Having swollen ankles is a problem that will affect most people at one point in their lives. In some instances, it’s nothing serious and can resolve on its own. There are cases, however, in which it is due to an underlying condition or disease that oftentimes require immediate medical attention.
If currently it seems like your ankles are swollen, keep on reading this article. Below you will come across some of the most common reasons why you are experiencing such.
Don’t forget to repost this on your different social media sites afterwards so that your family and friends may also get to know some of the culprits behind having swollen ankles.
Ankle Injury
Getting your ankle injured is very much likely to result in the swelling of the said body part. Aside from swelling, there is also pain, which is a clear sign that something is definitely wrong. Sometimes it may be due to a torn ligament, other times it may be caused by a fracture. Either way, seeing a doctor is recommended.
Pregnancy
If you are a woman and you’re in the family way, don’t be surprised if your ankles seem larger than usual. That’s because swollen ankles is an issue faced by most pregnant women.
According to experts, swelling of the ankles during pregnancy is usually due to hormonal imbalance that can cause fluid retention. In some instances, it is due to the pooling of blood in the lower extremities due to the pressure applied by the expanding uterus on the blood vessels supplying blood to the legs.
Make sure that you pay your doctor a visit ASAP is there’s severe swelling of your ankles during pregnancy because it may be a sign of preeclampsia, a serious form of high blood pressure affecting pregnant women.
Standing or Sitting
Does your work entail standing or sitting for hours on end? Then it’s very much likely for your ankles to appear swollen and tired after work hours. Worry not because it’s something that will get resolved on its own. Placing your feet on a couple of pillows can help put an end to the swelling immediately.
Medication Side Effect
If the swelling of your ankles happened a few hours after taking certain a medication prescribed by your doctor, then what you just placed in your mouth could be the one to blame for the problem.
According to medical professionals, there are drugs that are known to cause fluid retention, thus making the ankles swell up. Some of them include anti-inflammatory drugs like NSAIDs and steroids, contraceptives, anti-depressants, blood pressure medications, and those for managing diabetes.
Do not stop taking a prescribed drug just because you believe that it’s the one to blame for your swollen ankles. What you need to do is inform your doctor about the issue.
Arthritis
So many different joints in the body are prone to having arthritis, and the ankles are some of them. It doesn’t really come as a surprise because the ankles have to support a lot of weight when a person is engaged in physical activities involving the use of the lower extremities, such as standing and running.
Luckily, there are plenty of ways to have arthritis managed. Some of them include the intake of certain medications and some dietary and lifestyle changes. There are also plenty of herbal solutions for it.
Heart, Kidney or Liver Problems
Is your swollen ankles accompanied by some other unusual symptoms such as shortness of breath, dizziness and skin itching? Then it is a good idea for you to pay your doctor a visit as soon as you can. That’s because some causes of ankle swelling are very serious ones that warrant immediate identification and treatment.
Certain problems concerning the heart, kidneys and liver are known to cause fluid retention, making the ankles as well as other parts of the body to become swollen.
