Swelling in your leg that comes on slowly without other symptoms usually is not caused by a serious problem. Swelling may make it hard to move your leg or your leg may feel "tight or stiff" when you try to fully bend or straighten it. If swelling gets better or goes away with home treatment and you do not have other symptoms, a visit to a doctor is probably not needed.

Swelling (edema) in the feet is common after you have been sitting or standing for long periods of time. It is also common during hot or humid weather or when you travel, especially on airline flights of longer than one and a half hours. Sitting or lying down and propping your leg up will often relieve this type of swelling.

Swelling may be more serious if:

• You have sudden and severe swelling across 2 joints (such as from your ankle to your knee) after being bitten by an insect or after taking a new medicine. This type of swelling may be caused by an allergic reaction.
• It cuts off or decreases the blood supply to the swollen area or below it.
• It does not improve or becomes worse when you raise your leg.
• Only one leg is swollen. This could be a symptom of a deep vein blood clot (deep vein thrombosis).
• You have had lymph nodes in your groin removed, such a after surgery for prostate cancer or colon cancer. This type of swelling may be caused by lymphedema.
• You have heart disease or heart failure and have new sudden swelling or swelling that is quickly getting worse.
• You have other symptoms of infection, such as a fever.

Call your doctor for an appointment you have swelling that does not get better or go away with home treatment or if you have new swelling with other symptoms.