitting edema measurement scales. Edema is generally treated with medication.
Read more: Edema (Pitting) ArticleMultimedia: Slideshows, Images & Quizzes
-
Kidney Disease Quiz: Test Your Medical IQ
Kidney disease is common. Take this kidney disease quiz to test your knowledge and learn the symptoms, causes and types of kidney...
-
Picture of Lymphedema
A common chronic, debilitating condition in which excess fluid called lymph collects in tissues and causes swelling (edema) in...
-
Picture of Pitting Edema
Observable swelling of body tissues due to fluid accumulation that may be demonstrated by applying pressure to the swollen area...
-
Picture of Kidneys
The kidneys are a pair of organs located in the back of the abdomen. See a picture of the Kidneys and learn more about the health...
-
Surprising Reasons for Weight Gain
There are many reasons for sudden weight gain when there are no changes in diet or exercise. Sudden weight gain could be caused...
-
Spider & Varicose Veins: Causes, Before and After Treatment Images
Learn the causes of spider veins and varicose veins and how to prevent them. Explore which treatments get rid of spider and...
-
Heart Disease: Causes of a Heart Attack
Learn about heart disease and heart attack symptoms and signs of a heart attack in men and women. Read about heart disease...
-
Am I Having a Heart Attack? Symptoms of Heart Disease
Heart attacks symptoms vary greatly for men and women, from anxiety and fatigue to nausea and sweating. Learn the warning signs...
-
Foot Health: Causes of Swollen Feet and Ankles
Swollen feet and ankles may be associated with conditions like pregnancy, injury, heart failure, kidney disease, liver disease,...
Related Disease Conditions
-
Liver (Anatomy and Function)
The liver is the largest gland and organ in the body. There are a variety of liver diseases caused by liver inflammation,...
-
Brain Tumor (Symptoms, Signs, Types, Causes, Survival Rates)
A brain tumor can be either non-cancerous (benign) or cancerous (malignant), primary, or secondary. Common symptoms of a primary...
-
Cirrhosis (Liver)
Cirrhosis of the liver refers to a disease in which normal liver cells are replaced by scar tissue caused by alcohol and viral...
-
High Blood Pressure (Hypertension) Signs, Causes, Diet, and Treatment
High blood pressure (hypertension) is a disease in which pressure within the arteries of the body is elevated. About 75 million...
-
Varicose Veins
Varicose vein: A dilated (widened) tortuous (twisting) vein, usually involving a superficial vein in the leg, often associated...
-
Pulmonary Hypertension (Symptoms, Treatment Medications, Life Expectancy)
Pulmonary hypertension is an increase pressure in the pulmonary arteries that carry blood from the lungs to the heart. The most...
-
12 Congestive Heart Failure Symptoms, Stages, Causes, and Life Expectancy
Congestive heart failure (CHF) refers to a condition in which the heart loses the ability to function properly. Heart disease,...
-
Primary Biliary Cirrhosis (PBC)
Primary Biliary Cirrhosis (PBS) is a liver disease in which bile building up in the organ damages bile ducts. Ultimately, this...
-
Endocarditis
Endocarditis, a serious infection of one of the four heart valves is caused by growth of bacteria on one of the heart valves;...
-
Superior Vena Cava Syndrome
Superior vena cava syndrome is compression of the superior vena cava vein located in the upper chest. Causes of superior vena...
-
Kidney Failure (Symptoms, Signs, Stages, Causes, Treatment, and Life Expectancy)
Kidney failure can occur from an acute event or a chronic condition or disease. Prerenal kidney failure is caused by blood loss,...
-
Cellulitis
Cellulitis is an acute spreading bacterial infection below the surface of the skin characterized by redness, warmth,...
-
Deep Vein Thrombosis (DVT, Blood Clot in the Legs)
Deep vein thrombosis (DVT) is a blood clot in the deep veins, and can be caused by broken bones, trauma to a limb, immobility,...
-
Hypertensive Kidney Disease
High blood pressure can damage the kidneys and is one of the leading causes of kidney failure (end-stage renal kidney disease)....
-
Cardiomyopathy (Restrictive)
Restrictive cardiomyopathy, the rarest form of cardiomyopathy, is a condition in which the walls of the lower chambers of the...
-
Cardiomyopathy (Dilated)
Dilated Cardiomyopathy is a condition where the heart's ability to pump blood is decreased because the heart's main pumping...
-
Cardiomyopathy (Hypertrophic)
Hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (HCM) affects many people today. Many people with HCM have no symptoms or only minor symptoms, and...
-
Preeclampsia and Eclampsia
Preeclampsia is a condition in pregnant women marked by high blood pressure and a high level of protein in the urine. Eclampsia...
