概述

Edema is swelling in the body caused by excess fluid. It often affects the lower body, such as the legs, feet, and ankles, but it can occur anywhere. If you press on a swollen area and an indentation or pit remains, it’s called pitting edema. If there’s enough fluid, and the swelling is from fluid and not something else, then most edema will pit.

Pitting edema is either caused by a localized problem with veins in the affected area, or a systemic problem with your heart, kidneys, or liver function. Edema without pitting is more likely to be caused by issues with yourthyroidor lymphatic system.

Either way, if you have edema, it means that excess fluid is trapped in some of your body tissues and it’s not being properly carried away.

If you have pitting edema, it’s important to work with your doctor to determine the cause.

Swelling in your body can cause your skin to feel tight. The swollen limb may also feel heavy due to extra fluid collecting in it. In addition to the swelling, pitting edema may be accompanied by:

  • abnormal cough
  • 胸痛
  • 呼吸急促
  • 心杂音
  • 低血蛋白，特别是如果肿胀在您的腹部
  • decreased stamina

Symptoms occur case by case, depending on what’s specifically causing the edema.

Pitting edema is a general problem caused by a variety of issues such as:

Pitting edema in pregnancy

在许多情况下，怀孕中的水肿并不引起人们的关注。但是，您仍然应该与您的医生谈论您的症状。他们可能想评估您检查肿胀只是怀孕的症状，而不是由于肝功能异常，肾脏问题，高血压或尿液中蛋白质丧失引起的，这可能是preeclampsia.

各个年龄段的人都可以降低水肿，因为危险因素主要与饮食和生活方式有关。主要风险因素是：

  • 吃太多盐
  • a sedentary lifestyle
  • immobility when an extremity is in a dependent location
  • emphysemaor other severe lung disease
  • 心脏疾病
  • 肥胖
  • 多次怀孕
  • lymph node surgery

Pitting edema is a non-specific complaint. That means you’ll need a comprehensive evaluation to diagnose the cause. Your primary care provider may begin some testing, and they may refer you to a cardiologist or a varicose vein specialist. Diagnostic testing for pitting edema can include:

“You should get a medical evaluation if the edema is a new finding and if it persists and interrupts your daily life,” says Charlotte Bai, MD, a cardiologist and assistant professor at Rush University.

水肿量表

To determine the extent of the pitting edema, your doctor will push on your skin, measure the depth of the indention, and record how long it takes for your skin to rebound back to its original position. They will then grade it on a从1-4缩放.

年级 深度 Rebound time
1 2毫米（mm）抑郁症或几乎看不见 immediate
2 3-4 mm depression, or a slight indentation 15秒或更少
3 5-6 mm depression 10-30秒
4 8毫米抑郁症或非常深的凹痕 more than 20 seconds

Depending on the cause, treatments can include:

  • 抬高肿胀的肢体
  • 静脉血管手术
  • 压缩袜如果原因是慢性的，您的医生推荐了它们
  • diuretics if the cause is due to congestive heart failure, liver, or kidney disease

随着时间的流逝，您的肿胀周围的皮肤可能会因疤痕而改变并发展出“木质”外观。如果水肿来自静脉曲张，则可能会恶化。

长时间的水肿会增加您在肿胀的组织中发展感染的风险，尤其是在皮肤开裂时。

保持活跃可以帮助。避免长时间坐着。如果您在桌子上工作，请设置一个计时器，以提醒自己站起来，每小时四处移动几分钟。运动鼓励血液流动，这可能有助于减少肿胀。但是，在开始任何新的锻炼程序之前，请与您的医生交谈。

点水肿很常见，可以接受医学治疗和逆转。它不应该引起长期问题，但重要的是要看医生进行适当的诊断和治疗计划。