Swollen ankles—what's the best way to deal with it?

So, about a day and a half ago, I realized my ankles are totally swollen. It’s not like I’m incapacitated or anything, but there’s this weird sensation—both inside and out—and the left one is definitely acting up a bit more than the right.

I tried propping my feet up on some pillows, but honestly, it didn't seem to do much of anything. I had some horse chestnut cream lying around from when I was dealing with those annoying broken capillaries, so I slathered that on, and it actually helped take the edge off a little. I’ve got a trip to Miami planned for next week, so I was really banking on being able to just walk it off in my sandals and enjoy the beach.

Does anyone have any other tips or tricks I can try in the meantime?

It’s not even that they hurt—it's just this bizarre, pulsing hot-and-cold feeling going on down there.

Try propping your feet up for about ten minutes every day to take some of that pressure off your lower legs, especially where all that fluid tends to pool...

The old-timers used to say this kind of thing meant your kidneys were acting up or maybe your heart wasn't quite keeping pace...

It’s a losing battle trying to fix the symptoms without addressing what's actually driving them, so you really ought to go see a doctor and get checked out properly.🙄

In my case, it’s just the fallout from sitting at a desk all day—something that's pretty much impossible to change in this job—but I’ve found relief using some topical cream like Heparin to help work deep into the veins and connective tissues...🙂

Try to cut back on the salt intake—seriously. It pulls water into your system, which can lead to nasty swelling in your ankles and joints. This is especially risky if you're dealing with kidney issues, since they struggle to balance out all that extra sodium.