Your swollen foot, ankle, or leg may be due to an underlying chronic condition. It might also be due to medications that you’re taking or as an after-effect of surgery.
Blood clotBlood clots are solid clumps of blood that hamper blood flow up to your heart. These could form in the veins in your legs. This condition is called deep vein thrombosis (DVT).
Swelling often only occurs in one leg. Other symptoms may include:
paintendernessa warm sensationthrobbing, typically in the calf or thighredness or a change in color in the affected areafeverA blood clot is a medical emergency. Get immediate medical attention if you he these symptoms.
Treatment options for DVT may include taking blood thinners, surgery, and at-home management remedies.
BursitisBursitis is when fluid-filled sacs around your joints (called bursae) become inflamed. This causes swelling and pain in the joint. It’s common in older adults and people who repetitively use specific joints, like athletes or people in certain jobs.
Bursitis can develop at any joint where there’s a bursa. In the leg, it’s most common at the knee and ankle.
Other symptoms of bursitis may include difficulty walking and skin discoloration.
Treatment will depend on the severity of your condition and may include:
pain relief medicationsrest and icecorticosteroid injectionsantibioticsCellulitisCellulitis is a bacterial infection that occurs beneath the skin. It causes pain, discoloration, and swelling. Cellulitis may be life threatening if left untreated.
Symptoms of cellulitis may include:
a quickly growing rashtight, glossy, swollen skina feeling of warmth in the affected areapus-filled abscessfeverThe affected area is typically red or dark and expanding. The edge of the discoloration could usually be felt under the skin, as though there’s a piece of cardboard under it.
If you experience signs of cellulitis, get medical treatment immediately.
Cellulitis is treated with antibiotics. It should go away after 7–10 days of treatment.
Chronic venous insufficiencyChronic venous insufficiency is caused by damaged valves in the veins. This affects blood moving up to your heart from your legs and feet. Blood can collect in the veins of your legs and feet, causing swelling.
You may experience the following symptoms:
aching or tiredness in the legsnew varicose veinsflaky, itchy skin on the legs or feetvenous stasis ulcersSee a doctor if you he signs of venous insufficiency. It’s easier to treat the earlier it’s diagnosed.
Treatments include:
oiding extended periods of standing or sittingtaking breaks for leg, feet, and ankle exercises during long periods of sittingtaking breaks to elevate your feet during long periods of standingelevating legs above heart level while restingwalking and exercising regularlymaintaining a moderate weightwearing compression stockingsusing antibiotics to treat skin infectionsfollowing a daily skin care routineDiabetesDiabetes affects your ability to control sugar levels in your blood. High blood sugar levels can damage blood vessels which leads to poor blood circulation. This can cause blood to settle in your lower leg, causing swelling.
Prolonged circulation problems may eventually lead to nerve damage in your foot. This could also make your foot more susceptible to injury, which can lead to swelling.
To help with swelling caused by diabetes, your doctor may recommend:
compression socksfoot elevationregular exerciseweight lossstaying hydratedlimiting salt intakemagnesium supplementssoaking feet in Epsom saltsNerve damage in your foot may also cause Charcot foot. This is an inflammatory condition that affects bones and tissue in the foot. Charcot foot is a serious condition that could require amputation if not treated.
GoutA buildup of uric acid in your blood is called gout. As an acute condition, it may cause swelling in affected joints. This often affects the feet, particularly the big toe.
Gout flares usually last for 1–2 weeks. But if left untreated, gout may become chronic, leing lumps called tophi in your joints and tissue. Tophi can cause permanent damage to your joints.
Associated symptoms of gout include:
joint painskin that’s warm to the touchstiffnessmisshapen jointsTreatment may involve a combination of medications, pain relievers, and home remedies.
Heart failureIn right-sided heart failure, the heart’s right ventricle is too weak to pump enough blood to the lungs. As blood builds up in the veins, fluid gets pushed out into the tissues in the body. This could be brought on by a heart attack, valve disorders, or lung diseases like chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD).
The four primary signs and symptoms of heart failure are:
shortness of breathedema in your legs, feet, and anklesfatiguefainting or severe weaknessGet immediate medical treatment if you’re experiencing these symptoms.
Heart failure needs lifelong management. Treatment options include medications, surgery, and medical devices.
