what are the main causes, how to alleviate it?

Swollen face or facial edema, as it is technically known, can happen for several reasons. This is generally an easily treated problem, as swelling is usually a common occurrence in your daily life. However, it is important to highlight that there are causes that require medical help and special care.

A swollen face, for example, may be the result of greater pressure in the region during sleep. However, it may also indicate some type of serious problem that deserves the attention of a specialist doctor. Especially if the swelling appears suddenly or for no apparent reason, even hours after you wake up.

Furthermore, it is worth mentioning that it can arise due to a dental problem, or after surgery. You may also wake up with a swollen face after drinking alcohol or having gone to an all-you-can-eat steakhouse the night before, for example.

Therefore, below you can find out a little more detail about the reasons that may be causing your swollen face and when you should be concerned.

Main causes of swollen face

As previously mentioned, there are several possible causes for a swollen face, below we will find out the most common ones and what to do in each case:

1. Excessive sodium consumption

The first and one of the most common is the excess consumption of foods with a lot of sodium. Ingesting large amounts of salt and sodium ends up causing swelling not only of the face, but also of other parts of the body such as hands and legs.

How to deal with

The first step is to reduce your consumption of this type of food, as well as avoid adding too much salt to your recipes. However, if the swelling in the face is accompanied by other symptoms such as bloody urine or a lot of tiredness, the recommendation is to see a doctor to evaluate the case.

2. Infectious diseases

Another common cause is the presence of infectious diseases such as sinusitis or even insect bites. Both situations can lead to facial swelling, usually accompanied by other signs, such as fever and difficulty seeing.

How to deal with

The first step is to make a medical appointment to determine the cause and then begin treatment according to the disease, which usually includes the use of antibiotics.

3. Sleeping too little or too much

Not sleeping enough time, not getting adequate rest, as well as sleeping more than recommended can result in facial swelling. This happens due to the pressure of the face on the pillow during sleep. However, in this case, the swelling is not as noticeable and improves quickly throughout the day.

How to deal with

This type of swelling is usually not accompanied by further symptoms and tends to disappear within a few hours, being quite common and normal. However, if it does not improve hours after waking up and if you have other symptoms such as shortness of breath or swelling in other areas, it is recommended to go to the hospital.

4. Side effect of medicine

This type of symptom can occur as a result of the use of certain types of medication, such as antihypertensives, corticosteroids, contraceptives and even anti-inflammatories. In this case, swelling may also appear in other regions, such as legs and hands.

How to deal with

If this is the cause of the swelling in the face, the doctor who prescribed the treatment should be consulted to carry out an assessment and, if necessary, change or discontinue the medication. Therefore, the symptom tends to disappear after changing or stopping the use of the medicine.

5. Surgery on the head, mouth, face, neck

In this case, it is super normal and even expected for there to be swelling in the face. Dental, head or neck surgeries tend to cause swelling in the region involved. Furthermore, it may be accompanied by pain and difficulty moving the part that underwent the procedure.

How to deal with

This type of normal swelling usually disappears naturally after a few days after the procedure. But if this does not happen, and you have other symptoms, such as fever and pain, it may be an indication of an infection and should be treated according to medical advice.

6. Pregnancy

In the case of pregnancy, swelling in the face is not very common, and may be an indication of pre-eclampsia. If this is the case, the swelling is accompanied by other symptoms, such as high blood pressure, reduced urine output and even difficulty breathing.

How to deal with

As it is not common, the ideal is to see your obstetrician as soon as possible, so that you can treat it and prevent the condition from evolving into something more serious.

7. Hypothyroidism

In the case of hypothyroidism, swelling in the face is called myxedema, and is usually linked to non-treatment of the disease. In this case, the swelling also affects the eyelids and the back of the hands, as well as other symptoms of the disease, such as fatigue, weight gain and constipation.

How to deal with

The first step is to see an endocrinologist to evaluate the condition and confirm whether there are other symptoms of hypothyroidism. If the diagnosis is confirmed, with treatment of the disease, the swelling in the face tends to decrease.

8. Allergy

Allergic reactions to foods, medications, cosmetics, insect bites, etc., can also result in facial swelling. If this is the cause, the allergic reaction may be accompanied by itching and redness in the affected area.

How to deal with

If you suspect that the cause is an allergic reaction, seek emergency care at the nearest hospital as soon as possible. This way, the doctor will assess your condition and recommend the most appropriate treatment.

