Management of Swollen Feet Caused by Diabetic Nephropathy

Swelling is a common symptoms of kidney problems, especially for diabetic nephropathy. If you have diabetes and happen to suffer from swollen feet, you are suggested to test for your kidneys as soon as possible.

What does diabetic nephropathy develop?

Kidneys are a pair of bean-shaped organs and each kidney contains one hundred million of nephrons which can filter wastes, extra fluid from blood. If you have a poor control of your blood glucose, the nephrons have to work hard to finish their job.

Over time, the nephrons will become necrosis due to overload. Protein in urine is usually the first sign of Diabetes Kidney Disease, which is followed by swelling and high blood pressure.

How Diabetes cause swollen feet?

It is mainly attributable to the following two factors:

1. Protein in urine is another major cause of swollen feet in Diabetes Kidney Disease. If the protein level in blood is lower than tissues, the fluid in blood vessels will infilter into subcutaneous tissue, thus causing swelling.

2. Malfunctioned kidneys fail to remove fluid from body adequately, thus resulting in building up of fluid body. For systemic circulation and gravity, the swelling may primarily occur in feet, leading to swollen feet.

Without control, the fluid may spread into other body parts such as abdominal cavity, lung, heart and other vital organs and systems. Therefore, early and effective treatments are extremely necessary for the patients to eliminate swollen legs.