InfectionSwollen feet and ankles may be caused by infections and the accompanying inflammation. Some people may be more prone to infections. For example, people with diabetic neuropathy or other nerve conditions of the feet are more prone to foot infections.
Infections may be caused by wounds like blisters, burns, and insect bites.
If you he a bacterial infection, you may need prescription oral or topical antibiotics to treat it.
Kidney diseaseIf you he kidney disease or your kidneys aren’t working properly, you may he too much salt in your blood. This causes your body to retain water, which can lead to swelling in your feet and ankles.
One way this occurs is through decreased urination. This may lead to fluid retention, which could cause edema.
The following symptoms may also be present:
difficulty concentratingloss of appetitefeeling tired and weakdifficulty sleepingmuscle twitching and crampingpuffy eyesdry, itchy skinnausea and vomitingchest painshortness of breathhigh blood pressureTreatment options typically include diuretics and blood pressure medications. Other treatments may include:
medications for anemiaphosphate binder medications, which help block the absorption of phosphatecalcium and vitamin D supplementskidney transplantdialysisLiver diseaseLiver disease may lead to excess fluid in your legs and feet due to the liver not functioning properly. It may be caused by genetic factors, as well as viruses, alcohol, and obesity.
Other symptoms include:
a painful and swollen abdomenjaundice, or yellowish skin and eyesbruising easilyitchy skindark urinepale, bloody, or tar-colored stoolfatiguenausea or vomitingloss of appetiteTreatment options include:
weight loss, if you he obesityabstaining from alcoholmedicationssurgeryLymphedemaLymphedema occurs as a result of lymph nodes that are damaged or removed, often as part of cancer treatment. This causes your body to retain lymphatic fluid and can lead to swollen feet and ankles.
Other symptoms may include:
a feeling of tightness or heinesslimited range of motionachesrepeated infectionsfibrosis, or thickened tissueYou can’t cure lymphedema, but you can manage the condition by reducing pain and swelling. Severe lymphedema may require surgery.
Treatment options include:
light exercises that encourage lymph fluid drainageelevation of the legsspecial bandages, known as short-stretch bandages, for wrapping your foot or legmanual lymph drainage massagepneumatic compression, in which inflatable cuffs are placed around the legscompression garmentscomplete decongestive therapy (CDT), which combines multiple techniques such as exercise, bandaging, and massagePopliteal cystSynovial fluid reduces friction in your joints so you can move them more easily. However, a buildup of too much synovial fluid in your knee can cause a popliteal cyst (or Baker’s cyst) to form. It’s usually the result of injury or arthritis.
The cyst appears as a large bump behind the knee. Other symptoms that may go along with it include:
painstiffnesslimited motionbruising or rupturingYou can relieve pain from the cyst with steroids like cortisone. A doctor can even drain the cyst, but that doesn’t mean it won’t return. The most important thing to do is to identify and treat the underlying cause of the cyst.
Rheumatoid arthritisRheumatoid arthritis (RA) is an autoimmune condition that affects the lining of your joints. Fluid builds up around your joints, causing swelling and potentially permanent damage.
Along with swelling, you may experience:
joint painstiffness in your jointsfatiguefeveranemiarheumatoid nodulesIf you experience swelling due to RA, your doctor may recommend:
corticosteroidsnonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs)disease-modifying anti-rheumatic drugs (DMARDs)a splint to support an affected jointphysical therapySurgerySwelling is common after surgery. The early stages of healing usually involve inflammation, which can cause moderate to severe swelling. Mild to moderate swelling may persist for up to 6 months, depending on the type of surgery you had.
Reduce post-operative swelling by:
elevating your legusing an ice pack or cold compressusing compression stockingsIf your swelling goes on for too long or gets more severe, talk with a doctor. This could be a sign of an infection or blood clot.
MedicationsSome medications cause fluid to collect, especially in the lower part of your body. These include:
antidepressants, especially phenelzine (Nardil)calcium channel blockers used to treat high blood pressure, including: nifedipine (Adalat CC, Afeditab CR, Procardia)amlodipine (Norvasc)verapamil (Verelan)hormone medications, such as birth control pills, estrogen, or testosteronesteroidsangiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE) inhibitorsNSAIDsdiabetes medicationsIf you suspect that your medications are causing swollen feet and ankles, it’s important to see a doctor. Together, you can determine whether there are other options in terms of medications or dosages. They may prescribe a diuretic to help reduce excess fluid.