Is Summer ‘A Swell Time’? - Fibromyalgia, Heat and Swelling

By Helen Watts

While struggling with the summer heat, rubbing my swollen fingers and looking at my puffy ankles, it got me wondering if other fibromyalgia sufferers found swelling a problem. So, I decided to take to the Facebook groups and see what they did to relieve it. These are their replies:

‘FM’  “My ankles swell badly in the heat. The only thing that helps is elevating them. Hands also get sore, hot and puffy. I use cooling hand cream that helps with the heat but not the puffiness”.

‘ZS’  “I soak my feet in a bowl of cold water”.

‘KG’  “My hands, feet, ankles and knees all swell, I keep my feet raised as much as possible, I've also used tea towels soaked in cold water and rung out, placed across knees, feet etc which helps”.

‘DKD’  “My fingers and hands do even if it’s slightly warmer. I run them under cold water when I can (which also hurts but not as long)”.

‘DA’  “It sounds wrong but for me drinking more water is the only thing that alleviates water retention . My ankles ( one in particular) have been bad in this heat, thankfully my hubby massages my ankles every few hours which helps loads. Finding the balance between moving enough to help circulation and resting enough to help swelling also eases the discomfort”.

‘AM’  “My fingers swell, also get burning in my feet with bit of swelling”.

‘KCA’  “My ankles swell more than normal, my fingers swell and I cant put anything cooling on because cold hurts..... even more so in the summer. Not only do my ankles swell but my toes swell just like my fingers. Shoes are always tight and uncomfortable.”

‘SMC’  “Swell I think is an understatement, my legs, ankles, feet and knees all swell like balloons, the skin is so tight it hurts to stand up and walk, things quickly get sore and painful, I use tubigrip type bandages as tight as I can get on at night and I ask my partner to rub my legs which helps a little, I've not found anything that actually makes a big difference.” 

‘HS’  “My whole body swells, I am twice my size on hot days like we have been having. Going to the local swimming pool is the thing that helps.”

‘SHB’  “Elevating your feet does help so do compression socks.”

‘WM’  “I spray my feet with the plant mister.”

‘DK’  “Legs, ankles and hands swell all year round but are worse in hot weather or standing for more than twenty minutes. Doctor has no idea why”.

‘MJJ’  “My legs swell everyday the more i do but weather like this makes my legs, feet, fingers swell and I go all lethargic so I raise my feet and legs and sleep it off.” 

‘CC’  “My lower legs, ankles and feet swell but no indentations and doesn’t seem to be water retention. I think it may be lymphatic drainage issue.”

‘DT’  “My ankles swell up like balloons in this heat, I’m heat intolerant,  and end up with heat exhaustion every year . My fingers swell and joints hurt.”

‘CBJ’  “My ankles swell in the heat. I try to keep my feet up as much as possible”.

‘IRR’   “I use cool  spray.” 

‘PB’  “My feet and hands swell all the time. Far worse in hot weather, soak in cold water, raise feet.”

‘JG’  “My hands and fingers swell overnight in any weather. They go down during the day with the more activity that I have.”

‘GS’   “My hand and fingers swell horribly. I’ve had to remove my rings this morning. I regularly run my hand under cold water.”

‘MS’  “I already have swollen joints, in the hot weather my ankles, feet swell up to 3 times the size and so painful I can hardly stand or walk. My fingers and wrists swell up more. I am  on water tablets, makes no difference. I just keep my legs up as much as I can.”

‘SG’  “Feet and hands swelling. You need to drink more water.  Reduced mobility results in joints swelling up as fluid builds up in these places. Arthritis deforms the joints. Its best if you can do stretching exercises a few times a day. Helps break down the fluid build up.” 

‘JH’  “My fingers are like sausages at the moment, and feel tight. I've had to take off my rings.”

‘JD’  “Fingers and ankles. I can't do much about my fingers except not wear my rings but I elevate my legs and use a cooling spray if the skin starts feeling tight.”

‘AC’  “Yes my legs and ankles swell in the heat I sleep with my legs raised, sit with them up, wear shoes I can adjust, unfortunately I got cellulitis in my leg and now have lymphodema so swelling really bad at moment.”

‘YC’  “Yes I swell up like a beached whale, my fingers are like sausages and I cant feel a thing,  have to put them under the cold tap. I use a foot spa for my feet and ankles.”

‘JC’  “Yes definitely my fingers swell so much and I leak fluid out of pores in my feet as well.”

‘JMK’  “Yes and made worse as shielding so not going out. Have heart problems so been put on extra water tablets.”

‘SW’ “Yes particularly the area in front of my ankle bone. I find pain killers and elevating eases a little but so far I haven't found anything really good for helping. I have to take my rings off my fingers and massage them to help with the pain.”

‘SB’ “I get throbbing swollen feet and ankles , I soak them in luke warm water , i also use a baby wipe on the top of my foot and around my ankles, really cools me down.”

‘LS’  “I find my ankles are always swollen no matter what time of year.”

‘AW’  “Feet, ankles, fingers, hands and forearms swell very regularly, doesn't have to be warm weather. In fact it was the first symptom that lead me on my fibro journey. I find that nothing works to reduce it.”

‘VR’  “I'm soothing mine at the moment with a wet cold towel on them.”

‘AD’ “Warmer weather definitely triggers inflammation. I even wake up with swollen tingling hands. Going for short walks, my feet, ankles and hands blow up, I have to run my hands under cold water and hold them up so my fingers are pointing to the sky to help relieve it.”

‘DP’ “I just run hands/feet under cold water.”

‘HBB’  “My ankles and knees have been a nightmare! I’m a big advocate of the bag of peas method, and also trying to remember to drink plenty of water. Always find my symptoms are worse when I’m dehydrated.”

‘BW’  “I have swollen ankles all the time ( not just hot weather) gp not interested or bothered. My hands started swelling first about 6 years ago when I had De Quervains tendonitis, and now I have swelling in my knees, elbows and lower back. There are so many odd swellings I wonder if it’s lymphatic drainage gone haywire.” 

‘ALD’   “My feet are so painful the sun is not helping, I put my feet in really cold water which helps a bit but tablets don’t help.”

‘WL’  “I suffer with water retention in my legs, feet. It’s so painful, but in this hot weather it’s horrendous to cope with. I have 2 fans on me to keep me cool, it helps loads.”

‘RC’  “I have permanently fat feet in this weather.” 

‘DW’  “I can’t see my ankles at all from knees down they’re completely swollen and rock hard, the hot weather is a killer, tendons and ligaments then play up.”

‘KG’  “My fingers, feet and knees swell up ridiculously and makes them difficult to bend - I always blamed this on my raynauds, didn't realise other fibro folks got this too. Exercise makes my hands swell up, but sitting down makes my feet and knees swell up, can't win. I  have to run them under cool water, and lie with my feet raised until the swelling goes down.”

It seems swelling is something that affects us all, and the general advice from our members is to drink plenty, raise legs and try and keep cool.  As always if it is a new symptom for you or is causing you problems chat it over with your GP.  Why not come along to the Facebook groups and chat.