How To Treat Swollen Ankles and Feet for Lupus Nephritis
The immune system attacks the kidneys, causing them to not function properly.Excess fluid build-up in the body can cause swelling of the feet, ankles and lower legs.Detailed instructions on how to decrease swelling in the ankles and feet can be found in Step 1 below.
Step 1: You should reduce the amount of salt in your diet.
If you have been diagnosed with the disease, it is a good idea to limit your salt intake.Salt attracts water in the blood by being positively charged and negatively charged.Too much salt in your diet causes your body to retain more fluid, which leads to swelling in the feet, ankles and legs.Don't eat table salt, soy sauce, cured meat and fish, canned goods, junk, cheese, instant noodles, salted nuts and seeds, pretzels and fast foods.Depending on the severity of the condition and your doctor's advice, the degree to which you need to restrict your salt intake will vary from one person to another.It is possible to bring down swelling and reduce blood pressure if you follow the recommended restrictions.
Step 2: Keep your feet elevated.
Keeping your feet elevated helps to reduce blood flow to this part of the body, keeping swelling and inflammation under control.If you want to keep your feet elevated at night, place one or two thick pillows under your ankle.At a 30 degree angle, your legs should be elevated.If you want to keep your legs elevated throughout the day, you should prop your feet up on pillows or cushions while lying on the couch.
Step 3: Excess fluid can be drawn out by applying epsom salts and glycerine.
Applying a mixture of magnesium sulfate and glycerine to the ankle helps to reduce swelling, as the salt draws excess fluid from the body.You can apply the mixture to the skin around your feet and ankles by mixing two parts salt and one part glycerine.After covering the mixture with a bandage, leave it in place.If you notice a decrease in swelling after a night of treatment, you should remove the bandage in the morning.Even though the salts draw fluid from the body, the glycerine is needed to soothe the skin as the salt can cause irritation and skin rash.The hygroscopic substance Glycerine gives the salt more time to work because it has the ability to attract and hold water molecule.
Step 4: It's a good idea to exercise frequently to release sweat.
It's a good idea to do some light exercise on a regular basis as it depletes stores of water in the body.Your body temperature increases when you exercise.Your body attempts to cool you down by releasing water through the sweat ducts.With regular sweating, the water stores in your body will deplete, which will cause the swelling of your feet and ankle as a result.Walking, jogging, cycling, and stair-stepping are some of the exercises that will cause you to sweat.
Step 5: Eat more foods with high levels of potassium.
sodium causes your body to retain water, which causes swelling in the feet and ankles.Consuming more potassium-rich foods will help to rid your body of excess sodium.This is due to the fact that your body tries to maintain a balance between the two fluids, so when one is high, the other is low.Try to include at least one food with each meal.Fruits and vegetables with high levels of potassium include bananas, white beans, potatoes, squash, yogurt, salmon, and mushrooms.
Step 6: Smoking can make the condition worse.
Smoking causes high blood pressure.People with high blood pressure will experience swelling in their feet and ankles.For some helpful information on where to start in quitting smoking, see this article.
Step 7: Decrease your body's water storage by eating diuretic foods.
A substance that increases urine production is called a diuretic.Increased urine production allows you to get rid of excess water in your body, which can cause swelling in the feet and ankles.parsley, dandelion extract, celery seed and watercress are some of the most effective diuretic foods.
Step 8: Reduce inflammation, suppress the immune system and eradicate excess fluid by taking medication.
The lifestyle changes outlined in the section above can keep the condition under control and relieve its associated symptoms, such as swollen ankles and feet.Corticosteroids work by blocking chemicals in the immune system that cause inflammation.As the condition improves, the prescribed dosage is usually lowered as they can cause serious side effects.Lowering the severity of swelling in joints and tendons is one of the benefits of hydrocortisone.It can be in the form of creams or injections.Drugs that suppress the immune system can cause damage to the kidneys.Azathioprine, Cyclophosphamide and Mycophenolate are examples.The discharge of excess salt and water from the body system can be improved by the use of ACE Inhibitors.As a result, blood pressure will be controlled.Water pills are used to rid the body of excess water and salt.The kidneys excrete excess salt in the urine.The excess water draws from the blood helps to decrease swelling.
Step 9: It's a good idea to go under the pump to get rid of the waste in the kidneys.
When the kidneys is no longer able to perform this function on its own, it's necessary for them to get rid of toxins from the body.A doctor or nurse will insert an I.V catheter into the patient's kidneys after they are taken to a dialysis unit.The I.V is connected to the machine.The I.V carries bad, toxic blood to the machine and returns it to its owner.Depending on the severity of the damage to the kidneys, there may be two to three sessions per week.
Step 10: Consider the possibility of a transplant.
It may be necessary to consider a transplant if other treatment methods fail.A healthy organ from a willing donor is replaced with a malfunctioning one.Living related donors include parents, children or siblings, a living unrelated donor, and a deceased donor.The donated organ is preserved in salt water.It is tested to see if it matches the recipient.The transplant needs to be completed in 48 hours.Additional medicines are usually prescribed to ensure that the recipient's immune system doesn't reject the new organ.
Step 11: Understand what causes the feet to swell.
The immune system attacks the kidneys, causing them to malfunction.When the kidneys malfunction, they become swollen and can't remove waste from the blood.The amount of fluid in the body isIrregular.Excess fluid can cause swelling in the feet and legs when it builds up.The first symptom of the disease is swollen feet.The swelling may be absent at the start of the day, but becomes worse after physical activity.
Step 12: You can learn to recognize the other symptoms of the disease.
The symptoms of the disease are similar to other diseases.Hematuria is the presence of blood in the urine and may include swollen ankles and feet.Infections and damage to the kidneys are some of the causes of bloody urine.Inflammation of the kidneys can cause the urine to be foamy or frothy, which can be a sign of a leak.The production of urine at night is controlled by the kidneys.Increased episodes of urinating during the night can be caused by damaged kidneys.Salt and water retention in the body causes weight gain.Steroids can cause weight gain as a result of increased appetite.High blood pressure is a problem for the kidneys.The kidneys regulate blood pressure by making angiotensin.The blood pressure can't be regulated if the kidney is damaged.
Step 13: Understand how the disease is diagnosed.
It will be necessary to undergo rigorous testing to confirm the diagnoses, even if a combination of swollen ankles and feet is a good sign.creatinine and urea can be removed from the body through the kidneys.If the levels of these waste products are elevated in the blood test, it's a sign of the disease.A sterile container will be used to hold the blood sample.For this test, a urine specimen is collected and tested.The procedure is repeated over a period of 24 hours.The urine has to be tested for abnormal levels of red blood cells.Iothalamate clearance testing involves injecting a radioactive contrast dye into the blood to measure how quickly the kidneys can remove it from the body.The progress of the disease will need to be established with aKidney Biopsy.In order to get a sample of the tissue, a long needle is inserted through the stomach and into the kidneys.The sample is sent for testing.To determine the size and shape of the kidneys and to check for any abnormality or signs of damage, anultrasound is performed.
Step 14: You should be familiar with the stages of the disease.
According to a system developed by the World Health Organization, there are five different stages of the disease.It is possible for your doctor to diagnose you with a specific stage of the disease.Stage 2: Mildest form of the condition, can be treated with corticosteroids.Stage 4 of lupus has higher dosages of corticosteroids combined with other immune suppression drugs.The patient may be at risk of failing the kidneys.There is a mixture of immune-suppressing drugs prescribed with or without excessive protein loss and swelling.