Brief Answer: First define a cause Detailed Answer: Dear patient, Thanks for the query. Lower extremity edema can be due to a wide variety of causes, and the specific treatments vary depending on the underlying situation; varicose veins and obesity are by far the most common causes, but heart failure, liver failure and renal failure are also possibilities that are more serious, and each has its own different approach. Common to all causes of edema though is the benefit of compression stocklings, leg elevations while resting and low salt diet. Many times if insufficient, water pills are prescribed I encourage you to visit with your Family or Internal Medicine doctor; he would start obtaining the basic screening tests depending on the cause that is suspected (eg. for example, if by history and physical examination he suspects of heart failure, he would likely order an ultrasound of the heart called Echocardiogram). Hope this helps wish you the best, Dr Brenes-Salazar MD Mayo Clinic MN Cardiology

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