Swelling of the ankles

Edema is the accumulation of fluid in tissues, mostly in interstitial spaces. Fluid enters the tissues from blood vessels due to an increase in blood pressure, capillary wall permeability, and disruption of the activity of glands regulating water metabolism (pituitary gland, thyroid gland, adrenal glands). As the tissues swell, their volume increases, their shape changes, their skin becomes stretched, pale, shiny, and cold. When such tissues are pressed, a dimple remains. When edema occurs, the accumulated fluid compresses the swollen tissue cells and disrupts the function of these and adjacent tissues. The immune reactivity of swollen tissues decreases, making them more prone to inflammation. When the cause of edema resolves, the fluid is reabsorbed from the tissues. If edema lasts for a long time, the tissues become inelastic, and even after removing the cause of edema, the fluid may not be absorbed for a long time.

Source | Author Doctor Nikas Samuolis, reviewed by Prof. Virginijus Šapoka | Vilnius University | Faculty of Medicine | Head of the Department of Internal Medicine, Family Medicine, and Oncology