Metabolic contribution to swelling Discussion

Metabolic contribution to swelling: A number of health related factors may aggravate effects of local inflammation or swelling. Commonly recognized conditions include pregnancy, thyroid or other hormonal imbalance, inflammatory bowel disease, or any other situation associated with a systemic inflammatory process or fluid retention. Upper extremity disorders which involve swelling or inflammation - such as tendinitis or compressive neuropathy - will be made more symptomatic by changes in the body's fluid balance. In some patients, changes in fluid balance will be the triggering factor or final straw which leads an underlying problem to produce its first major symptoms. In others, it will lead tolerable symptoms to become intolerable. If the metabolic problem is temporary or correctable, so may be the aggravation of symptoms. However, this is unpredictable, for the effect of fluid retention is usually only that of making a preexisting or underlying condition more noticeable.

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