What Causes Pain And Swelling In Feet And Calves After Sitting For A While?

Posted on Mon, 7 Sep 2015

Question: Hi, I am a 72 year old male, 5' 10" and 185 lbs. My feet and calves swell and become painful after sitting. Not for long periods of time, but almost immediately. There are spots and discolorations on my legs that I've had for more than 10 years. A Dermatologist said this was caused by blood being trapped under the skin and prescribed an anti-inflammatory ointment that did nothing to get rid of them. The swelling has been occurring for the past year. My Dr. prescribed 20 mg Lasix. This reduced the foot swelling somewhat, but lately it's not working. My most recent visit resulted in doubling the dosage. There has been no improvement.
What is wrong with me?

Answered by Dr. Prof. Kunal Saha (1 hour later)

Brief Answer:
Getting a few tests done could give an idea about the possible cause

Detailed Answer:
Thanks for asking on HealthcareMagic.

I have carefully gone through the details provided and understand your concerns. There are two possibilities that I would like to mention. The first is that you could have electrolyte imbalance which could give rise to the pain. In such a case, taking juicy fruits like citrus fruits is likely to provide relief. Try it and see if it makes a difference. You may also get your blood electrolytes tested.

The second possibility is that of peripheral pooling of blood occurring. Here the blood pools down in the lower dependant portions and causes problems. In such a case, getting a lower limb Doppler study would help in evaluating the cause.

Try these and let me know if I could be of further assistance.

Regards

Note: For further queries, consult a joint and bone specialist, an Orthopaedic surgeon. Book a Call now.

Above answer was peer-reviewed by : Dr. Chakravarthy Mazumdar