Question

Medical terminology

At one point or another we have all bumped our heads, stubbed our toes or had a mosquito bite. We all know the result which is swelling or inflammation.

What causes the accumulation of fluids in tissues and how does this fluid become lymph?

Answer 1

Capillaries are responsible for maintaining fluid balance in our body, capilllaries deliver fluids to the surrounding tissues, this is known as intestitial fluids, which supply nutrients to the cells and return back to the capillaries, but when an injury occurs to these capillaries, too much liquid can leave the capillaries and enter the spaces between cells. If the capillaries cannot reabsorb the fluid, or if the lymphatic nervous system becomes overwhelmed or congested, then the fluid will remain or accumulate in the tissues, causing swellings in legs, ankles, feet, abdomen or any other part of the body, this condition is known as Edema. Factors which can cause edema include, increased hydrostatic pressure, reduced oncotic pressure within the blood vessels, obstruction of fluid clerance in the lymphatic system, increase in permeablity of blood vessel wall as seen in inflamation.

Lymph capillaries pick up the excess interstitial fluid and proteins and return them to the venous blood. After the fluid enters the lymph capillaries, it is called lymph, so Lymph is formed when the interstitial fluid is collected through these tiny lymph capillaries, which are located throughout the body