Oedema
SYN: Edema, Dropsy, Anasarca, and Swollen Legs
HYD
from Hydrothermic Remedies...
Causes:
- Hydrostatic pressure from prolonged standing or sitting
- Osmotic pressure from
- high intake of Concentrated Food
- inadequate protein intake (rare)
- congestion in inflammation
- Premenstrual tension
Treatment:
General:-
- Fast for one day
- Get enough sleep
- vigorous daily exercise
- Alternate Baths
- Massage
For hydrostatic pressure:-
- elevate feet
for osmotic pressure:-
- Drink more water to promote fluid output, water is a safe, natural diuretic
- Reduce salt, oil and sugar intake
- Maintain blood protein
- Walking - to increase lymph and blood flow
JHK
from Dr JH Kellogg's Prescriptions...
General Method:
- Bed Rest
- Ice Bag over heart 15-30 min 3x a day or more often
- treat as Albuminuria
- Graduated Tonic Cold 2x a day
- Leg Pack
- Water Drinking
- Wet Girdle change every 2 hours
- If renal disease - Sweating Treatments
- If diabetes - Revulsive Compress or Scotch Douche to legs 3x a day followed by Heating Compress in interval
Problems:
JHK
from Dr JH Kellogg's Hydriatic Techniques...
Problems:
- Autointoxication
- Cardiac Insufficiency
- general Cyanosis
- Debility
- Nervous System Irritability
- Superficial Anaemias
- Toxaemia
Tonic after acute phase
- Effervescent Bath
- effervescent Electro-Chemical Bath
- Alternate Douche
- Sweating Treatments especially Electric Light Bath
- Alternate Compress
- Scotch Douche after sweating treatment
Spoliatives especially with Renal Congestion
- sweating Hot Tub Bath - without cyanosis
- Vapor Bath
GKA
from Dr GK Abbott's Prescriptions...
Usually of the feet and ankles
In:
Treatment:
- Alternate Leg Bath or Alternate Foot Bath,must cover oedematous area completely, hot 1½-2min as hot as the patient can bear, cold 20-30sec begin at 10-20°C then to ice water, 5-10 changes, Daily or more often or
- Alternate Douche (spray) to feet dry then
- Centripetal Friction, then
- elevate limbs in only minor swelling use foot vibrator as well
- free, warm Water Drinking
High blood sugar - increases blood volume by osmotically pulling water from the interstitial spaces then later the cells. The kidneys increase urine and sugar output. Thirst is induced by tissue fluid depletion. Increased fluid intake allows diuresis until enough sugar is excreted to bring it back to normal levels.
High salt ingestion, in chronic cases has the opposite effect.
Thirst only is induced and so the salt concentration is maintained by an increased quantity of water in the body. Thus low salt diets are necessary in oedema.
Oedema is caused by - Stasis in dilated vessels leads to poor nutrition and oxygen supply of endothelial cells in vessels walls decreased cell health and increased permeability
Treatment must therefore consist of Diaphoretics and Diuretics