Swelling in the feet, ankles, legs, hands, abdomen, face, or eyelids is a common symptom of immunoglobulin A nephropathy (IgAN). This swelling is called edema. It can be painful and may cause stiffness, tight or itchy skin, poor blood flow, and other problems in the swollen areas.

Managing swelling from IgAN can improve your quality of life by easing these uncomfortable symptoms. Many treatments can also help protect your kidneys. Keep reading to learn more about edema and IgAN, including what causes it and how it can be treated.

Why IgA Nephropathy Causes Edema

IgAN, also called Berger’s disease, is a long-term kidney disease. It’s also an autoimmune disease, which means the immune system attacks the body by mistake. In IgAN, a protein in the immune system called IgA doesn’t work the way it should. It can build up in the kidneys and get stuck in tiny filters called glomeruli. Glomeruli help remove waste from the blood.

Glomeruli normally filter waste from the blood, including extra water. But when IgA builds up, these filters can become damaged and scarred. Then, they can’t remove water as well as they should. Extra water stays in the blood and can leak out of tiny blood vessels called capillaries into nearby tissues. This causes edema.

IgAN can also cause edema by reducing the amount of protein in the blood. The kidneys’ damaged filters can allow protein to leak into the urine, which lowers the amount in the bloodstream. The most common protein found in blood is called albumin, and it helps keep water inside blood vessels. It acts like a sponge that holds water in the blood. When too much albumin is lost in the urine, it can’t do its job as well, which increases the risk of edema.

Risk Factors for Edema With IgA Nephropathy

You can have IgAN without experiencing any unusual symptoms like edema. Typically, edema appears when IgA antibodies have been building up in the kidneys for some time.

However, some factors can increase your risk of experiencing IgAN edema.

High Blood Pressure

IgAN can lead to high blood pressure, and high blood pressure can increase your risk of edema. This can create a difficult cycle.

The kidneys help control blood pressure by removing extra water and salt from the blood. When IgA buildup damages the kidneys, they may not filter out water and salt as well as they should. Too much salt in the blood makes the body hold on to more water. The extra fluid increases pressure inside the blood vessels, which can lead to hypertension (high blood pressure).

High blood pressure can also make swelling worse. It can push more fluid out of the capillaries and into nearby tissues, especially when other systems that help balance fluid aren’t working well.

Too Much Salt

A diet high in salt can raise your risk of edema, even if you don’t have IgAN. But if you do have IgAN, limiting salt is especially important because it can help lower your blood pressure. Kidney damage can also make it harder for your body to get rid of salt, which can lead to high blood pressure and edema.

Certain Medications

Edema can be a side effect of some medications, including those used to treat IgAN. A 2024 review published in Cureus found that these types of drugs can cause edema:

• Angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitors — High blood pressure, heart disease, diabetes, and migraine medications
• Antipsychotics — Mood disorder medications
• Dihydropyridine calcium channel blockers — High blood pressure, heart disease, and chest pain medications
• Dopamine agonists — Movement disorder medications
• Insulin — Diabetes medication
• Neuropathic pain agents — Certain antidepressants and seizure medications
• Nitrates — Chest pain medications
• Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs — Pain, inflammation, and fever medications
• Steroids — Anti-inflammatory medications
• Thiazolidinediones — Type 2 diabetes medications

This isn’t a complete list of medications associated with edema. Talk with your doctor to find out if you take any medications that may cause edema or make it worse.

Treatment Options for IgA Nephropathy Edema

Because there’s no cure for IgAN, edema may not go away completely. However, there are ways to reduce edema and ease related pain and stiffness.

Prescription Medications

IgAN symptoms, including edema, can often be managed through prescription medications like the following:

• Diuretics (water pills) to pull more water and salt from your blood
• High blood pressure medications to prevent blood vessel damage and protect the kidneys
• Immunosuppressants to curb IgA deposits, which build up when the immune system attacks itself
• Cholesterol-lowering medication to help protect your kidneys

In addition to discussing prescription medications specifically for IgAN, you and your doctor should review a list of your current medications. If any are known to cause edema, talk about whether it makes sense to try something else.

Changes in Diet

Consider starting a low-sodium diet to reduce the amount of salt in your bloodstream. This can have multiple benefits for IgAN, such as reducing both high blood pressure and edema.

In IgAN, losing protein in the urine can lower protein levels in the blood and increase the risk of edema. However, there’s also evidence that a high-protein diet can damage the kidneys further because the damaged kidneys can’t process the proteins normally.

Talk to a dietitian about your eating habits and how much protein you need for good health. They may also suggest adding certain nutrients, like the omega-3 fatty acids found in fish oil, which may help lower inflammation.

If your lab work shows low vitamin or mineral levels, your doctor may recommend supplements. But supplements, including over-the-counter and herbal products, can interact with other medications and be hard on your kidneys, so always check with your doctor before starting any supplement. Some may also have high levels of potassium or phosphorus, which can be harmful to your kidneys.

Compression Clothing

Try wearing compression socks, leggings, or sleeves to reduce the amount of swelling in your feet, legs, or hands. These work by applying pressure in an area where fluid tends to collect, squeezing the blood vessels and helping the blood (and the water within it) move closer to the heart. One-way valves in your veins help prevent the blood from moving back down toward your feet or hands.

The two types of compression garments are gradient pressure and consistent pressure. You can also buy socks or sleeves that provide mild, moderate, or heavy pressure. Your doctor can help you select the best option for you.

Movement, Massage, and Gravity

You can physically move fluid out of a swollen area through movement, massage, or gravity. Raise your leg or arm above your heart several times per day and, if possible, while sleeping at night. Lie down with a pillow under your feet so that your feet are higher than your chest. If you have edema in your hands, raise or support them so they’re at or above shoulder level.

You can gently massage the swollen area by rubbing in the direction of your heart, or move your muscles to help the fluid move. Your doctor can show you specific exercises that may help.

Talk to Your Doctor

Edema is a common symptom of IgAN, but there are ways to manage it. Treatments, lifestyle changes, and working closely with your doctor can help reduce swelling and protect your kidneys. If edema is affecting your daily life, talk with your care team about options that may work best for you.

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