Blood Pressure and Swollen Feet: Causes, Symptoms, and Treatment

Can high blood pressure affect your feet? The answer is yes, very much! High blood pressure reduces blood circulation in your feet, resulting in pain and inflammation in feet and ankles. Read this blog if you are complaining of high blood pressure and swollen feet and can’t find enough info on its causes, signs, and treatment options.

Understanding High Blood Pressure

Renowned cardiologist from NYU Langone Health in New York City, Dr. Kinjan Parikh explains blood pressure as the force of blood that pushes against the walls of the arteries. When this force is more than 120/80 mm Hg, we call it high blood pressure, which can damage arteries over the long run. While high blood pressure doesn’t show many visible symptoms, blood pressure and swollen feet and ankles are closely related.

What Causes Swollen Feet?

High blood pressure is not a disorder per se, but rather a side effect of other broader health concerns. In most cases of hypertension due to ageing, blood pressure increases as your artery walls thicken over time.

Hypertension is a sign of thick arteries, which in turn are responsible for decreased blood flow back to the heart due to decrease in cross-sectional area of the vessels. Hence, the blood begins to pool in the legs and ankles, causing swelling.

Symptoms of Swollen Feet Due to High Blood Pressure

The following are the indicators of high blood pressure swollen feet

• Cramp in legs and feet while exercising
• Sores on ankles and feet
• Puffiness in leg
• Leg tightness or discomfort

Treatment and Management

Among others, a doctor may recommend the following tests for patients with feet swelling and high blood pressure:

• Complete blood count
• Blood sugar (glucose) test
• Kidney function tests
• Thyroid function tests
• Cholesterol test (lipid profile)

Treatment options include:

• Doctors recommend lifestyle changes to patients with blood pressure and swollen feet.
• If the test reports indicate diabetes, kidney disease and heart disease along with BP, the healthcare provider may prescribe blood pressure medications.
• Doctors may prescribe diuretic medications to reduce swelling
• Other treatment options doctors follow are wearing compression socks and elevating the legs above heart levels.

When to Seek Medical Attention?

Visiting a general physician is recommended if you observe any of the above-mentioned symptoms. A general physician will check your vital signs like height, weight and pressure and carry out a thorough examination. Your general physician may observe skin colour, temperature extremities, periodic swelling and abnormalities in blood pressure among others. Next, your general physician may refer you to a primary care physician depending on the condition of your feet, swelling, high blood pressure, and severity. Chest pain, trouble breathing on exertion, unable to lie flat at night due to breathing difficulties are signs you need to take seriously.

Lifestyle Tips for Preventing Swollen Feet

Swollen feet can have multiple causes, including very serious ones like deep vein thrombosis and heart failure. We suggest visiting a physician just to rule out such major issues.

If your physician mentions that it is just a side effect of high blood pressure, you can prevent swollen feet by following the below-mentioned lifestyle habits:

• Drinking plenty of water reduces swelling and cramps in the legs and feet
• The use of compression socks helps return the blood to the heart effectively without causing pain or swelling
• Walking regularly and not standing on your feet for too long can aid in avoiding swelling
• Elevating your feet during sleep at night can reduce swelling considerably by morning
• An Epsom salt bath helps relieve toxins from the affected area and reduces swelling and inflammation
• Include magnesium-rich food like almonds, cashews, potatoes and brown rice
• Opt for low-sodium food and refrain from packaged and processed food
• Swollen feet can also be a side effect of high blood pressure control medications like Amlodipine

Blood pressure and swollen feet go hand in hand. So if your legs and ankles are frequently swelling, it’s time that you visit your doctor and get yourself checked. Make sure you address high blood pressure foot pain before it gets out of control.