Major Symptoms Of Hepatitis C

Leg Swelling

Leg swelling involves an accumulation of fluid in the legs. This swelling is thought to occur in individuals affected by hepatitis C because they have hypertension in some major veins and arteries in the body, which cause excess fluid to leak from the vessel walls. The natural physical force of gravity causes the excess fluid that has leaked into the extracellular spaces in the tissue to move downward toward an affected individual's legs and feet. This excess fluid causes the legs and feet to take on a puffy or swollen appearance. These swollen parts of an affected individual's body tend to have skin that becomes stretched and has a shiny appearance. Pitts or dimples may also appear in the skin of an individual who has edema in their legs and or feet. Edema can be distinguished from other causes of swelling by placing a finger on the affected skin and checking to see if a dimple or pit remains when the finger is removed.