What may increase your risk for problems from swelling?
Many conditions, lifestyle choices, medications, and diseases interfere with your ability to heal or fight infection. You may be at risk for a more serious problem from your symptoms if you have any of the following. Be sure to tell your health professional.
Conditions
- A problem or condition present since birth (congenital defect)
- Previous injury to the affected area
- Previous surgery to the affected area
- Previous pulmonary embolism (PE)
- Previous deep vein thrombosis (DVT)
- Previous radiation treatments above or below the affected area
- Previous cellulitis
- Surgery to remove the spleen (splenectomy)
Lifestyle choices
- Alcohol abuse or withdrawal
- Drug abuse or withdrawal
- Smoking or other tobacco use
Medications
- Blood-thinning medications, such as warfarin, heparin, and aspirin
- Chemotherapy or radiation therapy
- Corticosteroids, such as prednisone
- Medications to prevent organ transplant rejection
Diseases
- Cancer
- Diabetes
- Gout
- Heart disease
- Heart failure
- Hemophilia
- Human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infection
- Idiopathic thrombocytopenic purpura (ITP)
- Inherited bone disease
- Kidney disease
- Liver disease
- Lupus
- Malnutrition or an eating disorder such as anorexia nervosa or bulimia
- Osteoarthritis
- Osteomyelitis
- Rheumatoid arthritis
- Septic arthritis
- Septic bursitis
- Sickle cell anemia
| Author: | Jan Nissl, RN, BS | Last Updated: December 12, 2006 |
| Medical Review: | Martin Gabica, MD - Family Medicine H. Michael O'Connor, MD - Emergency Medicine | |
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