Edema is simply a fancy medical term for swelling. It is brought about by the retention of fluid around tissues of certain parts of the body, causing it to protrude. This can be caused by rigorous exercise, spraining and strains, high sodium levels in the body, excess potassium intakes, and drinking too much caffeine.

We’ve all had parts of our body swell before. It either be unintentionally landing on your knee after jumping in sports, or we lose our balance and trip just by simply walking, especially for women who favor high heels. Swelling could also come from being pregnant, insect bites, blunt traumas, or in rare cases, they could simply come from out of nowhere. In general, swelling is just a natural reaction of your body when certain parts are damaged or in danger of being so. Depending on the cause, they can either be painless, mildly uncomfortable, or unbearably painful.

Edema is most apparent in the hands, wrists, arms, legs, ankles, and feet. An edema in the leg could bring about pain to the patient depending on its cause. For instance, if the swelling is caused by an insect bite, the patient may feel either pain or itchiness. If it is caused by sprains or strains, the pain most likely to persist for as long as the swelling is present.

Other causes of painful edemas on the leg could be:

– Wound infections (Life-threatening if left untreated)

– Blunt traumas to the bone

– Animal bites such as snakes and other poisonous creatures

– Bruises in bone or skin

– Internal bleeding

– Blood clots

– Other serious illnesses such as gout, kidney failure, or congestive heart failure.

Edemas that are brought about by pregnancy, or those swollen areas that initially did not bring about pain shouldn’t be a concern unless they start to hurt. If the pain is deemed serious or if the patient is suspected of having a more serious illness, it’s best to contact an expert to have it checked.