Fluid Retention - Causes - Better Medicine

What causes fluid retention?

Fluid retention is caused by too much fluid in your body tissues. There are a variety of causes, including changes in the levels of minerals and proteins in your blood and tissues, heart failure, kidney failure, and certain medicines.

Common causes of fluid retention

Fluid retention may be caused by several common conditions including:

Burns
Cancer
Diet too high in salt
Heart failure
Hypertension
Kidney disease (includes any type of kidney problem, such as kidney stones, kidney failure and kidney anomalies)
Liver disease (includes any type of liver problem, such as hepatitis, cirrhosis and liver failure)
Lymphadenopathy (enlarged lymph nodes due to inflammation or tumor)
Medication side effects
Parasitic infection such as lymphatic filariasis
Pregnancy
Sitting or standing in the same position for a long period of time

Serious or life-threatening causes of fluid retention

In some cases, fluid retention may be a symptom of a serious or life-threatening condition that should be immediately evaluated in an emergency setting. These include:

Heart failure
Kidney failure
Liver disease (includes any type of liver problem, such as hepatitis, cirrhosis and liver failure)

Questions for diagnosing the cause of fluid retention

To diagnose your condition, your doctor or licensed health care practitioner will ask you several questions related to your fluid retention including:

When did you first notice your fluid retention?
Where have you noticed fluid retention?
Are you having any difficulty with physical activity?
Are you having any trouble sleeping?
Do you have any other symptoms?
Does anything improve or worsen your fluid retention?
What is your typical diet?
What medications are you taking?

What are the potential complications of fluid retention?

The complications of fluid retention vary widely depending on the severity and underlying cause. In some cases, mild fluid retention might occur after eating a meal heavy with salt, which does not have any major complications. In severe heart failure, however, fluid retention can be so severe that your lungs can fill with excess fluid, causing a life-threatening pulmonary edema.

Because fluid retention can be due to serious diseases, failure to seek treatment can result in serious complications and permanent damage. Once the underlying cause is diagnosed, it is important for you to follow the treatment plan that you and your health care professional design specifically for you to reduce the risk of potential complications including:

Heart failure
Infection in and around the area of edema
Organ failure or dysfunction
Respiratory failure
Skin ulcerations
Spread of cancer

References:

Edema. Medline Plus, a service of the National Library of Medicine National Institutes of Health. http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/edema.html. Accessed May 27, 2011.

Heart failure: what are the signs and symptoms of heart failure? National Heart Lung and Blood Institute Diseases and Conditions Index. http://www.nhlbi.nih.gov/health/dci/Diseases/Hf/HF_SignsAndSymptoms.html. Accessed May 27, 2011.

INTRODUCTION

What is fluid retention?

Fluid retention (edema) is excess fluid that collects in the tissues in your body. Most commonly, fluid retention is marked by swelling of your feet and lower legs, but swelling could also occur in your arms, hands, face, or other areas of the body.... Read more about fluid retention introduction

SYMPTOMS

What other symptoms might occur with fluid retention?

Fluid retention may accompany other symptoms that vary depending on the underlying disease, disorder or condition. Symptoms that frequently accompany fluid retention may also involve other body systems.... Read more about fluid retention symptoms