Diagnosis of swollen ankles | Swollen ankles

Diagnosis of swollen ankles

To diagnose first-time swelling of one or both ankles, the first step is a detailed anamnesis interview about possible injuries, previous illnesses, accompanying symptoms, medication and more. Afterwards, several examinations are often performed due to the many different causes. These include examining the legs for varicose veins or swelling, checking the ankles for injuries, ultrasound examination of the legs, checking the leg pulses, a blood pressure measurement, a detailed heart and lung examination, examination of the urine and various blood tests.

Therapy of swollen ankles

The treatment of swollen ankles depends on the underlying disease. If venous weakness is the cause of the ankle edema, several forms of therapy are available. Compression stockings, movement and elevation of the legs are among the most important basic components.

In addition, medications to flush out water and Kneipp’s cold water treatment can be helpful. Ointments and creams usually have no effect. If varicose veins are present, they can be removed.

In many cases, only a combination of different forms of therapy and consistent adherence to the therapy can lead to a satisfactory improvement of the swelling. If a heart failure is present, the first step is to determine and treat the cause. Common triggers are a narrowing of the coronary arteries, a past heart attack or a lung disease such as COPD.

In the case of cardiac insufficiency, various drugs must also be used to make the heart’s performance more efficient, lower blood pressure and increase water excretion via the kidneys. Examples are “ACE inhibitors” and “beta blockers”. If kidney or liver diseases are the cause, the only way to treat the underlying disease is usually to treat it, in addition to flushing out the water with medication and administering proteins. In the case of ankle swelling caused by infections of the respiratory tract or the urinary tract, there is often no need for specific therapy to reduce the swelling – the ankle edema disappears on its own after a while.