Why are my feet and ankles swollen?
Long days standing or sitting, heat, salt and some medicines, including certain blood pressure pills, are the everyday causes of puffy ankles by evening.
Swelling that involves one leg only, comes with pain or redness, or appears suddenly needs prompt review to rule out a clot. Swelling with breathlessness, especially lying flat, can point to the heart and also should not wait.
For the everyday kind: move regularly, raise the legs when resting, ease off salt, and mention it at your next visit so medicines can be reviewed.
See a doctor promptly if
- New swelling in one leg, especially with calf pain, warmth or redness: possible blood clot, same-day assessment
- Swelling with breathlessness, breathlessness lying flat, or waking at night gasping: possible heart failure
- Sudden swelling with chest pain, coughing blood, or feeling faint: emergency
- Swelling with fever and spreading redness or broken hot skin: possible cellulitis
- Swelling in pregnancy with headache, visual changes, or upper abdominal pain: possible preeclampsia, urgent review
Try the symptom diary10 seconds a day, free, nothing to installTime of day, what came before it and how long it lasted are the three things you will be asked and the three nobody remembers.
Answered by the AskDoc Medical Team · Medically reviewed under our Medical Director, MBBS · How we review
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