Don’t be fooled by the name—congestive heart failure does not mean that your heart is about to stop, only that it isn’t working at its best. The condition reduces your heart’s ability to keep up with your body’s need for blood. The limited blood flow to the rest of your body can cause fluid to build up in different areas. One area is your lungs. Having too much fluid in your body can cause many symptoms, like breathing problems. This is fluid overload.
Although a cure doesn’t exist, you can manage heart failure and fluid overload. A heart care specialist can create a treatment plan to control your symptoms. This will help you keep enjoying the activities that bring joy and purpose to life.
Why Does Congestive Heart Failure Occur?
The heart’s main purpose is to pump blood to the rest of the body. Heart failure happens when coronary artery disease, a heart attack, high blood pressure, problems with the heart valves or another medical condition interrupts that process.
Left-sided heart failure is the more common of the two types of heart failure. It occurs when the heart can’t pump enough blood to the body because it’s too weak or is unable to fill with blood the right way.
Left-sided heart failure can lead to a less common form of this disease: right-sided heart failure. This type of heart failure occurs when the heart struggles to send enough blood to the lungs to pick up oxygen. Some people have left- and right-sided heart failure at the same time.
With heart failure, less blood goes out to your body, and it moves through your body slower. This makes the organs’ jobs harder. For example, the kidneys may make the body start hoarding water and sodium. This can lead to fluid overload.
Shortness of Breath, Swelling and Other Congestive Heart Failure Symptoms
Shortness of breath is a main symptom of congestive heart failure. That’s because fluid can build up in the lungs, making it hard to breathe.
Besides having trouble breathing, the extra water can cause swelling. This can affect many parts of the body, including the ankles, feet, legs and stomach. You may also experience weight gain due to the extra water.
Other symptoms of heart failure include:
- Confusion
- Coughing that won’t go away
- Extreme tiredness
- Fast heart rate
- Feeling queasy
- Having to urinate more often
- Not feeling hungry
Managing Fluid Overload
If you have congestive heart failure, one of the most important things you can do to manage fluid overload is to keep an eye on your weight. That’s because weight gain can be one of the first signs of your body storing extra water.
Know your normal weight and weigh yourself daily. Try to weigh yourself first thing in the morning. Keep a weight journal so you can quickly spot any changes. Notify your health care provider if you gain more than 2 or 3 pounds in a day or 5 pounds in a week, or if you lose a lot of weight, according to the National Library of Medicine.
Other steps you can take to manage extra fluid include:
- Limiting salt in your diet. Cutting back on salt may lead your body to hold less fluid. It may also make you less thirsty, which will help with the next step.
- Reducing your fluid intake. Work with your provider to track your fluids to help you limit your intake of drinks and foods that contain water.
- Staying on top of thirst. Limiting fluids may be hard if you feel thirsty. Try sucking on ice cubes and chewing gum.
Your provider may recommend taking medicine that helps flush extra water from your body. Follow their instructions closely. You may need to see your provider often for checks so they can watch your health.
More to Read
- How and Why You Should Limit Your Salt Intake
- 6 Foods to Cut Back for Heart Health
- Avoiding Dehydration When You Have Heart Failure
- How to Tell if You Have Edema
Medically reviewed by the University of Maryland Heart Failure Network Team.
