Edema is a rather serious medical condition that is characterized by the retention of fluid within the body's tissues and will more commonly occur in parts of the body like the arms, legs, ankles and feet. There are two main types of edema - Peripheral edema, which affects the feet, ankles, arms and legs; and cerebral edema, which affects the brain. Eye edema is another variant of the condition but is less common than the other two. In order to help better identify the most effective treatment options for the condition, it helps to have some information about how the condition developed and its main causes. Edema is caused by the leakage of fluid from tiny capillaries into the surrounding tissue - causing the area to start to swell. A lack of exercise is known to be a very common cause of edema while the act of either standing or being seated for an extended period of time is also known to play its part. As with almost any medical condition, genetics could also be responsible for the condition and it could easily have been handed down from one generation to another within the same bloodline. Excess heat and Burns are also known to affect and worsen the condition because of the substantial damage they do to cells and capillaries. Edema is also known to be a symptom of some more serious underlying conditions such as heart failure, kidney damage and liver disease.
Because of the fact that edema is a rather common condition, there are a number of home remedy treatment options that would prove to be rather effective such as mixing some amount of mustard oil with a little warm water and applying it over the affected area. Massaging the area with the oil should help soothe it much faster. The oil of flax seed is highly regarded when it comes to treating edema and sprinkling the oil over your food just before you sit down to a eat will be very beneficial. Another option would be to place a few cucumber slices on the affected area of your foot and then place a potato slice over it. Tie this up together with a cloth to allow it time to act on the swollen foot. This will help lessen the swelling over a period of time. Smoking and consumption of alcohol are known to aggravate the condition and should be avoided at all costs.
answered by M W