Swollen Feet Can Have Many Causes. Here Are Nine Signs That May Be Worth Paying Attention To.

And this is where recognizing the accompanying symptoms becomes particularly important.

Deep Vein Thrombosis
DVT occurs when a blood clot forms in one or more of the body’s deep veins, most commonly in a leg.

Possible symptoms include swelling, pain or soreness, warmth, tenderness, and changes in skin color. However, DVT does not always produce obvious symptoms. Some people can have the condition without realizing it.

That uncertainty is one reason people should not attempt to diagnose a blood clot simply by looking at a swollen foot.

Many other conditions can produce similar symptoms.

The major concern with DVT is what can happen if part of the clot breaks loose.

A clot can travel through the bloodstream and become lodged in an artery in the lungs. This is known as a pulmonary embolism, and it can be life-threatening.

Warning signs can include sudden shortness of breath, chest pain or discomfort, dizziness, fainting, rapid breathing, a rapid pulse, or coughing up blood.

Those symptoms require emergency medical attention.

Sudden unexplained swelling in one leg also warrants prompt medical assessment, particularly when pain, warmth, or tenderness is present.

But blood clots represent only one part of the picture.

Sometimes the Problem Is Closer to the Joint
Not all swelling comes from excess fluid accumulating because of circulation problems.

Inflammation or injury involving joints, muscles, tendons, and surrounding tissues can also produce visible swelling.

The location of the discomfort can therefore provide useful clues.

For example, the Achilles tendon connects the calf muscles to the heel bone. Achilles tendinitis can cause pain around the back of the heel, often associated with physical activity, and swelling may occur around the affected area.

That pattern differs from generalized fluid retention affecting both ankles.

Yet another possibility comes from the joints themselves.