Causes of Edema

What are the causes of the edema?

Edema lower leg

The cause of the accumulation of water in the tissues (edema) is a leakage of fluid from the vascular system.
The relationship between filtration (exit) and reabsorption (Resumption) has been shifted in favor of filtration. This leaves more fluid in the tissue and creates the edema.
Edema is often the result of an underlying disease, e.g. E.g. renal failure (Kidney weakness) or heart failure (Heart failure). However, there are many different causes of edema:

  • Renal insufficiency / kidney weakness / kidney failure
  • Heart failure / heart failure (heart failure)
  • Leg vein thrombosis
  • Cirrhosis of the liver
  • Low protein intake from food
  • Medication
  • allergy
  • Insect bite
  • Pulmonary hypertension

Insufficiency means that the organ can no longer fully fulfill its function.

Edema can also result from a disease of the lymphatic system.

Find out all about the topic here: Lymphedema.

Edema also forms around the wound as part of the bacterial infection, gas burn. Please also read our article on this: Gas fire

That's how it pumps heart inadequate and the kidney filters the blood too small.
In the Heart failure (Heart failure) it matters which side of the heart (ventricle) is affected.
At a Left heart failure the causes are predominant Pulmonary edemawhich can cause breathlessness as there is water in the Alveoli accumulates.
Is there a Right heart failure, edema occurs mainly on the ankles and the back of the foot. These edemas are symmetrical, i.e. right and left.

If only one leg is affected, this can be an indication of one Leg vein thrombosis be. Here is through that clot (thrombus) obstructs the return of blood to the heart, causing a higher pressure to build up below the stenosis (narrowing) due to the leg vein thrombosis. This forces liquid out of the vessels.

In the Cirrhosis of the liver as the cause it occurs due to the destruction of the tissue of the liver to a reduced protein production.
Usually there is also a congestion of the blood in the vein leading to the liver (Portal vein) before (portal hypertension), which also squeezes out water. If the protein intake from food is too low (Malnutrition or Diets) the causes of edema are the same. Here the water collects especially in the abdomen (Ascites). This happens because the protein normally draws water to a certain extent and thus holds it in the blood.

However, if the blood protein is too low, it can no longer be held in the blood and leaves the vascular system.

Further information on the topic can be found here: The protein deficiency

Even drugs are considered to be the cause of edema, often e.g. E.g. calcium channel blockers, which are used for the therapy of high blood pressure (hypertension) can be used.

Allergies or insect bites can also be causes of short-term tissue swelling.
Such localized edema can be arterial, venous or lymphatic circulation disorders. Lymphedema is based on the following mechanism: The disturbed lymph circulation not only leads to insufficient removal of fluid from the inter-tissue space (Interstitium), but also proteins increasingly remain there and draw additional water from the vessels, which increases the swelling.

The symptoms of pulmonary edema are shortness of breath. With pronounced edema, water can also be deposited in the abdominal cavity. Medically, this is known as ascites and is characterized by increasing abdominal girth, umbilical hernias (umbilical hernia) and possibly a bulging abdomen (abdomen).