What is Anasarca?

Anarsaca is a term used when the whole body swells up when there is a huge retention of fluid within the tissues of human body. The condition is also referred to generalized edema. Anasarca is not a disease but a symptom for the underlying health condition. The accumulation of fluid in the tissue can be caused due to many reasons and health condition which disturbs the protein content of the body and imbalances the fluid content and create abnormalities in the lymphatic and blood vessel system. Almost everyone experience swelling which can be caused due to dehydration, injury and medicine side effects. Generally, the legs, hands and feet are the most affected area during Anasarca. Sometimes the swelling is so intense that it makes movement of body difficult. The main symptom of anasarca is swelling of the body; the skin looks shiny and pale as well as stretched. The swelling may be so intense that the fluid may leak out of the body. This condition is referred to weeping edema. There is another condition where the body show indentation or dimple when external pressure is applied over the skin and this situation is called as Pitting edema. The additional swelling includes:

Difficulty in breathing

Difficulty in walking

Increased heart rate

Difficulty in any kind of movements like lifting

Aching joints

Anasarca can be life threatening if the fluid accumulates in the lungs and this condition is called as pulmonary edema. The obvious sign of pulmonary edema can be chest pain, coughing, and shortness in breath. The Anasarca is diagnosed by doing X-ray test, echocardiogram in order to evaluate lungs and heart function.

Causes of Anasarca  

Anasarca is caused due to various reasons, some reasons are contagious and some are very rare. The obvious and most common diseases are:

Kidney Disease: When the kidney function is impaired, and this causes the fluid to accumulate and is not removed from the body which causes anasarca.

Heart Diseases: When the muscle of the heart does not function properly and this affects the pumping of blood throughout the body. If this continues it can cause accumulation of fluid in the tissues.

Cirrhosis: Cirrhosis is a condition where the lungs does not function properly and leads to lungs failure. At this situation the liver is responsible for the hormones that affect fluid regulation in the body. When there is a dysfunction in liver then it causes fluid to leak within the tissue.

Allergic Reaction in the Body:  Allergic reaction can cause swelling in the body and can cause anasarca.

Malnutrition: Malnutrition specially leads to protein deficiency in the body and this can acuase accumulation of fluid inside the body. This is why the people who lack protein in their body, the body gets swells up and leading to anasarca.

How Anasarca can be treated?

Ansarca is something which can only be treated through medication. The doctors provide prescribed medication in order to treat swelling inside the body; the following drugs are diuretics and albumin. The common type of diuretic is known as furosemide.