What should you know about feet and hands swell in heat?

Heat-related swelling often affects both sides and becomes more noticeable after standing, walking, or staying outdoors. Fingers may feel tight when making a fist, while feet may feel crowded in shoes. It should be considered separately from swelling that is one-sided, hot, red, or linked to an injury. A wrist injury can cause hand swelling, including with a distal radius fracture. Repeated swelling with joint pain or prolonged stiffness can occur with rheumatoid arthritis. Other health conditions and medicines can also alter fluid handling, so recurring or persistent swelling should not automatically be attributed to weather.

Move to a cooler place, loosen tight clothing and jewellery, and raise the hands or feet for a while. Gently flex and extend the fingers, ankles, and toes if this does not hurt. Take regular breaks from standing and choose breathable footwear. Replace fluids according to thirst unless your clinician has set a fluid restriction. A cool, damp cloth can be soothing; avoid extreme cold on numb skin. If the swelling does not settle after cooling and rest, arrange a medical review.

Seek emergency help for confusion, collapse, severe weakness, breathing difficulty, chest pain, or swelling of the face or tongue. Obtain urgent care for a limb that is suddenly much more swollen than the other, painful, hot, red, pale, blue, or numb. Fever, inability to move a joint, or swelling after an injury also needs prompt assessment. Repeated episodes, swelling that lasts beyond the hot conditions, or new swelling after a medicine change warrant clinician advice.

Does the pattern fit heat-related fluid movement, or should another cause be checked? Are my medicines or existing joint problems relevant? What cooling, activity, and fluid advice is appropriate for me?