Swelling of the ankle: causes, symptoms and treatment

Ankle joint is a large joint of three bones of the shin with a human foot.

This joint is one of the most important to ensure normal movement, and the slightest deviation in its work greatly disturbs every person, worsening the quality of life.

Many people over the age of 30 experienced edema of this part of the leg, and today we will try to understand the causes of the appearance of puffiness, the ways of its anesthesia and treatment.

Possible causes of ankle edema

The main cause of the appearance of the ankle edema are injuries: both light and hard to bear.

Injuries of the ankle joint are divided into:

• dislocations;
• offsets;
• sprains;
• bruises (both the joint itself and the foot);
• tendon ruptures due to severe stress;
• fractures of bones;
• wounds.

Edema caused by such injuries as bruising or stretching, usually comes off on their own. For recovery, it is necessary to provide a damaged limb rest, in some cases it is necessary to apply compresses.

But it also happens that the patient did not get injured, and the leg in the ankle still swells.The causes of this condition can be more serious diseases:

1. Phlebeurysm.With this disease, the walls of the vessels lose their tone and expand, the pressure in them increases, which interferes with the normal circulation of blood. This is not a serious pathology and does not require prompt treatment, although aesthetically the joint does not look very unpleasant.
2. Arthritis.Inflammatory joint disease, characterized by pain, edema of the affected joint, increased local or general body temperature. If untimely treatment of the joint can and completely lose mobility.
3. Osteoarthritis.Chronic disease characterized by dystrophy and destruction of the cartilaginous tissue of the joint. Pathology develops slowly, the affected joint loses mobility gradually. The main symptom is pain.
4. Gout.The most common disease in older people. The kidneys of the patient produce worse uric acid, its concentration rises in the blood. Surpluses are deposited in various joints in the form of urate crystals. Edema of the ankle in this disease develops due to inflammation of the periarticular tissue.
5. Bursitis.Characterized by a violation of the secretion of secretions in the joint bag, which leads to excessive accumulation of fluid, accompanied by edema.

Symptoms

The symptomatology of the ankle edema may vary depending on the cause of its occurrence.

The main symptoms are:

• pain in the joint area, increasing with movement;
• pulsations;
• redness of tissues;
• increase in local temperature;
• Swelling, a feeling of fluid fluctuation during palpation.

First Aid

If you are injured or overdoing with physical exertion and as a result of this, edema develops, you can relieve your condition at home.First of all, the injured leg should be immobilized and make a cooling compress (do not overdo it with cooling).

You can use pain-relieving ointments: voltaren, ketoprofen.If pain and swelling persists, seek medical attention.

Treatment of ankle swelling

Therapy prescribed by a doctor for the treatment of ankle edema often contains diuretics that reduce the amount of fluid circulating in the body. The specialist directs the patient to the examination, diagnoses to determine the cause of puffiness.

When arthritis patient is assigned bed rest.Drug therapy is usually made up of non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs and painkillers for relief of severe pain. If the disease is not much started, non-hormonal anti-inflammatory drugs, for example, ibuprofen, are prescribed.

Osteoarthritis in the early stages is treated by physiotherapy and exercise therapy,chondroprotectors are appointed (in case the cartilaginous tissue is capable of regeneration):ortroflex, uniumand etc. Massage is also prescribed for the affected joint, but it should be performed carefully, so as not to increase pain and not worsen the patient's condition.

At later stages of arthrosis, anti-inflammatory drugs for both internal and external use are used.Often prescribe vasodilator drugs: they improve the patient's condition, due to better circulation of blood in the affected area and removal of spasm of capillaries.

With such a complex disease as gout, complex therapy is prescribed:the doctor makes for the patient a special diet, prescribes uricosuric drugs (improve excretion of lactic acid) - aspirin, ketazone, benemide; urikodepressivnye drugs - for chronic disease.

Bursitis, as a rule, is treated in a hospital, since a lesion is superimposed on the affected limb.The patient is prescribed anti-inflammatory drugs, but sometimes hormonal medications (hydrocortisone) and antibiotics are injected into the joint bag. After a course of antibiotics apply alcohol compresses. In the case of purulent bursitis, surgical intervention is performed.

Folk remedies

Some folk methods well remove the ankle edema:

Decoction of flaxseed

4 tablespoons of dry seeds pour a liter of hot, preferably boiling water. Infuse the broth for an hour, limiting the exposure to direct sunlight. The admission occurs before the complete withdrawal of the edema 5-8 times a day. Dosage - 150 ml.

Cold packs of ice

Ice for such procedures is preparing a special: pre-brewed chamomile flowers, sage, yarrow insist for half an hour, cleaned of debris and placed in the freezer.

Cold compresses last no longer than 15 minutes.

Tincture of birch buds

defended for the 21st day. Proportions for preparation: 20 grams of dried kidney per 100 ml of alcohol. How to use: on a teaspoon for half an hour before a meal. This tincture contributes to the purification of the entire body and the acceleration of metabolic processes.

Mash from burdock leaves

Fresh leaves are ground and mixed until a liquid consistency is spread over the ankle and wrapped with fleece cloth. If there is no fleece, warm the compress with a woolen toe. Use and a slurry of raw potatoes.

Mixture of honey and apple cider vinegar

It is applied inside. A teaspoon of honey and a teaspoon of vinegar dissolve in a glass of warm water. Take this mixture should be a glass a day for three times, regardless of time of day. It is drunk until the edema completely disappears, but not more than three weeks.

Trays for the damaged foot

The water should be warm, it is pre-added with St. John's wort, lime, mother-and-stepmother or birch buds. The duration of the procedure is 15-30 minutes, before going to bed. In addition to removing the edema, it improves sleep quality.

Everyone has the right to choose whether to go to a doctor or to lie down at home using folk remedies. But do not underestimate the risk of swelling of the ankle joint: prolonged swelling can lead to lymphostasis of soft tissues in the affected area.

If the cause of edema is serious pathology, it will progress without receiving appropriate treatment. The injured joint can be tried at home, but if you are not injured in the foot, and the ankle is swollen and sore, it is better to contact the specialists immediately.