What should you know about legs swelling up?

Swelling in both legs that builds during the day can occur when veins do not return blood efficiently, including with varicose veins. Sitting or standing for a long time, heat, some medicines, and excess body weight can also contribute. Swelling linked with breathlessness, reduced exercise tolerance, or swelling around the abdomen needs medical assessment because heart failure can cause fluid retention. Kidney disease may also lead to swelling, particularly when other changes such as frothy urine or reduced urine occur. One-sided swelling, especially with pain, warmth, or redness, has a different urgency and should not be treated as simple fluid retention.

If the swelling is mild and affects both legs, avoid staying still for long periods, take gentle walks, and raise your legs when resting. Comfortable footwear and reducing salty packaged foods may help. Do not start water tablets or compression stockings without advice: the right choice depends on circulation, heart function, skin health, and the cause. Note when the swelling began, whether it changes overnight, and which medicines you take. A clinician may examine your legs, review medicines, and check your heart, kidneys, and circulation.

Seek urgent help for sudden one-sided swelling with chest pain, breathlessness, fainting, or coughing blood. Arrange prompt medical review for rapidly increasing swelling, a painful red or hot leg, new breathlessness when lying down, or much less urine. Book a routine appointment if swelling persists, keeps returning, leaves a dent after pressure, or begins after a medicine change.

Could a medicine, vein problem, heart problem, or kidney problem explain this swelling? Do I need blood or urine tests? Is compression appropriate for my circulation? What changes should make me seek urgent care?