9. Blow to the head

Suffering an injury or blow to the head can also be one of the causes of facial swelling. In this case, the swelling comes with pain and even disorientation due to the trauma. However, it tends to pass soon after. But if after the blow, the person has mental confusion, excessive sleep and seizures, it could be something more serious than it seems.

How to deal with

At first, using ice on the area helps to relieve pain and reduce swelling. But, in the case of other more serious symptoms after the blow, the recommendation is to go to the hospital for an appropriate evaluation.

10. Headache

Certain types of headache, such as cluster headache, can cause swelling in the facial region, in addition to the pain that comes with attacks.

How to deal with

Normally, swelling and other symptoms tend to ease naturally as the pain goes away. But if it doesn’t pass, the ideal is to schedule an appointment with a specialist doctor, a neurologist to evaluate the case and the patient’s condition in detail.

11. Cancer treatment

Treatments such as chemotherapy or immunotherapy can also result in facial swelling. This is due to the effect of the treatment on the tumor, being more common at the beginning of treatment.

How to deal with

Therefore, if the swelling is followed by symptoms such as drowsiness or reduced urine output, it is essential to consult the doctor responsible for the treatment for a more detailed assessment of the case.

12. Severe malnutrition

Finally, another cause of facial swelling is related to a protein-deficient diet, and generally occurs in children. If this is the case, the swelling usually starts in the legs, linked to muscle atrophy, as well as an enlarged belly, yellowish color, hair loss and growth problems.

How to deal with

The recommendation is a balanced diet, rich in proteins and that meets all the patient’s nutritional needs. But if the symptoms mentioned above are already present, it is essential to see a pediatrician as soon as possible. And when malnutrition improves, swelling disappears.

What to do to de-puff your face?

Below, we have put together some simple but very effective tips to help de-puff your face:

1. Drink water and exercise

Our first tip for de-puffing your face is to drink 2 glasses of water and then go for a brisk walk or run for about 20 minutes. The ideal is to do this before breakfast. In fact, this combo of attitudes promotes increased blood circulation and the formation of a greater quantity of urine. In other words, you will naturally eliminate excess fluids from your body.

Soon after, you can have your breakfast. However, remember to avoid processed foods, which are bad for the body. Therefore, we recommend that you invest more in foods such as natural yogurt or a diuretic fruit juice. In fact, pineapple with mint is an excellent option for breakfast.

2. Apply cold water and ice

Basically, the cold can promote a decrease in the diameter of small blood vessels. In other words, this can help reduce edema simply and quickly. Therefore, it is recommended that you wash your face with cold water. This can be an easier and also effective strategy.

Furthermore, you can also wrap an ice cube in a napkin, or in a bag; and pass around the eyes with circular movements. Therefore, this is also a good way to eliminate excess liquid from the region.

3. Taking a diuretic medicine

Our aim is to help you de-puff your face without having to use medication. However, if the other tips don’t work, perhaps a diuretic is what you need. This is because this type of medicine stimulates your kidneys to filter the blood more. In other words, they help the body eliminate more water and sodium through urine.

Furthermore, they can help control blood pressure. However, don’t self-medicate! Because diuretics can be harmful to health if taken indiscriminately.

4. Do facial lymphatic drainage

Basically, a massage that you can do yourself at home helps. This, in fact, is a great ally and an excellent natural solution to de-puff your face. However, the ideal is to look for a lymphatic drainage specialist to carry out the treatment and teach you the correct way to perform the massage.

5. Sleep with a higher pillow

It may seem like a silly and ineffective tip, but don’t be fooled. Building the habit of sleeping with a slightly higher pillow makes a big difference. This is because it helps prevent the accumulation of lymphatic fluids in the face region, consequently preventing swelling.

6. Chamomile tea compress

Finally, a very simple tip, the chamomile tea compress. As chamomile has a calming effect, the compress with the drink helps a lot to reduce swelling in the region. To do this, the tip is to soak a cotton ball with the drink and place it on the swollen parts and leave it for about 10 minutes and this will help a lot.

When to seek help?

Generally speaking, morning bloating tends to disappear after a few hours. However, if the swelling continues a few hours after waking up, it could be a warning sign and you should investigate what could be causing it.

For example, in cases where the swelling increases a lot in a matter of minutes or hours, and is accompanied by itching and other symptoms, the recommendation is to seek a hospital as quickly as possible. This is because this could characterize a serious case that needs to be monitored and treated by a doctor.

Furthermore, other cases in which the swelling is accompanied by inflammation or another infection, causing redness in the region, as well as pain, also require medical help.

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Sources: Your health Women’s Tips Pain Network