Does edema necessarily mean it is a kidney disease?

In daily life, most people think that edema in the eyelids, legs, feet or the whole body means kidney disease. However, when going to the hospital for examination, the doctor will often make a judgment based on the patient's condition, or instruct the patient to reasonably adjust his lifestyle, or conduct further examinations, or refer the patient to other departments. Why are the same symptoms treated in completely different ways? Because not all edema is caused by kidney disease.

What is edema? Edema refers to the accumulation of excessive body fluid in the interstitial space outside blood vessels. In mild cases, it often occurs on the face, while in severe cases, it occurs all over the body or is accompanied by pleural effusion and ascites. Edema can be divided into pitting edema and non-pitting edema according to the finger pressure type.

Pitting edema is divided into the following categories based on clinical manifestations:

1: Unilateral pitting edema of the lower limb may be caused by diseases such as varicose veins of the lower limb and lower limb venous thrombosis.

2: Symmetrical pitting edema of both lower limbs may spread to the whole body, usually caused by diseases such as kidney disease, right heart failure, cirrhosis or severe malnutrition.

3: Simple edema is common in middle-aged women, especially those who are obese. It is related to the menstrual cycle, but all test results are normal, which may be related to endocrine hormone metabolism disorders in the body.

Non-pitting edema is also called myxedema and is common in hypothyroidism.

How to identify the cause of edema? Many diseases can cause systemic or local edema, and different causes have their own characteristics.

01: Cardiogenic edema is mainly caused by cardiac dysfunction. The edema of the lower limbs is not obvious in the morning, but worsens after daytime activities and eases after resting at night. At the same time, there are other manifestations of heart disease such as palpitations, shortness of breath, dyspnea, and even pleural effusion and ascites.

02: Hepatogenic edema is mainly seen in decompensated cirrhosis or liver cancer. Emaciation of the limbs and a protruding belly (caused by ascites) are characteristic manifestations.

03: Malnutrition edema is common in chronic wasting diseases, such as malignant tumors and tuberculosis. It is often accompanied by malnutrition symptoms, such as muscle wasting, general fatigue, and lack of energy. Edema can spread throughout the body, mainly pitting edema.

04: Myxedema is common in hypothyroidism.

05: Drug-induced edema usually occurs after taking the drug and disappears after stopping the drug, which is related to the body's reaction characteristics. Common drugs that can cause edema include indomethacin, glucocorticoids, oral contraceptives, insulin, insulin sensitizers and nifedipine.

06: Nephrogenic edema is often manifested as eyelid edema in the morning, commonly known as "swollen eyelids". As the edema worsens, persistent edema occurs on the face and lower limbs. The edema is usually pitting, and in severe cases, pleural effusion, ascites, and external genital edema may also occur. Accompanying abnormal urine tests is an important feature.

summary

Therefore, we can be clear that edema is not always caused by kidney disease. If you suspect it is nephrogenic edema, you can go to the hospital for a physical examination in time. Early detection, early screening, and early treatment can protect our kidney health.