does edema hurt?

[blackbird singing]

Hello, all. Brand new PCA here.

Just wondering: when a pt has severe edema, does it hurt more than normal to them when I touch or move their legs? There is a pt with legs swollen to double or triple their size... feels very strange to touch them, but I was just wondering if it hurts the pt?

[tokmom, BSN, RN]

It seems to be. The skin is stretched and therefore sensitive. I know when I had horrible pedal edema after childbirth, my feet did hurt.

[xtxrn, ASN, RN]

Hello, all. Brand new PCA here.

Just wondering: when a pt has severe edema, does it hurt more than normal to them when I touch or move their legs? There is a pt with legs swollen to double or triple their size... feels very strange to touch them, but I was just wondering if it hurts the pt?

It can. They may also have peripheral neuropathy, or if the edema is severe enough, some compression syndrome.

[tomc5555]

Anyone I have worked w/ who has edema had increased pain.

[loriangel14, RN]

Yes it can be very painful.(personal experience)

[Whispera, MSN, RN]

Imagine your skin being stretched to double or triple its usual size (in that one patient). It hurts! It can also split open and that really hurts.

[SentimentalGeek, ADN, RN]

I was swollen like a balloon with preeclampsia. My feet, ankles, legs, even my fingers (face, gums, you name it!) were swollen and ached. It felt like my skin was going to burst.

[canesdukegirl, BSN, RN]

It depends on the patient population that you are inquiring about. With diabetics, for example, when you assess pitting edema, they don't even know that you are doing it.

With pts in end stage renal ca, they may feel so much pain in other places that the pain of edema in their lower extremeties take a back seat to the horrid pain in the flanks.

With pts such as Sentimental, YES! They feel it!

[xtxrn, ASN, RN]

For some, I've seen the edema drip into puddles on the floor.... and which ever way they are positioned, the edema is worse on the dependent side, like a water balloon. Not good.

[canesdukegirl, BSN, RN]

For some, I've seen the edema drip into puddles on the floor.... and which ever way they are positioned, the edema is worse on the dependent side, like a water balloon. Not good.

Oh lord...no. Not good. I will never forget the lady that I took care of when I was a new grad. She had Stage IV ovarian ca, and she had weeping edema B LE. I had to change her chuks q2h. I felt so bad for her. But all she wanted was to have her Eternity lotion at her bedside so that she would smell good. :redbeathe

[xtxrn, ASN, RN]

Oh lord...no. Not good. I will never forget the lady that I took care of when I was a new grad. She had Stage IV ovarian ca, and she had weeping edema B LE. I had to change her chuks q2h. I felt so bad for her. But all she wanted was to have her Eternity lotion at her bedside so that she would smell good. :redbeathe

Poor thing

[belgarion]

We do a lot of care and comfort for patients in their final days so I can safely say that yes, it HURTS.