Blog - Medical Aesthetic Center

Swelling in the feet, ankles, and hands is expected during the summer. These are symptoms of excess fluid found in the body compartments. The swelling can be painful and annoying, and the quality of your life could be at stake. There are easy ways to reduce swelling in summer. You have to know what to do about that.

What is Swelling?The medical term for swelling is edema. Swelling is the temporary inflammation and fluid accumulation in the tissues. Swelling can be caused by trauma, infection, and inflammation. When too much water enters the blood vessels, it can cause blood pressure to rise and increase swelling in the affected areas of your body.

What Are The Causes?
Swelling can have many different causes and is usually a symptom of another problem that needs to be solved. If you haven't been able to identify the cause of your swelling and don't see it improving, see your doctor. The causes are:

1. Insect BitesInsect bites may lead to swelling and pain. It's a good idea to try to remove the stinger if a bee or wasp has bitten the person. You can use tweezers to pull it out. It is possible that local swelling may occur due to other causes such as an ulcer on the lip or cheek that suddenly breaks open after biting, trauma from cuts or something else on the skin, or when the skin gets infected with bacteria or viruses.

2. Severe Allergic Reaction
Severe allergic reactions may cause swelling in the throat or tongue, resulting in difficulty breathing. The swelling may also indicate anaphylaxis, which can be life-threatening if left untreated.

3. Infection
Infections generally cause swelling. The condition can be bacterial, viral, or fungal. Infection can spread to the lymphatic system, causing lymph nodes to swell. Significant disorders that affect entire groups of organs may also cause your skin to swell if there was an inflammation process that began before the infection became apparent.

4. Hormonal Changes
Hormonal changes are the most common cause of edema or swelling. Both men and women experience hormonal fluctuations during their lifetimes. These events can lead to changes in your body's ability to regulate fluid balance, causing you to retain water if you already tend to be swelling or exposed to excessive amounts of salt or caffeine.

5 Tips on How To Reduce Swelling in Summer
1. Elevate Your Feet
By elevating your feet, swelling is reduced, and blood flow increases. This is especially helpful during long car rides or flights, if you have had surgery recently, or if you suffer from chronic conditions like high blood pressure or diabetes.

2. Drink More Water
Drinking more water in summer is crucial because it keeps your body healthy and hydrated. It's not only reduced the risk of health problems like headaches and fatigue, common in hot weather. Getting enough water actually helps reduce swelling because your body has enough water and doesn't need to hold onto the fluids.

3. Decrease Your Carbs and Increase Protein
In the summer, our bodies are exposed to greater levels of ultraviolet light, which can lead to dehydration. To avoid swelling and puffiness, decrease your carbs and increase protein.

4. Contrast Hot/Cold Foot Baths
This is a great way to reduce swelling and inflammation. Cold water stimulates the tiny capillaries, while heat reduces them. This helps increase blood flow into the area, which delivers nutrients that remove waste products and toxins.

5. Massage
Massage your body to reduce swelling caused by heat and moisture, a common condition for many people in summer. It can also alleviate body pain through acupressure. To get the desired massage session contact us at Medical Spa in New Jersey.

There are a few ways to reduce swelling in summer. By choosing to drink plenty of water and use a quality moisturizer, you can help to limit the effects of the hot weather. If you find that your swelling is still an issue on a hot day, try moving into a more relaxed area for a while or splashing your face with cool water. Both options will help you beat the heat and reduce any swelling that may be bothering you or visit Medical Aesthetic Center for further information.