Do I need to be concerned if my elderly mother has swollen feet?

Hi, yes you should be concerned. It could be congestive heart failure. The heart muscle is to week to pump blood and water builds up around the heart, lungs, ankles. Water pills help. Lots of information on the Internet about chf. Get her to a doctor as chf is fatal. Good luck and be strong

Sorry - didn't read that she wasn't on meds. If she has a wheat, corn, or rice - or other food or food additive - intolerance/allergy it could cause her feet/ankles to swell.

My Mom's feet - and then legs swelled so big I thought the skin would burst. Turns out it was her blood pressure medicine that was causing it. I cannot remember the name of the medicine...

Thank you for the advice. My mom is not on medications and does not wear socks or shoes. I think it has to do with her excessive drinking, and poor diet. I am concerned that she might be sick and this is a symptom. I will keep trying to get her better.

William

Thank you Ed,
I will give it a try. I am hoping it helps her.

William

One of the side effects of one of my mother's medications is swollen ankles, the doctor said if they don't hurt, she wouldn't worry about it. Mom's been on these meds for 2 years and about 6 month's ago the swelling pretty much went away. Not sure why, if she just got use to the meds or because she is drinking a bit more. On days shes on her feet a lot it comes back. Are they good in the morning when she gets out of bed or are the swollen all the time? I would check with her doctor.
Best Wishes!

WILL:

Since elevating her feet didn't work, try tucking them in a cool foot bath (add Epsom salts if you want). The cold water will reduce the swelling and ease the tension in the muscles and ligaments. Once the swelling has gone down (hopefully most of it), massage the feet with plenty of peppermint-scented foot lotion and make sure you really knead the muscles and tendons to get the tension out.

Elevating your feet to a 90-degree angle from your hips to decrease circulation and allow fluids to drain can feel "undignified." That's probably why she refuses to do it ... even if it's 45 degrees. It makes me feel weird, and I don't have any real foot problems unless I overdo it on a tennis court or squat over 250 lbs.. Come to think of it, your mom might weigh more than she should and her footwear might be too tight. Check up on this too.

Now a warning: she might grow to expect the cool foot baths and the massages, so get ready.

Wish you the best Will.

-- ED

Thank you for the advice! I have been trying to get her to elevate her feet. She has been fighting me on that. I will keep trying.
Bless you.

William

my father had bad swelling of his feet ,so he was taking aleve for pain in his knees , but i got him off that cause those can cause swelling of the legs and feet so .having your feet down to long can swell , so some medication makes their feet swell , and so does water weight gain , to much fluid in their system , so my dad used to take blood pressure pills with other meds in it to make you go to void ;so now i keep his feet up on a basket with a pillow on top , that way it will not be hard for him to move the basket , when he has to get up from the recliner , cause the recliners are to hard to handle and they make their legs stiff if up to straight , so check on her medicines and she may need fluid pills , i hope i helped some god bless you and your mother

Isn't that the truth! I will keep trying.

William

Had the same thing with grandfather, the doctor TOLD him to elevate his feet so he did... for five minutes... then put them back down...you can lead a horse to water....