Types Of Edema (according To Their Main Causes And Symptoms)
It is common to hear elderly people who have circulation problems say that they have fluid retention in their legs. If observed, they appear swollen and inflamed, as if they were partly filled with water.
The same thing happens on some occasions after getting a burn, after surgery, if we suffer from liver, heart or metabolic disease or simply after standing for a long time and exercising under high temperatures.
This swelling is called edema, and it can have different types of origins There are various types of edema, the main ones of which we are going to explore in this article.
We understand edema to be the swelling of soft tissues caused by the presence of fluid accumulation in them Also known as fluid retention, this swelling can appear due to a wide variety of causes, from the existence of a metabolic, liver or cardiovascular problem to being at an excessive temperature while making great efforts or standing or sitting for too long, taking medications or absence or excess of nutrients. It must be taken into account that although it may appear for harmless reasons, it may be a sign that may indicate the presence of a disorder or disease.
The symptoms will vary depending on the cause, although it is common for fatigue, discomfort or tingling, difficulty in movement and a reduction in the amount of urine emitted (which is why in many cases the associated treatment causes a spectacular increase in the desire to urinate). pee).
What causes swelling is an imbalance in interstitial fluid This fluid is what bathes the space between the cells of our body and allows the cells to receive nutrients while eliminating waste. This fluid enters and leaves our cells constantly, maintaining a balance between the amount of fluid inside and outside the cells. On some occasions, imbalances may occur that cause an accumulation of interstitial fluid in the white tissues, producing edema.
Edema can be grouped and classified based on various criteria. The most common refer to the level of generalization of the edema and the location of its origin or etiology.
Types of edema according to the level of generalization
One of the ways to classify edema is according to whether fluid retention is generalized throughout the body or localized in a specific area. In this aspect, the existence of two basic typologies can be considered
1. Localized or local edema
This is the most common type of edema and is easiest to see. In them, the presence of fluid is located in certain points of the body, which are usually affected by some type of venous or lymphatic problem, such as a thrombus.
Some of the most common subtypes of local edema are the following.
1.1. Peripheral edema
This is the type of edema that is located in the extremities They can have different causes, such as circulatory problems.
1.2. Brain edema
Edema in the brain can be very dangerous, because it can cause suffocation or compression of neuronal tissue The effects can vary greatly, but the presence of dizziness, headache, memory and concentration problems and nausea is not unusual, and can lead to death in some cases.
1.3. Pulmonary edema
A dangerous but relatively common edema , these types of edema flood the lungs of those who suffer from them and usually cause symptoms such as weakness, fatigue or feelings of suffocation. It often appears in response to blood flow problems.
Produced in or around the eye, It can cause more or less severe damage depending on where it appears and whether it causes pressure on the eyeball
1.5. Angioedema
Edema produced in the mucous membranes and skin It is usually caused by allergic reactions.
2. Generalized edema
This type of edema is stranger to see and usually has a cause that affects the entire body. The swelling is generalized. Within this group we can find different subtypes, which tell us where the cause of the swelling comes from.
2.1. cardiac edema
This type of edema is what occurs in the heart , and which presents a high danger if it is not treated as it can cause death. It is common for blood volume to decrease, venous pressure to rise, and problems with heart rate, such as tachycardia or bradycardia, to occur.
2.2. Deficiency edema
This type of edema is caused by the absence of nutrients due to malnutrition , poor metabolism or excessive emission or expulsion of components from the body. For example, due to anemia or the emission of excess minerals in the urine.
23. Kidney edema
Caused by difficulties in filtering blood and passing urine It frequently causes what is known as acute nephritic syndrome, in which dark urine also usually appears due to the presence of blood in it.
2.4. Cirrhotic edema
This type of edema is mainly due to problems derived from the liver Swelling and accumulation occur in the peritoneum. Sometimes it is accompanied by jaundice.
This edema is linked to the presence of hormonal problems
Types of edema according to their origin
In addition to its level of generalization in the body, other types of edema can also be observed, such as if the involvement is caused by lymphatic alterations or by the presence of vascular alterations or blood pressure or composition.
3. Lymphatic edema
Those types of edema produced by causes and alterations linked to the lymphatic system are considered as such Within them you can find primary ones, in which there are birth malformations in the lymphatic system and which usually affect the extremities, or secondary ones in those cases in which acquired damage occurs to them.
The latter can be the effect of surgeries such as those to resection tumors in the lymphatic system, or in cases of burns, blows or infections that cause the destruction or hypofunction of a vessel.
4. Dynamic edema
This group of edema includes those edemas in which the lymphatic system does not present alterations but in which an excess of fluid is perceived caused by systems or situations in which the limbic system does not directly participate.
Among them are venous edema derived from thrombi or problems in the blood vessels, those caused by blows that generate inflammation, medication, gestational edema in which swelling can occur in the mother due to varicose veins and hormones during pregnancy, the postpartum , the one produced by surgeries (in which the lymphatic system itself is not altered), the deficiency ones or some of the general ones.
