Causes of Ankle and Leg Edema – 8 Medical Reasons

by Susie H.

In this article we're going to discuss some medical problems that cause ankle and leg edema. The first thing we need to understand is what an ankle and leg edema is. Ankle and leg edema is an unusual build-up of fluid (retention) in the body tissues that leads to swelling in the lower extremities. There're many factors that can lead to fluid retention in the legs such as an inflammation of the joint or malfunctioning of liver, lungs, kidneys, heart, legs vein or other vital organs.

While there are no certain ways to pinpoint exactly what causes the fluid built-up without the help of healthcare provider, there're several possibilities that may trigger it. The following are 8 medical reasons that might just be the causes of your ankle and leg edema:

1. Cancer of the urinary bladder

Cancer of the urinary bladder is tumor of the urinary bladder that growth due to exposure to chemical materials, tobacco inhalation, infections and small pelvis irradiation. This type of cancer causes bladder tenesmus (a feeling of incomplete defecation), blood in urine, pain in pelvis, urination difficulty as well as leg edema.

2. Chronic liver disease

Chronic liver disease is a condition where the liver is scarred and injured thus fails to function normally. As the liver malfunctioning and unable to secrete enough protein albumins, the body will try to compensate it by retaining fluid. This retention leads to abdominal edema as well as ankle and leg edema.

3. Deep vein thrombosis (DVT)

Deep vein thrombosis is a blood clot in the deep veins of the legs or pelvic area. The symptoms associated with the disorder might vary from patient to patient but the most common are warm skin, pain, color changes in the legs, fullness of the veins underneath the skin and swelling in one leg either right leg swelling or left leg swelling.

4. Emphysema

Emphysema is condition where air sacks in the lung get inflamed causing the lungs fail to shrink thoroughly upon exhalation and breathe in sufficiently upon inhalation. This will cause problem as the lungs will not be able to replace waste oxygen with fresh oxygen adequately. Breathing difficulty, shortness of breath, sleeping disturbance, extreme tiredness, ankle and leg edema, wheezing and excess mucus production are some of the symptoms associated with emphysema. The symptoms usually progress over many years.

5. Heart disease

Heart disease is a disorder of the heart, a condition where the heart can not deliver enough blood to the body. As the condition continues, many symptoms will occur, the patient may feel tired or weak and the body might retain fluid causing ankle and leg swelling.

6. Kidney disorders

This disorder will cause swelling in the face, eyes, ankles, legs and feet.

7. Rheumatoid Arthritis

Rheumatoid arthritis is a form of arthritis disease where the joint is inflamed and injured due to malfunctioning of the body's autoimmune system. It can occur in the joint bones and other body parts. The hands, wrists and feet are usually attacked first and continue to the shoulders, elbows and hips.

As the joint get inflamed, several symptoms such as swelling in the joint and a little fever as well as extreme tiredness, harshness and pain might occur although may not obvious. Rheumatoid Arthritis normally attacks both the joint of the left and right sides of the body.

If the synovial lining of the joint and arteries get inflamed too, swelling of the calves and feet might occur.

8. Venous Insufficiency

Venous insufficiency may cause bilateral swelling (swelling of the both legs) as well as unilateral swelling (swelling of one leg).

Ankle and leg edema is not a disease contrary it's more to a way of your body try to alert you about the existence of certain medical reason. The above list is just some of the causes of ankle and leg edema, there're still many other conditions that may cause swelling in the lower extremities. If you're suffering a chronic swelling that doesn't go away even after a long rest, you should seek medical advice as soon as possible.

Susie Hamilton owns and operates Water-Retention.Info, a site dedicated to provide health tips and information on water retention. Please visit Peripheral Edema for further information about fluid retention in the lower legs.

