What Causes Painful Swelling Of Feet And Ankles?

Posted on Wed, 13 May 2015

Medically reviewed by Ask A Doctor - 24x7 Medical Review Team

Wed, 13 May 2015 Answered on

Wed, 3 Jun 2015 Last reviewed on

Question : I have been traveling back and forth to work (3hrs by plane each Sunday and THursday) and have noticed that the swelling in my feet/ankles doesn't seem to have time to fully be relieved prior to the next flight. The tops of my feet are swollen and painful (feels bruised). I have tried compression sleeves on my feet, but they don't seem to make a huge difference. Is there anything I can do to alleviate the swelling and/or minimize it in the future?

Answered by Dr. Kathy Robinson (1 hour later)

Brief Answer:
low salt, avoid NSAIDs, no alcohol, need labs

Detailed Answer:
Hello and thank you for your question.
There are many things that can cause edema, the swelling that some people get in their feet and ankles. Some things that can cause it can be diagnosed by physical exam and blood work so seeing your doctor for a check up would be a good idea. These things include heart failure, kidney failure, thyroid disease, anemia and low protein.
If all these things are ruled out then there are still some things you can do to reduce the swelling. Being on a very low sodium diet is crucial. This means not only no added salt but also no processed or canned foods. Avoiding alcohol is a good idea as well and making sure that you stay well hydrated.
Daily exercise of walking for one hour will help as will getting up and moving around every half hour when you are sitting for a prolonged time.
If you are overweight getting to a normal body weight can be helpful as well.
Avoiding anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAID-non-steroidal antiinflammtory drugs) is also important because they cause sodium retention and edema.
I hope you get rid of this problem soon,
Regards,
Dr. Robinson

Above answer was peer-reviewed by : Dr. Chakravarthy Mazumdar