Swollen Ankles Causes
When the body starts retaining fluid, what happens is that the excessive fluid gets accumulated in the space that exists between the cells of the body. Although this can happen anywhere in the body, the problem mainly affects the feet and the ankles, and manifests itself in the form of swollen ankles. Medically this condition is known as edema. One of the main causes of swollen ankles is an excessive intake of salt; the other is hormonal changes that occur just before the menstrual cycle and during pregnancy. This is one of the main reasons why a lot of pregnant women suffer from swollen ankles. If you are allergic to certain medicines or certain foods, this too could lead to swollen ankles. Another thing that leads to swollen ankles is standing on your feet for too long or sitting with your feet dangling for too long. Any one of these or a combination of these could be the reason of your ankles swelling up. Apart from this, sometimes edema is a result of some other medical problem, but this is something that you will be able to determine only after undergoing a proper medical examination.
Swollen Ankles Treatment
Whatever be the reason, there are a few things that you can do at home to take care of this problem. You can start off by substantially increasing your intake of water. This will ensure that any extra salt that is present in the body is flushed out of the body instead of remaining inside. This will definitely help in bringing down the swelling in your ankles. At the same time, you will need to cut down on your intake of salt. This means that you need to avoid eating any kind of processed or ready-to-eat type of food as the quantity of salt in such items is very high. Apart from this, make sure that you exercise everyday, for at least 30 minutes, if not more. Exercises help increase and improve the blood circulation in the body and this in turn takes care of the swelling. Whether you are sitting or standing in one place, after every half an hour, you need to get up and walk around for a few minutes. Or else you can walk up and down the stairs. Whenever you get the chance, soak your feet in warm water for around 15-20 minutes. Also, whenever you lie down, place around 2-3 pillows under your feet to elevate it. This too will help to bring down the swelling.
