Hello,

Thanks for posting your query.

Swelling of the feet is called pedal edema and is caused by accumulation of an excessive amount of watery fluid in cells or intercellular tissues. It can be due to cellulitis, congestive heart failure, kidney disease, arthritis, high altitude (less likely from your location), high salt intake and any blood clot in the veins causing DVT. Are you taking some medicines like laxatives? Abusing these can also cause bilateral pedal edema.

Tingling sensations can be due to nerve damage, low thyroid disease or vascular deformity. You have to get a NCV( nerve conduction velocity) test done to assess the damage to the nerves. Till that time, wear flat slippers and take some vitamin B12 which is helpful in nerve injuries. If symptoms persist then you have to get your blood sugar levels also checked as it can be due to peripheral neuropathy.

In your case, since you are having pain and tingling, I suggest you an immediate physician consultation. You need to get blood tests, kidney function tests, electrolyte levels, ECG and stress ECHO, venous Doppler of the legs, Vitamin B 12 levels, NCV (nerve conduction velocity) and urine tests done.

Till that time, follow these lifestyle measures to alleviate the symptoms:
1) Increase muscle activity with walking, avoid standing in place for long periods of time and avoid sitting with the feet dependent.
2) Limit salt intake and stop taking any laxatives (if you are taking them).
3) Elevate the legs when sitting and wear leg wedges while sleeping, support socks and proper fitting shoes and socks.
4) Keep your fluid intake adequate by taking plenty of fluids.

Hope this answers your query. If you have additional questions or follow up queries then please do not hesitate in writing to us. I will be happy to answer your queries.

Wishing you good health.

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Hello again,

Thanks for writing back.

You should consult a physician, cardiologist and a neurologist for these symptoms and get the above mentioned investigations done.

You can consult any good hospital like AIIMS, XXXXXXX XXXXXXX hospital or Apollo Delhi.

It is good that most of your tests are normal. In this case, it is important to rule out any heart causes and arthritis as well.

Leg wedges and support socks are basically worn to relieve lower limb oedema. You can get them from any good surgical instruments shop in Delhi.

Since you are having swollen feet after morning walks, you can do cycling at home.

Regarding diet, other than salt restriction no particular diet is to be avoided.

Hope this answers your query. If you have additional questions or follow up queries then please do not hesitate in writing to us. I will be happy to answer your queries.

Wishing you good health.

Regards,

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Hello Pant,

Thanks for writing back. I will try answering your questions one by one:

1) The leg wedges and support socks are according to the size and you can even get foam leg wedges which are more comfortable. Surgical market is a good place in Delhi where you can get both of these and good standrad ones.

2) You do not need a doctor's prescription for support socks and a good pharmacist or surgical instruments shop will help you out.

3) If you are having high blood pressure inspite of taking the antihypertensive Tenormin 25, then it is very essential to have less salt intake and exercise regularly to decrease the BP. Other than that, you need to get the dose monitored or additional hypertensives prescribed from your physician.

4) This black thumb nail can be due to compromised blood supply to the toes which can be the cause of pedal edema, however it is important to rule out other causes like nail infections and subungual hematomas as well. Get a color doppler study done when you consult a cardiologist to see the vascular supply to the lower limbs and feet.

5) Venous insufficiency is when the veins have problems sending blood from the legs back to the heart. It is caused by problems in one or more deeper leg veins.
It causes swelling of lower limb and skin changes in the feet as well as nails. It can be due to DVT (as mentioned earlier), varicose veins or stasis dermatitis (less likely) and a color doppler can clarify the picture. It is not the same as swelling legs but swelling legs is a symptom of venous insufficiency.

Hope this answers your query. If you have additional questions or follow up queries then please do not hesitate in writing to us. Best wishes.

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