Investigations will be directly guided by the clinician's assessment of the calf swelling. These include blood tests such as a d-dimer, full blood count, clotting screen, renal and liver function tests. Doppler ultrasound should also be considered. If other conditions are suspected, consider tests such as a limb x-ray, knee ultrasound and even magnetic resonance imaging. If a deep vein thrombosis is suspected, urgent referral to the nearest secondary care centre is vital.
This article, originally by Dr Mehul Mathukia, first appeared on 9 July and was updated in November Sign in. Register Now. Stay signed in. This site is intended for UK healthcare professionals.
Championing and informing general practice professionals. If you have mild swelling and want to de-puff, go for a walk, do some ankle rolls or prop your feet up on pillows. Deep-vein thrombosis DVT is a blood clot that forms in a vein of the body, usually but not always in the pelvis, thigh or lower leg. Typical symptoms of DVT include:. An artery in the leg presses on a nearby vein, making clots more likely in the left leg. If a clot breaks free, it can travel to the lungs and block the flow of blood, leading to a pulmonary embolism — a very serious situation.
Signs of a pulmonary embolism show up in your chest rather than your legs:. Sometimes, the veins in the legs can become weakened. As a result, you can develop varicose veins and fluid buildup in the legs. Venous insufficiency sometimes develops in people who have had DVT in the past. When that happens, it can cause swelling of one or more limbs, ranging from mild to dramatic. Lymphedema sometimes occurs in people who have had lymph nodes removed for cancer treatment.
But it can affect others whose lymph nodes are damaged or working improperly for other reasons. RICE is an acronym which stands for:.
People who have diabetes are at increased risk of developing an infection in their feet. They should, therefore, inspect their feet regularly for bruising, cuts, and scrapes.
Gangrene is where body tissues die as a result of severe infection or reduced blood supply. The treatment for a foot infection depends on its severity. In most cases, a doctor will prescribe antibiotics to treat the bacterial infection. If the infection has resulted in gangrene, the person may require surgery to remove the damaged toes or foot. They are responsible for helping to remove fluids from various parts of the body. If the lymph nodes in the pelvis are damaged or absent, this can cause fluid to build up in the legs.
A person who has lymphedema may experience a feeling of heaviness or swelling in their legs or other affected body parts. According to Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center , some treatment options for lymphedema include:. Venous insufficiency is a condition in which these valves no longer function properly. As a result, the veins no longer transport adequate amounts of blood from the legs back up to the heart. When a person has venous insufficiency, their blood flows back down the legs and becomes trapped in the soft tissues of the lower legs and ankles.
According to Stanford Health , the treatment for venous insufficiency involves returning blood flow to the legs. This may involve:.
People may also receive medications to treat venous insufficiency. The type of medication a person gets will depend on the severity of their condition and their overall health. Blood clots in the legs tend to develop on one side of the limb. A person should seek immediate medical attention if they experience any of the following symptoms of a blood clot:. Sometimes, a piece of the clot breaks loose and travels to the heart, lungs, or brain.
This can be life-threatening if left untreated. Typically, people who have a blood clot receive anticoagulant medications, which help prevent clots from getting bigger. They also help prevent new clots from forming. The liver produces albumin, which is a protein that prevents fluid from leaking out of blood vessels and into surrounding body tissues.
A diseased liver does not produce enough albumin. Liver disease can, therefore, cause fluid to pool in the legs, ankles, and feet.
Most people who have liver disease do not experience symptoms until they have developed severe liver damage, or cirrhosis.
The only cure for liver cirrhosis is a liver transplant. However, treatment aims to manage the disease and prevent further complications.
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