Swelling on your feet is a result of either water retention or excessive strain on your muscles. Wile it is a common syndrome, it is extremely common to pregnant women as they experience a lot of water retention during the term of their pregnancy.

The medical term for the condition is Edema. It affects the feet, ankles, calves and normally leads to weight gain.

How do your legs get swollen?

When the tissues in your body contain excess water, the gravitational force of the earth pushes this fluid to your feet causing your feet to swell.

There are several factors that contribute to this dilemma. Your posture, being in the same position for long periods of time, obesity, anxiety, pregnancy and drug abuse are some of the most common reasons.

In addition to these, lesser circulation of blood in your feet are known to cause this problem. Certain prescriptive drugs can cause this condition as well if the dosage is higher than what your body can withstand.

Symptoms of edema include swelling on the ankles, calves, feet, redness on the soles of your feet, foot cramps, inability to move feet or foot muscles, pain and difficulty in walking.

Fortunately there are several cures for edema, both prescriptive as well as natural therapies.

If you opt for natural cures then you must first begin by reducing the amount of sodium or salt in your food. When sitting or standing apply equal pressure on both your feet to avoid cramping of any single foot. Reducing weight also helps take care of the issue.

On days when the swelling is accompanied by pain and redness of the feet; soak your feet in warm water with rock salt. The salt helps to relieve the muscle strain and reduces the swelling instantly.

Massage your feet lightly with warm olive oil or almond oil to relieve the pain in your joints. Massage the oil in circular motions to increase blood circulation in your body.