Swollen Foot/Ankle

[peppergirl]

My left Ankle and foot are very swollen and feels very tight and heavy.  I have not sprained or strained it at all. I am about 40 lbs overweight - could this cause this?

[donnaj51]

A related discussion, Tight red sore feet was started.

[TrudieC]

I would say that your weight would not cause this.  If it was weight related both the right and left would be involved.  Do get it checked out.

[Bhupinder Kaur, MD]

Hello,

Being overweight is one of the causes of swollen leg and foot. Eat a healthy diet and exercise regularly to decrease your weight. Standing for a long time can also lead to these symptoms.

Was there any insect bite or sting on your left leg? Try taking OTC antihistaminic like benadryl and see if it helps.

Sometimes venous insufficiency (when the veins in your legs are unable to adequately pump blood back to the heart) can also lead to swollen leg/feet. Swollen legs may be a sign of heart failure, kidney failure, or liver failure. In these conditions, there is too much fluid in the body.

Take rest and elevate your leg while resting. Exercise your legs. This helps pump fluid from your legs back to your heart. You can also wear compression stockings which are readily available at drug stores. Try to follow a low-salt diet, which may reduce fluid retention and swelling.

If the symptoms do not improve then pls consult a physician for the confirmatory diagnosis.

Take care and pls do keep us posted.

[porta1800]

Off your last comment, I have the same issue with my left foot and ankle and was recently diagnosed about 2 weeks ago with severe athletes foot that started on that left foot and seemed to turn into a bacterial infection from what the Podiatrist told me. I have been on meds for going on 3 weeks now and it doesn't get too swollen but not going down either. Just wanted to post and see if there was anything else I could either do that could help or something else preventing the foot and ankle from swelling?

[hyepod]

Is the area red and warm?  Is it painful?  Is the calf involved at all?  Do you have nausea, fever, chills?  Calf involvement could indicate a clot deep within.  There's always the possibility that a forgotten or unnoticed opening in the skin of that region became infected.  Rarely, an infection from a different part of the body can "seed" to a distant site.  Could be an auto-immune disorder, including various types of arthritis.  Or, simply, it could be that the veins in your leg are becoming too weak to do their job.  Check with a doctor.

[mungufuata]

It could be a retention of water kind of thing.  I've known lots of people where that is the case.  If that's true, diuretics can help (the bad side is that they make you have to pee a LOT).