Fluid retention in the body is one of the cases that may cause inconvenience to many people, as water accumulates abnormally, which leads to swelling of different areas of the body such as feet, hands, face or abdomen.
This retention may be a temporary symptom caused by hormonal changes, a diet rich in sodium, or a sign of deeper health problems such as heart, kidney or liver disorders, so understanding the causes of fluid retention and methods of prevention or treatment is an important step to maintain the balance of the body and its general health.
Fluid retention in the body
Detression can be localized as it occurs in one area, such as swelling caused by injury or inflammation, or general that affects multiple parts of the body, and is often associated with chronic conditions such as heart disease, liver or kidney.
And the places where fluid retention appears may be the lower ends in the feet and ankles (especially when standing or long sitting), hands and face, or abdominal cavity in cases of dropsy, or lungs in a lung edema.
Causes of fluid retention in the body
Causes of fluid retention in the body
Fluid retention occurs when the body fails to get rid of the excess amount of water and sodium, or when fluid leaks from blood vessels to tissues and its causes are numerous as it is as follows:
Heart disease
When the heart suffers from an imbalance in its ability to pump blood efficiently, the blood circulation is affected, and a slowdown in the return of the blood from the ends and organs to the heart, which leads to the accumulation of fluids in the tissues, which is the condition known as fluid retention or “edema”.
Kidney disease
The kidneys play a vital role in regulating fluid balance and salts in the body, and when the kidneys are exposed to damage or shortcomings, it loses the ability to filter the blood efficiently, which leads to the accumulation of water and sodium, and thus fluid retention in the body.
Liver disease
The liver plays an essential role in the production of proteins (such as albumin) and regulating fluid and blood balance inside the body, and when diseases occur in the liver, these vital functions are affected, which leads to fluid leakage from blood vessels to tissues and body cavities, and the appearance of fluid retention.
Hormonal disorders
Hormones organize many vital functions of the body, including fluid balance and salts, and when there is an imbalance in some hormones, this balance is disturbed, which leads to fluid retention in tissues and the appearance of swelling in different areas of the body.
Thyroid
It is considered one of the most common diseases. When the levels of thyroid hormones decrease, this leads to slow metabolism, the accumulation of mucous substances in the skin, attracting water to the tissues.
Lack of protein in the blood
The albumin is one of the most important proteins in the blood, and it plays a vital role in maintaining the osmotic pressure inside the blood vessels, and when the proteins are lacking, especially the albumin, the pressure inside the vessels decreases, which leads to the exit of fluids and its collection in the tissues, which is known as fluid retention or “edema”.
