What to do when your legs are swollen?

Swollen legs? Not cool, dude. But don’t go panic station (yet). Unless you’ve chugged several bottles of margaritas last night and passed out in the bushes for six hours straight – then maybe it’s time to call a professional – this is probably just some fluids doing their awkward vacation thing in your limbs. We all know that feeling of looking like a balloon after travelling on an airplane or standing around for too long at work. Your body just needs some extra love and attention right now, so let’s get started with figuring out what to do!

Check Yourself Before You Wreck Yourself

First things first: Is there anything else besides swelling that could be giving you leg grief? Nobody wants to find out they have an eight-inch spider hibernating under their pant leg, but it can happen (probably), so you should evaluate everything before treating only the symptoms without checking into other possible causes.

Inspection Time

• If you see any sort of redness/rash/blisters/hives/other types of bizarre skin changes going down alongside your ballooning-body-part-problems, it’s best not to assume they’re related.

Be Aware Of Other Symptoms Too

• Do your feet feel sensitive?
• Are they numb?
• Hotter than usual?
• Sore/tender areas anywhere close by?

If yes (like I always say) – see a doctor.

Hydration Station

This might sound odd because fluid retention is causing the swelling in the first place but staying hydrated will help dilute excess sodium levels which could very well be responsible for that bloated look yo’ joints got going on (sounds gross but true) Put away those sugary drinks and caffeine-fueled expresso shots until better days, and stick to more water, fresh veggies/fruit juices, coconut water, light herbal teas (if you must) to help your body flush out any extra sodium lurking around. Also try eating foods that are high on potassium like bananas which will help counteract the effects of too much salt in your diet.

Dehydration Is Not Your Friend

• Contrary to popular belief/intuition.

When your body’s thirsty it can hold onto even the tiniest bit of liquids it has left meaning a voluminous surprise awaits you when you least expect it – mostly late in the evening when you’re looking forward to getting horizontal with some Netflix before bed. No one wants swollen elephant legs feisty against their shiny new bedsheets so drink up yo’ fluids!

Elevate Those Legs Like You Mean It

Let’s face it; blood circulation could definitely use the speed-up when trying to clear liquify gathered between tissues through lymphatic drainage channels. Elevating our lower extremities seems pretty unbeatable compared to standing/sitting all day long or flopping down on stomachs (you’ll look like worm squirming across pavement if not careful) Make yourself comfortable by lying horizontally and propping those valuable parts above heart level – keep them mind slightly tilted for gravity purposes though! That should get things flowing again ASAP! Keep in this position for fifteen minutes every hour because we don’t want blood accumulating there anymore than necessary folks, trust me.

Massage Therapy Deserves A Chance

So maybe punching yourself repeatedly while calling Badger from Breaking Bad your therapist isn’t exactly best-case scenario but who says massaging can’t be an interesting way of self-expression? Nowadays everyone is under some sort of tense situation – whether work-related/pandemic-induced anxieties/family arguments/barking dogs next door…the list goes on…this build-up stress causes muscles (especially lower leg ones) to tighten up and pinch blood vessels which leads to swelling. It’s no coincidence you feel calmer after a massage – think of it as your body’s equivalent of space travel but without astronaut food supply limitations (yum)

Gently (I can’t stress this enough) stroking those calves, ankles, feet will help circulate fluids escaping the disaster zone at an exponential rate through our lymphatic system. You’ll be surprised how much better those puppies will look soon.

Slight warning though:

• Don’t rub too hard on areas that have signs of skin damage or broken blood vessels.

• Always start from thigh level and move downward so ignored liquify gets captured by hosing in your groin area!

Muscle Strengthening Exercises Can Save The Day

Strong muscles=fewer swollen parts. If you’re still not convinced this is an absolute gem for life then I don’t know what to do with gifts either…your best bet is increasing muscle strength around particularly problematic regions like the quads/hammies/glutes or doing cardio sessions that make use of your leg muscles while promoting good health overall – again bananas/other foods high potassium are great allies here they save us a lot overtime IMHO

Some Must-Try Leg Excercises For Beginners

1. Walking
2. Riding bike
3. Jumping jacks

More Advanced Ones:

4.Timer plank holds
5.Trampoline gym fun

(If any disclaimer needed: if starting out new program get professional advice before jumping into electronic VR diving boards/trickier activities!)

## Certain Swelling Causes Derail Self-Care Efforts

Sometimes some other pesky problems ignore all we’re trying to achieve; knowing these attackers beforehand optimizes results & minimizes surprises along the way:

1.Venous Insufficiency

A possible reason why someone could be having swollen legs is Venous Insufficiency. This is caused by the injuries to the vein or when there is a malfunction of valves which then allow blood flow in reverse direction leading to pooling in lower extremities?

2.Edema

Another culprits that often cause swelling are Edemas – this could occur due to blockages seen around lymphatic system e.g. some cancer treatments, infections and other diseases.

For severe cases always…ALWAYS Consult with Doctor!

• Do not try miracle cures from unlicensed people who have never heard of laws on human safety and ethical behavior (cough cough Internet)

Conclusion

Swollen legs aren’t fun nor pleasant, but they don’t have to be all doom-and-gloom situation either. Drinking more fluid-detoxing liquids might be able ease things up if sodium levels need regulating; elevating tibias higher than heart level for quarter hour every sixty minutes will accelerate moving fluids back into general circulation (which helps) ; massaging yourself still ain’t considered narcissistic habits nowadays since it has benefits beyond just esthetic ones;strengthening your limb muscles lowers likelihoods of injury & edema occurance however learning about potential triggers before slamming those feet for anything permanent important warning. So let’s get operational soldier-you’ve got some work cut out for you!