What Causes Feet to Swell?
Why Do Feet Swell? Swollen feet are a common medical condition caused by a wide variety of underlying factors. The basic reason feet swell is that certain conditions cause fluids to congregate in the feet, which makes them puff up. Even in a healthy person, the feet may swell slightly at any given point during the day; since gravity pulls the fluids of the body downward, the feet tend to be somewhat more swollen looking and will likely feel more swollen when one has been on their feet for a long period of time, as opposed to lying down, or lying with the feet elevated, which tends to prevent swelling. Pregnancy and Hormones One of the most common causes of excessive swelling in the feet is pregnancy. During pregnancy a woman’s body is filled with more blood than usual, which can cause veins to swell or leak blood into the tissues, which leads to swelling, especially in the feet. An imbalance in hormones can also lead to feet swelling. For instance, birth control pills may cause feet sw