Many people occasionally experience fluid retention in the body, for example, due to an injury or inflammation. This causes swelling at the site of the condition. Unfortunately, there are also less benign conditions that cause you to retain an abnormal amount of fluid, which is referred to as edema. Retaining a large amount of fluid can result in a heavy, tense, or even painful feeling.
What is edema?
Edema is an abnormal accumulation of fluid in the tissue. This fluid buildup occurs due to an imbalance between the intake and drainage of fluid. A large proportion of people with edema experience fluid retention in the legs, but the buildup can occur almost anywhere in the body, from your ankles to your face. Extreme fluid accumulation can have unpleasant consequences, such as leading to movement limitations, painful body parts due to increased tension, reduced function of muscles and joints, or an increased risk of infection.
Types of edema
Edema is almost always a result of another condition. There are different forms of this severe fluid retention, depending on the cause. One form of edema is lymphedema. Lymphedema can be congenital (primary lymphedema) or arise as a result of another condition (secondary lymphedema). Well-known forms of secondary edema include arm edema after a mastectomy or leg edema after gynecological surgery. Another common form of fluid retention is venous edema, which is usually caused by vascular wall weakness and mainly occurs in the legs. Lipoedema, a fat and fluid buildup, is also a form of edema that occurs in the legs. Often, a combination of different types of edema can be seen.
Important positive effects of the therapy include
- Reduction in the size of the edema.
- Pain relief due to a decrease in tension from the edema.
- Improved function of the muscles and joints.
- Decreased risk of infection.
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