Is It Normal for Tight Socks to Cause Sock Marks

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Causes and signs of edema

Created: November 5, 2008; Last Update: December 30, 2016; Next update: 2020.

Edema means swelling. The condition called edema arises when part of the body becomes swollen because fluid gathers in the tissue. It most commonly affects the arms and legs. That is called peripheral edema.

Common early signs of peripheral edema include the following:

An arm or leg starts feeling full or heavy.
The arm or leg starts to look swollen.
When you press the swelling, it leaves a dent.
Your clothing or jewelry starts to feel tight and uncomfortable.
The skin near the edema feels tight or warm.
It becomes harder to move any joints that are affected.
There is a sensation of tautness or even pain in the surrounding area.

Causes and forms

Edema can have various causes. It is important to see a doctor and check what is causing it to make sure it gets treated correctly.

Edema can be:

a mild and temporary water retention problem that goes away by itself,
a symptom of a serious disease that needs treatment,
a condition that could become chronic and severe (like lymphedema after cancer treatment or leg edema in one leg following deep vein thrombosis), or
an adverse effect of medication or an allergic reaction.

General puffiness or swelling caused by water retention

Signs of this kind of edema include puffiness of the hands, feet and / or face. This kind of edema is temporary and goes away without treatment. It can happen because you have been standing or sitting for too long. Edema is common after a long flight, for example, or in people who have to stand for long periods at work. Many women experience edema during their monthly period (menstruation) or during pregnancy. Edema in pregnancy is usually harmless, although it can be a sign of other problems if blood pressure is also high.

Lymphedema

This is caused by damage to the lymphatic system. It usually affects only one part of the body, like an arm. The most common cause of lymphedema in countries like Germany is cancer treatment in which lymph nodes have been removed or destroyed. It could be temporary after cancer surgery, but it can also develop into a chronic condition that can become severe.

Sources

Andreae S. Lexikon der Krankheiten und Untersuchungen. Stuttgart: Thieme; 2008.
Longo DL, Fauci AS, Kasper DL, Hauser SL, Jameson JL, Loscalzo J. Harrison's Principles of internal medicine. New York: McGraw-Hill Companies. 18th ed; 2011.
Pschyrembel W. Klinisches Wörterbuch. Berlin: De Gruyter; 2014.
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Bookshelf ID: NBK279409

Is It Normal for Tight Socks to Cause Sock Marks

Source: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK279409/

Dorron Seensess