All About Edema
Is it edema? Lipedema? Lymphedema? Swelling in the body confuses almost everyone — even some of our own clients walk in unsure which one they're dealing with. So we're breaking it down in a three-part series, starting with the most common of the three: edema.
What Exactly is Edema?
Edema is simply excess fluid trapped in your body's tissues. If you've ever rolled an ankle diving for a pop fly in your Tuesday night softball league, or walked straight into the corner of your desk (we've all done it), and the area puffed up almost immediately — that's edema.
Doctors actually grade how "deep" that swelling is, based on how long a dent stays in the skin when you press on it:
Edema is simply excess fluid trapped in your body's tissues. If you've ever rolled an ankle diving for a pop fly in your Tuesday night softball league, or walked straight into the corner of your desk (we've all done it), and the area puffed up almost immediately — that's edema.
Doctors actually grade how "deep" that swelling is, based on how long a dent stays in the skin when you press on it:
- Grade 1 — 2mm deep
- Grade 2 — 3-4mm deep
- Grade 3 — 5-6mm deep
- Grade 4 — 8mm deep
What Causes Edema?
Injury is the obvious one, but it's far from the only cause. Here's what we see most often in our office:
How to Manage Edema
The good news: edema usually responds well to some simple, consistent habits.
Try elevating the affected area — after a long day on your feet, the legs-up-the-wall stretch is exactly what it sounds like: lie on your back and rest your legs up against a wall. Gravity does the opposite of what it did all day, and fluid drains back out of your feet and ankles.
Stay hydrated. It sounds backwards — why drink more fluid when you're trying to get rid of it? — but think of it as flushing your system rather than adding to the problem. And get moving. Regular movement helps kick your lymphatic system into gear so it can do its job faster.
Or, let a professional do the work for you. Manual Lymphatic Drainage (MLD) is a gentle, specialized technique designed to move that trapped fluid out of your tissues and back into circulation where it belongs. If you're in the Troy, Michigan area and dealing with ongoing swelling, book an MLD session with our team — it's always better when someone else is doing the work.
Next up in this series: Lipedema; the swelling condition that's often mistaken for something else entirely.
- Gravity. Ever gotten off a long flight with cankles, or stood on your feet all shift and felt like someone poured lead into your legs? That's gravity pulling fluid downward.
- Pregnancy. We've worked with so many moms-to-be whose hands and feet swell so much they can't wear their rings or normal shoes for months.
- Medication side effects.
- Poor nutrition. Sodium itself isn't the enemy — it's the flood of ultra-processed food that comes loaded with it that causes trouble.
- Underlying health conditions, including heart, lung, liver, and kidney disease.
- Recovering from surgery. Are you wearing your compression garments after surgery?
How to Manage Edema
The good news: edema usually responds well to some simple, consistent habits.
Try elevating the affected area — after a long day on your feet, the legs-up-the-wall stretch is exactly what it sounds like: lie on your back and rest your legs up against a wall. Gravity does the opposite of what it did all day, and fluid drains back out of your feet and ankles.
Stay hydrated. It sounds backwards — why drink more fluid when you're trying to get rid of it? — but think of it as flushing your system rather than adding to the problem. And get moving. Regular movement helps kick your lymphatic system into gear so it can do its job faster.
Or, let a professional do the work for you. Manual Lymphatic Drainage (MLD) is a gentle, specialized technique designed to move that trapped fluid out of your tissues and back into circulation where it belongs. If you're in the Troy, Michigan area and dealing with ongoing swelling, book an MLD session with our team — it's always better when someone else is doing the work.
Next up in this series: Lipedema; the swelling condition that's often mistaken for something else entirely.
