MS & FOOT EDEMA

[Nicksan]

Does anyone have edema or swelling of the feet? On my weak leg, I have edema. It goes away at night and when I prop my legs up. But what can I do to prevent it? I realize part of the problem is sitting a lot but is there something I can do to reduce the swelling?

[hunterd]

you can do a few things to reduce the swelling, you can elevate your feet as much as possible, many times the swelling is caused by a lack of weight-bearing activity. You can also lower your sodium intake while at the same time increasing your H2O intake. I am by no means an expert, but at least this is a start.

[zilphia01]

edema

I figured my foot swelling is because I have turned into a couch slug, since every time I try to walk or bike, I tip over.

I hate this.

[MizMeesha]

I find my edema is directly related to humidity. As the humidity goes above 55-60% my feet swell accordingly.

I hadn't considered edema as a Sx of MS - but hmmm.

Generally what I've done is epsom salt foot baths, its cooling and the epsom salt is magnesium and magnesium is readily absorbed through the skin, so the soak is ace for getting magnesium supplementation - which is the #1 supplement to help reduce edema. Nifty.

Other than that, cool foot baths, floating in swimming pools, elevated legs, and upping magnesium rich foods (greens and almonds!) are supposed to be helpful.

[Nicksan]

edema

Thanks for your responses. I'll take the advice and try lowering my salt intake and add magnesium, and see if that helps. I've tried the special socks, diuretics and bandage wraps to no avail. Raising of the legs does help but only temporarily. Tks.

[BALTIMORERAVEN]

FEET SWELLING

TY I NEEDED TO SEE IF OTHERS HVE THE SAME PROBLEM HAING MS!

[fourcats]

feet swelling

I have horrible swelling! The problem with me is that it starts in my feet and travels up too. I have been on steroids since September trying to keep the swelling down.

[marme41]

Hallelujah!! I thought it was just me. I also have edema in my left foot, which is attached to my "worst" leg. Elevating my foot seems to help the most and upping my water intake helps some, but if I go out in this heat/humidity....forget it! I'm just so glad to know I'm not the only one.

[fourcats]

not the only one!

MS sure manifests itself differently with each person, but trust me, I am right there with you on the edema.

[fishead]

Much edema comes from the aging process. Add to that "limited movement" and it gets worse. I would encourage anyone with this issue to speak to their Primary Care Doc.

[lori]

compression socks help my swollen feet and calves

[kebsa]

heat and humidity definately aggrevates the swelling but much of the issue does have to do with movement. We all know that those of us who are basically chair bound can have significant problems with swelling- it referred to as dependent edema and happens basically because we do not have action of walking effectively helping push fluid around the system more effectively. But one does not have to be chair bound to have a problem and ultimately the cause is the same.


Arteries that carry blood away from the heart towards the peripheries such as hands and feet, have a muscle layer in the wall of the vessels that contracts to help push the blood around, it is also still under the effects of the contraction of the heart- that push as it leaves the ventricle after being oxygenated. however once it has reached the peripheries and carried the oxygen to where its needed in the small capillaries of the extremeties it then has to return up hill towards the heart via the veins. the veins do not have any muscle layer, only valves at regular intervals to help reduce backflow.

IN a perfectly fit and healthy person who is reasonably active, the contraction of the actual skeletal muscles of the legs as we move and walk actually helps to push and massage the blood back towards the heart- its called the venous pump. so its not hard to see that if you have muscles that either do not work at all or that work ineffectively due to effects from MS such as spasticity or muscle weakness, then the pump is less effective, the blood starts to have problems getting back to the heart as quick as it left! this leads to a back log, it can also lead to varicose veins but ultimately it leads to blood tending to pool lower in the leg.

the only way the body can then try to help reduce back pressure affecting the blood getting down into the legs is by starting to shift fluid into the surrounding tissue. AT the same time fluid is also not flowing around the lymphatic system as well as it should as this relies almost entirely on muscle movement. So its easy to see how being completely chair dependant is an issue. But even that small amount of muscl weakness can have an effect just on a lesser scale, so the swelling may be less severe.


As to the hot weather and humidity, part of the bodies cooling mechanism is to dilate the small blood vessels at the peripheries to allow blood flow closer to the skin to try to lose heat but it also means more blood can pool in the limb that is already somewhat overloaded. then if we are overweight both the venous system and the lymphatic system hit a bit of a bottle neck in the groin caused by fatty tissue.

so basically any kind of movement of your legs will help a bit, but also elevating your legs as much as possible- and that means with the foot higher than the knee and the knee preferably higher than the hip. bandaging and compression stockings help but depending on the degree of your problem there are different types of stckings and bandages- some stockings are only 10mm/hg while others are 30-40mm/hg

There are physical therapists who specialise in dealing with lymphodema and venous swelling and they can assess what kind of stocking are appropriatte for you and may be able to reduce long term swelling by using progressive bandaging and or massage before prescribing the correct size and weight of stocking. So it does not matter if the cause of reducedmuscle activity is ms or something else, the effects are the same and the same managment techniques will hell

[Barb Franzen]

Swelling feet.

I swell! I think humidity, salt, and I wonder about Tysabri? I have no idea on the medication. I take a fluid pill, use socks, walk, walk. Like you, I don't understand my selling. It is also stomach bloating, legs swelling, and what not. My hands do fine. Of course, it isn't my favorite- I just make the best of it and tolerate.

[MSer102]

Ditto on the need for muscle movement to pump fluid out of the feet and legs.

The lymphatic system doesn't have a pump to pump lymph upward against gravity the way the blood system has the heart to pump blood. Lymph gets moved by the contraction of muscles. So if a foot swells in a leg that has weak muscles and isn't getting much movement it can still help to move the foot and leg muscles even if the person can't stand up or bear much weight on it. Exercises done sitting or lying down can still help with foot and leg edema as long as the muscles get contracted to pump the lymphatic fluid and "back pressured" blood out and upward.

[agate]

Edema has been a problem for me ever since MS came along. I keep it more or less under control with a thiazide diuretic but in the last 5 years or so I've had ankle swelling.

A physical therapist advised me to elevate my legs on a foam block twice a day for 15 minutes each time. I couldn't find a foam block but use an upturned plastic laundry basket, and I do this only once a day but it does help to keep the ankle swelling down.