Sometimes, your body retains too much water, causing a type of swelling called edema. Prescription and OTC diuretics may help your body remove excess fluids, but doctors may not recommend them for all types of edema.
Mild and temporary water retention or edema may result from:
- standing up for longer periods
- not moving much for a long time
- sitting in an airplane
- experiencing hormonal changes (in females)
Health conditions may also cause severe and long lasting edema. For example:
- heart disease or failure
- kidney disease
- liver disease
- allergic reactions
- nutrient malabsorption
- obstructive sleep apnea
- bacterial infections
- blood clots
- tumors
Some medications may also cause edema as a side effect.
Edema symptoms may include:
- swelling, either across the body or localized in areas such as legs, ankles, or hands
- skin that feels stretched or warm
- retaining a dimple or pit on the skin when pressed for a few seconds
- stomach swelling (ascites)
- difficulty moving the affected body parts
- pain
- shortness of breath in some cases (pulmonary edema)
Diuretics, also called water pills, increase urine production and help the body remove excess sodium and water. This may improve edema symptoms in some cases.
A healthcare professional may prescribe diuretics alone or alongside other treatments depending on the cause of the edema.
Are OTC diuretics safe and effective for edema?
How safe and effective OTC diuretics are for edema depends on the cause and severity of your symptoms.
Chronic or long lasting, edema could have links with life threatening conditions like heart failure, stroke, liver disease, or tumors. If you experience regular or severe edema, relying on OTC diuretics without medical supervision may not be safe or effective.
For example, among other treatments, heart failure may require intravenous administration of prescription diuretics. Self-administering OTC diuretics would not work.
Meanwhile, it might be safe to try OTC diuretics to manage mild, infrequent, and short-term edema. For instance, if you experience occasional swelling from standing up for longer periods or during long flights.
Mild edemas generally resolve on their own. If they persist or occur frequently, consider visiting a healthcare professional.
Another factor to consider is that the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) does not regulate all complementary and alternative medicinal products. This means the FDA does not guarantee that all OTC products, such as herbal-based water pills, are safe or effective.
Some reports document instances of herbal or natural products getting impure or unfit for consumption with undeclared and potentially toxic ingredients, including heavy metals.
It is best to talk with a healthcare professional before using OTC diuretics if you experience any type of edema, whether infrequent or long lasting.
List of common OTC diuretics for edema
Companies market OTC diuretics as natural or herbal remedies for swelling or water retention. Some options you may find on the drugstore shelves include ingredients like:
Many OTC diuretics that include one or several of the above ingredients, sometimes alongside other additions like pain relievers or minerals, may include:
- Diurex Water Pills
- Alvita Dandelion Root Tea
- Zenwise No Bloat
- Youth & Tonic Water Weight Away
- Natrol Water Pill Tablet
- Dry-XT Water Weight Loss Diuretic Pill
- Hydrocin Advanced Diuretic Water Retention Support Supplement
- Advanta Natural Diuretic Water Pill
Research on the effectiveness of OTC water pills for swelling or edema is limited and inconclusive. Consider discussing the pros and cons with a medical professional if you have edema.
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