As the extra fluid moves into the blood vessels, your body will eliminate it in the urine. You can use a footstool, pillows, or even a recliner to elevate water retention areas. OTC or medical-grade compression clothing can help get rid of extra water in your body. These put gentle pressure on the swollen arm or leg to help move the fluid back into the blood vessels so your kidneys can add it to your urine.

Compression socks and stockings are available for legs. Compression sleeves are available for arms. If you are using compression garments for heart failure, you may be able to get a prescription from your provider. Vitamin B6 is believed to help the body pass sodium in the urine.

When sodium leaves the body, extra water generally is removed as well. According to one study, vitamin B6 may reduce the bloating and swelling associated with premenstrual syndrome PMS. If you want to try a vitamin supplement, talk with your provider and discuss the dose and type suitable for you.

Preventing fluid retention is more helpful than getting rid of extra water. There are a few things you can do that you can try, including:. If you have new or worsening swelling, it is important to be evaluated by a healthcare provider.

Heart and kidney disease should receive early identification and treatment for the best outcomes. You can have problems with some of your internal organs and still feel otherwise healthy.

Fluid retention can be a brief discomfort related to a lifestyle choice or a symptom of a serious health condition.

The best way to manage edema depends on the original cause of the swelling. However, there are some basic at-home remedies you can try. If you have new or worsening water retention, be sure to see a healthcare provider. Weight gain, swollen ankles, or tight rings can be very uncomfortable and cause unwanted cosmetic changes.

Sometimes, fluid retention is normal and expected, such as air travel, pregnancy, or your menstrual cycle. Other times, it can signify your heart or kidney disease is getting worse. Doing what you can to prevent edema is the first step, and then see a medical professional to keep your symptoms in check.

Water retention can be a complex body process, and it may take longer than one night to clear the extra fluid from your body. However, compression clothing, elevating swollen body areas, and reducing your salt intake can help alleviate your edema. It depends on how well your heart pumps your blood and how well your kidneys work to make urine.

Causes of swelling like your period or a pregnancy usually clear within a few days. Edema related to medical problems takes longer.

Water retention may clear without treatment in a few days. However, if there is a health problem causing you to hold onto fluid, your swelling may worsen over time.

You may find that the body parts retaining water become tight, swollen, and painful. If untreated, heart or kidney problems may get much worse. com Patient education: Edema swelling Beyond the Basics. American Academy of Family Physicians. American Heart Association.

Warning signs of heart failure. Get the scoop on sodium and salt. National Kidney Foundation. How your kidneys work. Managing heart failure symptoms. Trayes KP, Studdiford JS, Pickle S, Tully AS.

Edema: Diagnosis and management. Am Fam Physician. Aguree, S. Plasma volume expansion across healthy pregnancy: a systematic review and meta-analysis of longitudinal studies. BMC Pregnancy Childbirth 19, Philipson H, Ekman I, Forslund HB, Swedberg K, Schaufelberger M.

Salt and fluid restriction is effective in patients with chronic heart failure. European Journal of Heart Failure. gov Lower sodium foods: shopping list.

Ebrahimi E, Khayati Motlagh S, Nemati S, Tavakoli Z. Effects of magnesium and vitamin b6 on the severity of premenstrual syndrome symptoms. Journal of Caring Sciences; eISSN Use limited data to select advertising.

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List of Partners vendors. By Mary Nolan-Pleckham, RN. Medically reviewed by Suzanne Fisher, RD. Table of Contents View All. Table of Contents. How to Get Rid of It. When to Seek Medical Care. Carbs are stored in the muscles and liver as glycogen.

However, glycogen pulls water inside along with it. Around 3—4 grams 0. This may be why people experience immediate weight loss when switching to a low carb diet , which reduces glycogen stores.

Carbs may also spike insulin levels. This could increase sodium retention and reabsorption of water in the kidneys. Low carb diets lead to a drop in insulin levels, which could lead to a loss of sodium and water from the kidneys.

Try altering your carb intake and see what works best for you. Caffeine and beverages that contain caffeine like coffee and tea may help you lose water weight. Caffeine may have a diuretic effect and increase short-term urine output. This could increase the amount of water that leaves your body, therefore decreasing water weight.

However, this varies depending on the amount of caffeine that you consume. For instance, a study found that drinking about milligrams mg of caffeine, or approximately 6 cups of coffee, significantly increased urine production.

On the other hand, drinking mg of caffeine, or around 3 cups of coffee, had no effect on fluid balance. Water weight may have several different causes, such as :. It may be a sign of an underlying health condition that needs medical treatment.

