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Tips To Deal With Swelling Caused By Congestive Heart Failure

Your heart is the most important organ that manages to pump blood all the way to your toes, when healthy. Your heart can become weakened and gradually fail to pump blood efficiently. This is what doctors call “heart failure.” A very noticeable characteristic of heart failure is swelling, also known as heart failure edema that involves swollen feet and ankles, and may as well cause swelling of your hands.



Reasons behind swelling caused by congestive heart failure:

When you have heart failure, it means your ticker is not pumping blood as well as it should. With the reduction in your heart’s pumping power, your organs cease to work as well (due to being deprived of the oxygen and nutrients they need). For example, your kidneys stop eliminating water and salt efficiently, leading to build up of fluid in places like the feet, ankles, arms, belly, and lungs. It’s this excessive fluid retention that puts most individuals with heart failure in the hospital. Even if you can’t see it, weight gain can be a sign of fluid retention, that’s why people with HF should weigh themselves regularly.

Tips to manage swelling caused by HF:

1.      First and foremost, throw away your salt shaker as a diet high in salt can lead to fluid retention and worsening edema. Steer clear of canned foods that are known to be high in sodium so read labels at the store! You should consume less than 2,000 mg of sodium a day if you have heart failure.

2.      Your doctor may have prescribed a diuretic medication, sometimes referred to as a “water pill” that helps the body get rid of excess fluid, making it important that you take it exactly as prescribed, as well as other medications including blood pressure pill, potassium supplement, and beta blockers to slow your heart rate (which doctors may as well prescribe). All these medicines, when taken in combination, treat various HF symptoms, including swelling.

3.      When you have heart failure, it’s very important that you monitor your fluid intake (including water, coffee, tea, sodas, juices, etc.). Follow your doctor’s instructions on fluid intake. However, do not avoid all liquids in the hope to stop the edema. That would be more harmful.

4.      Elevate your lower extremities above the level of your chest (2-3 inches is all you need) 2-3 times a day as soon as you notice them starting to swell, which allows gravity to help reduce the edema. Elevating your feet while you sleep at night can also be helpful.

5.      It is just as important to not sit for long periods of time, as not only is gravity working against you, but also you’re decreasing circulation by bending at the hip and knee. If there’s a trip planned where you’ll have to travel by plane, train or car for more than a few hours, ask your doctor about whether or not using compression stockings could be beneficial. These garments squeeze your tissue layers together, making it difficult for fluid to find a space to collect.

It is true that heart failure cannot be cured, but you can enjoy a good quality of life with the condition. The key to that is to slow the progression of your heart failure by managing the fluid retention and swelling that may accompany it.

Hope these tips are helpful.

To undergo training in the lifesaving CPR procedure, register for a class at the AHA accredited CPR Tampa in Palm Harbor. Contact us at 727-240-9404.

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