If you are a woman you have probably had it at one time or another. It makes you feel bloated and you probably are. This is sometimes what is more commonly referred to as water weight gain or water retention. In many women it can come and go with the menstrual cycles each month and is really nothing to be alarmed about. Then there are other times when it could be a sign of something more serious and this happens with men as well as women.
When a female goes through her regular monthly cycle, water weight gain might show up a week or so prior to beginning her monthly flow. This can be largely due to the fluctuation in hormone levels. While this is going on there could be a rise in estrogen levels which can cause aldosterone. Aldosterone is a hormone that can cause the kidneys to retain water and it can commonly collect in the abdomen and breasts and cause swelling and tenderness. It is not unusual for some women to gain a few pounds during this time of the month.
There are other times when water weight gain is not a normal occurrence. Water retention can also cause swelling in the legs, feet, and fingers along with the breasts and abdomen. Pregnant women often experience swelling in these areas, but when it comes on suddenly and is abnormal swelling, they should see the doctor as soon as possible. The three things that cause water retention are kidneys, sodium, and hormones.
Here are a few signs that you could be retaining water:
1. If your socks leave a ring around your leg it can be caused by water.
2. When you can not remove your rings because your fingers are swollen.
3. When you have a problem getting your pants zipper up and down all of a sudden.
4. When you gain several pounds in just a day or so.
Having a diet that is high in sodium can cause water retention many times because salt will make you drink more fluids. Steroid medications can also cause puffiness because they can cause your kidneys to hold more sodium even if you do not over indulge in salt. Estrogen replacement hormones can cause water retention in post menopausal women. These might be things you should discuss with your doctor if they are uncomfortable or happen frequently.
You should always contact your doctor if your skin stays swelled for a long period of time or if you poke yourself with your finger and it leaves an indentation mark, it could be signaling a problem with some vital organ like the kidneys, thyroid, liver, or your heart. Do not mistake what you think is a simple common problem for something that could be much more serious.
Symptoms Of Water Retention
Edema once known as dropsy is an evident case of swelling of your organs or tissue due to collection of fluid. It mainly happens in the feet, ankles and legs because it is the most affected part due to gravity which is also known as peripheral edema which affects your face and hands too. There are two kinds of enema pitting edema and non-pitting edema. Pitting edema causes an indentation when you press your fingers on the swollen areas; non- pitting edema leaves no indentation. Women are more susceptible to this kind of condition in comparison to men.
It can be caused if you are sitting in one place for a long time and pressuring your legs. Consuming too much sodium further increases the problem. The water is retained due to diseases like congestive heart failure and hypertension. This overloading of the fluid makes the heart work more than its usual share. Consuming anti-inflammatories like prednisone also causes water retention. In general many people may already contain extra water which accumulates around thighs, buttocks, abdomen and lower extremities. These swellings are totally unaffected by exercise or diet. There are some natural products in the market which can help you with this condition to ease the pain and swelling.
Some symptoms which appear from nowhere are feeling of suffocation due to breathlessness, wheezing, restlessness and anxiety; cough accompanied with blood, sweating more than usual, pale skin, chest pain due to heart trouble. Symptoms which are gradually uncovered are difficulty in breathing due to lying flat, lack of sleep due to breathlessness and gaining good amount of weight over a period of time.
Home remedies for Edema
This home remedy is very good for pregnant ladies. You can introduce flax seeds in your daily diet. Grind and store these seeds and use it daily with any of your meals.
A good diet combined with equal amount of exercise can make things very easy for you. Include cucumber and watermelon in your daily diet for good dose of potassium.
Swimming is the best thing to do during such times.
Drink good amount of water as water helps in diluting the excess salt, which makes the removal of the salt much easier which leads to prevention of edema.
Keep sipping herbal tea at least three times a day, this too acts in the similar fashion like water - dilution.
Whenever you get time keep your feet elevated as one of the common reasons for water retention is gravity.
Warning: The reader of this article should exercise all precautionary measures while following instructions on the home remedies from this article. Avoid using any of these products if you are allergic to it. The responsibility lies with the reader and not with the site or the writer.
Both Rachel Yoshida & Kevin Pederson are contributors for EditorialToday. The above articles have been edited for relevancy and timeliness. All write-ups, reviews, tips and guides published by EditorialToday.com and its partners or affiliates are for informational purposes only. They should not be used for any legal or any other type of advice. We do not endorse any author, contributor, writer or article posted by our team.
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