Cause of Swelling: If an insect bites the skin or if there is an injury, swelling often occurs in that organ of the body. Often this swelling gets cured after applying some ointment or taking some medicine. But seeing the swelling, the question comes to mind what changes inside the skin, which makes the skin swollen and thick, and then after applying medicine or eating, what changes so that the skin becomes normal and smooth again. ...
Why does swelling happen?
Inflammation is our body's response to pain or irritation in the body. That is when insect bites and as a reaction to the burning sensation caused by it or the pain that occurs after an injury, our body swells that part of itself. It is also a way of preventing the spread of pain and the rapid spread of insect venom.
Now the question becomes that what happens inside the body when there is inflammation? When the fluid gets collected at one place under the skin, then there is swelling. On injury or insect bite, the body's defence mechanism immediately becomes active and swelling occurs. Swelling is called oedema in medical language.
What are the types of swelling?
This question may surprise many people that there are different types of inflammation. But, indeed, inflammation is not of one or two but of more than 5 types. The names of the most common swellings are as follows...
1. Peripheral oedema- The swelling that occurs when there is a problem in the lymph nodes in the knees, legs or arms is called peripheral oedema. Lymph nodes work to filter microbes and toxins in our bodies.
2. Lymphedema- When lymph nodes are damaged due to radiation during surgery or cancer treatment, the swelling that occurs is called lymphedema.
3. Cerebral oedema- When there is swelling inside the brain due to any reason like a tumour, injury, bursting of blood vessels, brain haemorrhage etc., then it is called cerebral oedema i.e. brain swelling.
4. Pedal Edema- This is usually swelling during pregnancy and in old age. This swelling occurs due to the accumulation of fluid in the lower parts of the leg.
5. Pulmonary oedema- This is swelling in the lungs. When fluid fills in the air sacs, breathing is difficult and this condition is even more painful when lying down because lying down causes suffocation and heartbeats increase.
6. Macular Edema- There is a tissue called macula between the retina in the eye, which is very sensitive to light. When there is an injury around this tissue, the liquid in the blood vessels starts accumulating and seeping, causing oedema.
7. Internal swelling of the body- This is a completely different type of swelling from all other swellings. Which is not due to any injury but due to free radicals i.e. free radicals formed during digestion in the body. This is called internal inflammation. Due to this, bloating occurs in the body.
What is the treatment for inflammation?
The treatment of swelling depends on its causes. The reasons for the different types of swelling are different and based on these they are also treated. By treating any problem at its initial stage, the cost of medicines, physical pain and tension can be avoided.
