Each week, Verywell explains a term from health, medicine, science, or technology.EdemaHow to say it:Edema(eh-DEE-muh)What it means: An abnormal buildup of fluid in the body; swelling.Where it comes from: From Greek,oidēma, “swelling.“OpenStax College/WikiCommonsWhere you might see or hear it: If you badlysprain your ankleon a hike and need to get medical care, the doctor examining you might note that there isedemaaround your ankle or foot (which means that the area is swollen).When you might want to use it: If you go home after hurting your ankle and call your doctor’s office to ask if you should come in to have it looked at or go to the ER, youcouldsay that there is edema, but it’s just as easy to say that your ankle and/or foot is swollen.Are Swollen Feet a Sign of Heart Failure?

Each week, Verywell explains a term from health, medicine, science, or technology.

Edema

How to say it:Edema(eh-DEE-muh)

What it means: An abnormal buildup of fluid in the body; swelling.

Where it comes from: From Greek,oidēma, “swelling.”

OpenStax College/WikiCommons

A person’s two hands- the left is visible swollen and the other is normal size.

Where you might see or hear it: If you badlysprain your ankleon a hike and need to get medical care, the doctor examining you might note that there isedemaaround your ankle or foot (which means that the area is swollen).

When you might want to use it: If you go home after hurting your ankle and call your doctor’s office to ask if you should come in to have it looked at or go to the ER, youcouldsay that there is edema, but it’s just as easy to say that your ankle and/or foot is swollen.

Are Swollen Feet a Sign of Heart Failure?

SourcesVerywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.Merriam-Webster.Definition of edema.

Sources

Verywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.Merriam-Webster.Definition of edema.

Verywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.

Merriam-Webster.Definition of edema.

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