Leg swelling — which specialty
Swollen legs that pit when pressed, with shoes feeling tighter by the end of the day.
Usually seen by
CardiologyKidney and urology
Other directions, depending on what comes with it:
- Vascular — if one side is swollen with visible veins
- Gastroenterology — if the abdomen is also enlarging
Not sure you have picked the right one? Start with general internal medicine — routing you to the right place is their job, not yours.
Go now, without waiting for an appointment, if any of these apply
- Sudden swelling of ONE leg, hot, red, with calf pain
- Swelling with breathlessness when lying down
- Whole-body swelling appearing over days
This list is not exhaustive and does not replace judgement on the spot. If something is clearly wrong and you are unsure, call your local emergency number or go to the nearest facility — waiting in order to be certain is the most dangerous way to spend the time.
What you will be asked — have the answers ready
- One side or both
- Mild in the morning and worse by evening, or the same all day
- Whether there is breathlessness, reduced urine, or rapid weight gain
- Which medicines you take, and whether any changed recently
- Whether you have been sitting for long periods or taken a long flight
A first appointment is short. Having these answers ready is the cheapest way to avoid a second visit that exists only to supply information.
Bring with you
- Daily weights over one to two weeks
- Recent kidney and liver results
- A list of medicines
What a first visit usually involves
- Testing for pitting and comparing the circumference of both calves
- Listening to the heart and lungs
- Blood and urine tests; a vascular scan if one side is involved