Water retention is a common health problem that greatly affects the daily activities of those who suffer from it. Water retention, medically known as edema, is the accumulation of excess fluid that seeps into the body’s tissues. The leak will cause swelling throughout the body (generalized swelling) or more localized swelling, such as swelling in the legs, feet, and ankles, or fluid retention in the abdomen, face, hands, arms, and around the lungs.

Although there are many different conditions and diseases associated with the term water retention or edema, there are several more prominent causes of water retention. And here are some of them:

1. arthritis
Arthritis, which means “inflammation of the joints,” is described as an inflammation of one or more joints involving mechanical failure of the cartilage resulting in pain, swelling, and limitation of movement in the joints. It can affect any joint in the body from the hip, heel, spine, shoulder, knee to the big toe.

There are more than 100 different types of arthritis, but the three most common types are osteoarthritis, rheumatoid arthritis, and gout. Different types of arthritis show different symptoms. Common symptoms of arthritis include: persistent joint pain, fever, tenderness, joint swelling, stiffness, redness, joint malformation, joint stiffness, and unexplained weight loss.

2. Kidney disorders
Certain forms of kidney disorders, such as kidney failure and glomerular disease, will cause swelling throughout the body, as well as localized swelling in the abdomen, ankles, feet, and legs. This occurs because the kidneys have lost their normal functions, including the efficient removal of salt and water from the body. This in turn will cause the body to retain fluid and over time it will build up in the body’s tissues.

3. Chronic lung disease
Chronic lung disease is a general term for persistent lung disorders that impair the function of the lungs. Severe chronic lung disease will cause fluid retention in the body, including fluid retention in the lungs (pulmonary edema), ascites, swelling of the neck, face, ankles, and feet. Chronic lung disease such as chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), smoke inhalation injury, acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS), lung cancer, mesothelioma, etc. may cause pulmonary oedema, abdominal oedema/ascites, fluid retention in the neck and face, swelling in the ankles and feet.

4. Cirrhosis of the liver
Cirrhosis of the liver usually causes fluid retention in the abdomen. It also causes low albumin protein synthesis in the liver and causes fluid retention in the legs and abdomen.

5. Congestive heart failure, cardiomyopathy, and heart valve disease
Congestive heart failure obstructs the normal circulation of blood and often leads to water retention. The two most common causes of water retention in patients with congestive heart failure are: (1) blood flow to the heart backs up and leaks into the lungs and veins; (2) the kidney retains fluid due to insufficient amount of blood flow. Both cardiomyopathy and heart valve disease are a variety of heart diseases and lead to heart failure.

6. Excessive sodium intake
In people who are more sensitive to sodium, excessive sodium intake will increase blood pressure and lead to water retention, especially in the lower extremities, such as swelling of the ankles and feet.

7. Gravity
Standing or sitting too long in one position due to the necessity of occupation or after long trips can cause fluid retention in the legs. This tends to worsen with high temperatures.

8. Pregnancy
In some cases, the developing uterus in pregnant women can press on the vena cava and cause fluid retention in the legs. Hormonal imbalances and increased amount of blood flow are also responsible for water retention during pregnancy. The most affected areas of swelling during pregnancy are the lower extremities, especially the ankles and feet.

9. Side effects of certain medications
Certain medications like anabolic steroids, calcium channel blockers, levitra, methadone, etc. it can affect the normal functions of the body and cause particular swelling in the legs, feet and ankles.

10. Venous insufficiency
Venous insufficiency is a disturbance of blood flow in the leg veins due to damage to the veins themselves or to the valves, causing fluid to back up and leak into surrounding tissues. This disorder is one of the most common causes of water retention in the legs.

Go through the list of causes of water retention and decide if you are really experiencing one or more. Remember, many diseases take years to appear after the symptom appears. Therefore, you should talk to your doctor if you have any questions about water retention in any part of your body. Your doctor is the one who can tell you exactly what is causing your swelling and what treatment options will work best for you.