Swelling comes in a variety of versions.
- Kidney failure– this is mostly a problem for old people but can happen at younger ages. By the time you are down to maybe 5% of your original kidney function, fluid starts to build up in your feet and ankles. Mainstream treatment would be dialysis and kidney transplant.
- Congestive heart failure– is mainly a condition of old people. As their heart poops out on them it does not develop enough pressure to perfuse their kidneys well enough to pee off excess fluid. So that fluid starts to fill up the bottom of their lungs as well is their and ankles. This is exacerbated (worsened) by taking into much table salt. The mainstream way of treating this is with medications. Alternatively, much of the time it can be improved by weight loss and or chelation with EDTA.
- Swelling that ebbs and flows with the female monthly cycle- The mainstream would treat this with drugs. Alternate doctors may be astute enough to try natural hormone therapy. Another option would be an herb called horse chestnut
- Unexplained swelling of the hands, feet or face- This can be an allergic reaction to any combination of allergens. Alternative medicine treatment would be allergy desensitization. Another thing that usually works is an herb called horse chestnut.
Swelling of the feet and ankles at the end of a day– this is called the dependent edema. The mainstream treatment would be compression stockings and or diuretic medications. An alternative treatment would be horse chestnut.