-
Hashimoto's Thyroiditis (Symptoms, Diet, Treatments, Pregnancy)
Hashimoto's thyroiditis or chronic lymphocytic thyroiditis, is an autoimmune disorder causing inflammation of the thyroid gland....
-
Ricin Poisoning
Ricin is a biological toxin that can be made from processing castor beans. The length of time it takes for the poison to begin...
-
Ingrown Toenail (Onychocryptosis)
Ingrown toenails are caused by the growth of the toenail into the surrounding nail fold. Symptoms and signs include toe pain,...
-
Hyponatremia (Low Blood Sodium) Symptoms, Signs, Causes, Diet, Treatment
Hyponatremia is a condition in which the levels of sodium in the blood is too low. Some of the symptoms of hyponatremia include...
-
Pulmonary Edema
Pulmonary edema (swelling or fluid in the lungs) can either be caused by cardiogenic causes (congestive heart failure, heart...
-
Diabetes and Kidney Disease
In the United States diabetes is the most common cause of kidney failure. High blood pressure and high levels of blood glucose...
-
Ascites
Ascites, the accumulation of fluid in the abdominal cavity is most commonly caused by cirrhosis of the liver. Some of the other...
-
Enlarged Spleen (Splenomegaly) Symptoms, Signs, Causes,Treatment
An enlarged spleen or splenomegaly, is generally caused by other diseases or conditions such as infections, cancers, blood...
-
Heart Murmur in Newborns, Children, and Adults
A heart murmur is a heart problem that can occur, for example, during pregnancy or exercise, or it can be a symptom of serious...
-
Lymphedema
Lymphedema is a condition in which one or more extremities become swollen as the result of an impaired flow of the lymphatic...
-
Pleural Effusion
Pleural effusion is a buildup of fluid in the chest or on the lungs. There are two types of pleural effusion, trandsudate and...
-
Brain Hemorrhage
A brain hemorrhage is a type of stroke caused when an artery bursts in the brain, causing localized bleeding in the surrounding...
-
Swollen Ankles and Swollen Feet
Swollen ankles and swollen feet is a symptom of an underlying disease or condition such as edema, medications, pregnancy,...
-
Kidney Pain (Location, Symptoms, Relief)
Kidney pain has a variety of causes and symptoms. Infection, injury, trauma, bleeding disorders, kidney stones, and less common...
-
Coma (Medical)
Coma is the inability to waken or react to the surrounding environment. The Glasgow Coma Scale is frequently used to measure the...
Treatment & Diagnosis
Medications & Supplements
- bumetanide - injection, Bumex
- furosemide - injection
- Aldactone (spironolactone)
- hydrochlorothiazide (Microzide, Hydrodiuril, Ezide, and Hydro-Par have been discontinued)
- furosemide (Lasix)
- triamterene and hydrochlorothiazide
- indapamide, Lozol (Discontinued)
- metolazone, Zaroxolyn, Diulo (Discontinued); Mykrox (Discontinued)
- bumetanide, Bumex (discontinued brand)
- chlorthalidone, Thalitone (Hygroton discontinued brand in USA)
- Thiazides (Diuretics)
- Diamox, Diamox Sequels (acetazolamide)
- mannitol (Osmitrol)
- torsemide - injection, Demadex
- amiloride - oral, Midamor
- torsemide (Demadex)
Prevention & Wellness
- Hope for 1st Drug Against Lymphedema, a Cancer Complication
- Study Compares Drugs for Common Diabetic Eye Disease
- Drug Lucentis May Fight Diabetic Eye Disease
- Better Diabetes Blood Sugar Management Leads to Fewer Eye Surgeries
- Study Compares Drugs for Diabetes-Linked Eye Disease
- Many With Diabetes Don't Realize Disease Can Harm Vision
- FDA Approves Botox for Crow's Feet
- Climbers With Altitude Sickness Show Signs of Brain Bleeds Years Later
- Heart Failure Drugs Put to the Test
- FDA Gives Nod to First Drug for Diabetic Eye Disease
- Obesity May Raise Odds for Painful Leg Condition
- Zioptan Eyedrops Approved for Glaucoma, Ocular Hypertension
- Anthrax Vaccine Shows Promise in Monkeys
- Lucentis May Treat Diabetes-Related Vision Loss
- Drug Reverses Diabetes-Related Vision Loss
Subscribe to MedicineNet's Heart Health Newsletter
By clicking "Submit," I agree to the MedicineNet Terms and Conditions and Privacy Policy. I also agree to receive emails from MedicineNet and I understand that I may opt out of MedicineNet subscriptions at any time.