You could check for water weight at home by using a method that doctors use to assess for pitting edema. Apply pressure to the swollen area. This method may not work for relatively healthy people trying to figure out if the fast food they ate last night increased true weight or water weight.

Other signs of water weight may include :. This means that water weight can be 10 pounds or higher. Short-term fluid retention may go away on its own or after exercising, returning to a well-balanced diet, or until your hormones are rebalanced.

If you have edema, you may experience swollen ankles, feet, or legs for a longer period of time. Speak with a healthcare professional if your water retention problems persist, are severe, or increase suddenly.

The best way to combat excess water weight is to identify and treat the cause. This may include excess salt intake, inactivity, or the regular consumption of processed foods. Water weight is common. It will typically go away on its own or with at-home interventions, such as exercise. Our experts continually monitor the health and wellness space, and we update our articles when new information becomes available.

VIEW ALL HISTORY. Belly fat is the most harmful fat in your body, linked to many diseases. Here are 6 simple ways to lose belly fat that are supported by science. Water retention involves increased amounts of fluids building up inside your body.

Here are 6 simple ways to reduce water retention. Drinking water can help reduce appetite and make you burn more calories. Several studies show that water can help you lose weight. Water retention, known as edema, is swelling in parts of the body.

Learn the symptoms, causes, and remedies to try. Patients with diabetes who used GLP-1 drugs, including tirzepatide, semaglutide, dulaglutide, and exenatide had a decreased chance of being diagnosed….

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Health Conditions Discover Plan Connect. Nutrition Evidence Based 8 Easy Ways to Lose Water Weight Fast and Safely. Medically reviewed by Imashi Fernando, MS, RDN, CDCES — By Rudy Mawer, MSc, CISSN — Updated on November 27, Exercise Increase potassium Manage salt intake Magnesium supplements Try dandelion Eat certain foods and herbs Cut carbs Consume caffeine Causes FAQ When to see a doctor Takeaway Water weight, also called edema, is when you have a build-up of fluid in your body.

Exercise on a regular basis. Increase potassium consumption. Manage salt intake. Take a magnesium supplement. Take a dandelion supplement. Consider certain foods and herbs. Cut carbs.

Take caffeine supplements or drink tea and coffee.

Code: FAVES. Shop now. Save article. Health Hub Home Conditions Digestive Health Inflammation How to get rid of water retention. Also known as edema, this is when the body has an excessive amount of fluid which it then stores in your circulatory system and cell tissues.

First of all, what causes water retention? If you experience sudden water retention and also have other symptoms which are not normal for you, you may want see a doctor right away.

How can I get rid of water retention? Feeling frequently bloated can not only be uncomfortable physically, but also start to impact your mental health, too. Change your diet A poor diet that lacks certain vitamins and minerals may be contributing to your water retention.

While we snooze, a lot of crucial bodily functions such as cell regeneration and repair are allowed to happen 5. Not getting enough shut-eye every night could slow down those processes and, consequently, cause your body to retain more water. Ideally, you should be aiming for between hours of sleep a night.

Consider taking a mineral supplement As well as supplementing a healthy diet, certain minerals may also help lower the risk of water retention. Magnesium and vitamin B6 in particular have been shown in some studies to ease water retention in women who are premenstrual 6. If you do decide to take a supplement, remember that they should never be taken in the place of nutrient-rich foods.

Interestingly, dehydration is also thought to have a direct link to water retention. Alissia Zenhausern, a naturopathic doctor at NMD Wellness of Scottsdale , tells SheKnows. Board-certified plastic surgeon Dr.

Joseph Cruise also recommends eating mangoes, tomatoes, and nuts. This seems like an obvious one, right? Avoiding salty foods may help decrease water retention and improve period bloating, says Cruise. Gans recommends replacing added salt with spices and seasonings.

Much of our daily salt intake comes from overly processed foods like chips and snacks as well as fast-food offerings. While fine in moderation, when the human body has too much salt, it increases blood pressure and reduces the ability to eliminate excess water.

Foods and cooking ingredients like salmon, coconut oil, and virgin olive oil all contain omega-3 fatty acids. Zenhausern adds that omega-3 fatty acids directly combat swelling as well as inflammation. Consider increasing your asparagus intake, too. It also has plenty of fiber that helps clean out the GI tract and reduces bloating.

Celery is also high in fiber and contains enzymes that act as both a diuretic and a laxative, according to Langdon.