Swelling (Edema)
Visible fluid swelling — usually in legs and ankles, sometimes face or abdomen. Reflects heart, kidney, liver disease or hypothyroidism; the lab work-up rules them apart.
Published: Updated:
What it means
Edema is excess fluid in interstitial tissue. The body normally balances fluid in and out of capillaries through pressure gradients and protein levels; edema appears when capillary pressure rises (heart failure, venous obstruction) or protein levels fall (nephrotic syndrome, liver failure, malnutrition) or membranes become more permeable (inflammation, allergy). Location matters — bilateral leg swelling is usually systemic; unilateral often points to a vein, lymph or local cause. Sudden facial swelling is allergy or angioedema; periorbital swelling on waking suggests kidney or thyroid disease.
Common causes
- Heart failure — bilateral leg swelling, worse at end of day, with breathlessness on exertion.
- Chronic venous insufficiency — bilateral leg swelling, varicose veins.
- Kidney disease (nephrotic syndrome) — periorbital and leg swelling, urine froths with protein.
- Liver disease — abdominal ascites, leg swelling.
- Hypothyroidism — non-pitting facial and periorbital swelling.
- Medications — calcium channel blockers, NSAIDs, steroids.
- Deep vein thrombosis — unilateral leg swelling, often with pain.
Lab work-up approach
Mediora interprets albumin (synthesis + protein losses), creatinine + eGFR (kidney function), TSH (hypothyroidism), liver panel, and urinary protein assessment. Echocardiogram and venous Doppler are the clinician's tools.
Tests Mediora.AI can interpret
Related conditions
Panels to consider
When to see a doctor
Unilateral leg swelling with pain — emergency evaluation for DVT. Sudden facial swelling, lip/tongue swelling or breathing difficulty — emergency. Persistent bilateral swelling warrants primary-care work-up; rapid weight gain with swelling is a heart-failure warning sign.