Swollen ankles and legs invite serious discomfort and pain for a lot of people. Fluid accumulation around the base of your legs causes this problem and this type of swelling known as edema. Constant sitting or standing for an extended period can aggravate this condition. When you are suffering from this problem, swelling and puffiness become intense in hot weather. Many reasons contribute to this condition, and they include an excess amount of salt consumption, sitting or standing for too long, pregnancy, hot weather, varicose veins and deep vein thrombosis. Serious medical conditions such as heart disease, liver problems, and kidney disorders can also make you vulnerable to this problem. Those, who are affected, want to get rid the swelling and discomforts related to it as early as possible. Here are the most effective leg and ankle swelling remedies.

Exercise regularly
Fluid retention can be effectively prevented with regular physical exercise. It stimulates the blood circulation, and you can find great relief. One of the most effective leg and ankle swelling remedies is swimming as it takes off the pressure from your feet. As far as lower limb edema is concerned, you cannot find a better remedy than swimming and it controls the ankle swelling in the best manner. Another effective way is to raise your legs continuously above the heart level. This exercise helps, especially the older adults control the swollen ankles and you need to perform this exercise for 20 minutes for three times a day, and excellent results can be achieved within four weeks. You can use a pillow under your ankles while sleeping on your back as this leg and ankle swelling remedy drains the excess fluid formed around the feet and ankles. Walking is one of the easiest leg and ankle swelling remedies. Whenever you have to deal with swollen leg and ankles, you must get up and walk around. It improves the blood circulation to prevent unwanted fluid accumulation. If you can manage to walk 50 minutes in the afternoon, you get excellent results.

Control your salt intake
Leg and ankle swelling can be prevented to a certain extent by lowering the salt intake. The human body requires a certain level of salt to work properly, but when the salt intake becomes more than needed, it creates a damaging effect on the cardiovascular system, kidney, and heart. If you want to stop the accumulation of fluid in leg and ankle, you must reduce the salt consumption.

Increase your water consumption
Most people do not consume an adequate amount of fluids. When you drink water throughout the day, you are hydrating your body, and it also detoxifies your body. Caffeine and sodium are the major contributors to leg and ankle inflammation and these become diluted with proper water consumption. Your water intake must be 8 to 10 glasses per day, and it is always advisable to carry a water bottle with you. In order to consume antioxidants, lemon or lime can be squeezed in.

Soak in Epsom salts
Soaking in Epsom salts is one of the best leg and ankle swelling remedies. It offers relaxation and relief to the aching muscles of your leg and ankle. Swelling can be controlled or reduced with foot baths in Epsom salts. This leg and ankle swelling remedy improves blood circulation and lowers the discomfort in the legs.

Quit smoking
If you are a habitual smoker, you must stop this habit to get relief from leg and ankle swelling. It is a well-known fact smoking does not keep you healthy, and smoking also makes you vulnerable to several health complications such as lung disease, heart disease, and cancer. When you stop smoking, you can enhance your blood circulation to prevent edema. Various studies have found out that smoking aggravates the risk of peripheral artery disease. It is a condition that makes a negative impact on the blood circulation in your body, especially blood flow to the legs.

Use compression socks
If you are experiencing feet and ankle swelling due to sitting or standing for extended periods of time, compression socks are a good option. These stockings help you alleviate the fluid retention in the legs by improving the blood flow, and you can find excellent relief from the swelling, pain and other related discomforts. Pregnant women, who have to fly a long distance, can use this stocking to get rid of the leg and ankle swelling.

Generally speaking, leg and ankle swelling due to excess standing or sitting is not a serious problem. At the same time; if you find other symptoms along with swelling in the leg and feet, you have to visit a doctor for a checkup. A doctor visit becomes inevitable if you experience symptoms like dizziness or lightheadedness, sudden swelling in one leg, chest pain, breathing difficulties, shortness of breath and swelling without any apparent reason. The doctor will prescribe the most effective leg and ankle swelling remedies depending on your condition.