Article Source: Causes of Ankle and Leg Edema – 8 Medical Reasons

#BladderCancer Amongst Professional Painters

By Chris N. Jackson
If you are a professional painter and you have been diagnosed with bladder cancer, you may be surprised to learn that the chemicals contained in the paint used could be the cause of your condition. If you have worked in a profession that caused you to be in frequent contact with paint or paint fumes, or if you worked as a decorator, artist, glazier, plasterer, or wall paper hanger, you could be at a higher risk for developing bladder cancer.
Investigators are looking into the link between exposure to paint fumes and bladder cancer. Many personal injury attorneys are taking cases where professional painters and others who are regularly exposed to fumes have developed bladder cancer, and often offer free case reviews. If you or someone you know you may be able to seek monetary compensation for your condition. You should consult with a personal injury attorney as soon as possible to discuss the details of your case and learn your options.
The most commonly reported symptoms of bladder cancer include the following:
- Blood clots or blood seen in the urine, a condition known as hematuria. This happens in eighty to ninety percent of all cases of bladder cancer, and is considered to be the most common symptom. Hematuria is not typically painful.
- Dysuria, which is pain or discomfort while urinating.
- Having to urinate small amounts often.
- Frequent or recurrent urinary tract infections (UTIs).
When bladder cancer advances, other symptoms may be present such as:
- Swelling of the lower legs.
- Pain in the lower back in the area near the kidneys, which is referred to as flank pain.
- Pelvic growths in the area of the bladder.
If the bladder cancer has spread throughout the body, these symptoms may occur:
- Pain in the bones, or pain in the pelvic, anal, or rectal areas.
- Anemia.
- Weight loss.
Painters are often subjected to exposure to a variety of chemicals, such as solvents that are petroleum based. These solvents include alcohols, xylene, esters, toluene, glycol ethers, and ketones. Paint strippers often contain chlorinated hydrocarbons as well. For many years, benzene was used as a paint solvent, but today is only found in low quantities in some solvents that are petroleum based. Chromium, titanium dioxide, and iron compound are frequently used as pigmentation for paint, with lead being its predecessor. Paint filler, taping compounds, and spackle can contain asbestos, and painters can also suffer harm from being exposed to silica during the preparation of surfaces in painting metal and on construction projects.
The journal of Occupational and Environmental Medicine published as study in 2010 that found that professional painters, as well as those frequently exposed to paint fumes, were at a higher risk of developing bladder cancer when compared to those who do not. While a key risk factor for bladder cancer is also smoking, higher than normal numbers of the disease have been seen in workers in certain occupations such as painting. Painters are exposed to many of the same chemicals that are contained in cigarette smoke, such as aromatic amines.
Researchers who conducted the study looked at roughly three thousands cases of bladder cancer in professional painters. These patients included painters, wall paper hangers, artists, plasterers, decorators, and glaziers. After considering smoking behavior, the study found painters to be thirty percent more likely to suffer bladder cancer compared to the population in general. This suggested that painting is considered to be an independent risk factor for bladder cancer.
What's more is that there was evidence that suggested female painters are more likely to contract the disease compared to male painters; however there were only four studies that looked at women independently. Studies also found a link between the length of time a person worked as a painted and the risk for developing bladder cancer. People who worked for more than ten years as painter were more likely to develop the disease compared to those working in the field for less than ten years.
The authors of the study were not able to determine which precise reasons accounted for the elevated risk. There are many factors involved in the matter including different types of paints used, the length of time working in the field, and how long people were exposed.
With an annual death toll of one hundred and thirty thousand people, and more than three hundred and thirty thousand new cases diagnosed yearly, bladder cancer is the ninth most common type of cancer diagnosed globally. (statistics courtesy of the International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC)) The cause of this disease is not always known, but is seen more often in people who smoke, compared to people who do not.
This type of cancer is usually seen in people who are older, with ninety percent of cases appearing after the age of fifty five. Men are almost three times more likely to develop this disease compared to women. The risk level for men developing bladder cancer at some point in his lifetime is about one in twenty six, while a woman has a one in eighty four chance. Bladder cancer is the fourth most common type of cancer noted in men.
If you or someone you know worked as a professional painter or associated occupation, were exposed to paint fumes on a regular basis, and has been diagnosed with bladder cancer, you need to know that you do have legal options and you should consult with a personal injury attorney as soon as possible to discuss those options. These legal professionals can help you to determine all parties that can be held accountable and can help you to recover damages for past, present, and future medical expenses, loss of income, loss of quality of life, and pain and suffering. Since most personal injury attorneys work on a contingency basis, you do not have to worry about how to fund your claim in advance, and often pay nothing until the time your case settles.
If you are in need of a personal injury attorney please visit http://www.feldmanshepherd.com/
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Claiming For Delayed #BladderCancer Diagnosis

by Julie Glynn

Bladder cancer can become invasive very quickly. It is therefore crucial that medical professionals make a diagnosis in the early stages; if there is a delay, the outlook for recovery becomes less favourable.

How is bladder cancer diagnosed?

There are typical symptoms associated with bladder cancer that should prompt medical professionals to arrange further investigative tests. Of these, the most notable indication is blood in the urine, known medically as hematuria. Other common symptoms also include changes to the normal pattern of urination such as:-

* The need to urinate on a more frequent basis;

* The sudden urge to urinate;

* Pain when urinating.

When a patient presents with these complaints, doctors should be quick to initiate further investigation to either confirm or rule out a diagnosis of bladder cancer. The first step will be to send a urine sample to a laboratory to be tested for abnormal cells. However, this is not always accurate and so other tests will be needed. This will usually involve an intravenous urogram (IVU), a cystoscopy and, if abnormalities are found, a biopsy. Together, these tests will be able to verify whether or not a patient has bladder cancer.

Why would there be a delay in diagnosing bladder cancer?

Occasionally, people who are experiencing the typical signs of bladder cancer do not seek medical attention because they are embarrassed about their symptoms. This delay can have devastating consequences, as early treatment is necessary if a patient is to make a full recovery.

However, there are times when a delay in diagnosis lies directly with medical professionals. Indeed, we have acted for many individuals who have attended their GP or hospital with symptoms indicative of bladder cancer, only for doctors to make an inaccurate diagnosis. Often this will happen because:-

* The appropriate diagnostic tests are not arranged;

* The diagnostic tests are not accurately interpreted;

* A GP fails to make a referral to a specialist.

Does a delay in diagnosis amount to negligence?

If medical professionals are responsible for a delay in diagnosis, there could be a case of medical negligence. Nevertheless, it must be possible to establish that a delay in diagnosis contributed towards a patient's injuries. For example, if a diagnosis is not made in a timely fashion, a patient may require more extensive treatment, be left with permanent health complications or even have a reduced life expectancy. If so, the errors made by medical professionals will have caused a patient unnecessary pain and suffering. In such cases, it will be possible for a patient to pursue a medical negligence claim which, if successful, will ensure suitable compensation is awarded.