03/15/2026
Pitting Edema vs Non-Pitting Edema: High-Yield Notes
🔹 Core Difference
→ Pitting edema = fluid swelling that leaves an indentation after pressing
→ Non-pitting edema = firm swelling that does NOT leave a lasting indentation
Pitting Edema
🔹 What you see/feel
→ Indentation remains after pressure (“pit”)
→ Soft, doughy swelling
→ Often gravity-dependent (worse at ankles/feet)
→ Skin may look shiny/stretched
→ Often improves with leg elevation
🔹 Common Causes
→ Heart failure (↑ venous pressure)
→ Kidney disease / salt-water retention
→ Liver disease / low albumin (cirrhosis, nephrotic syndrome)
→ Venous insufficiency, DVT (often unilateral), pregnancy, meds (CCBs)
Non-Pitting Edema
🔹 What you see/feel
→ No lasting indentation after pressure
→ Firm, rubbery swelling
→ Thickened skin may be present
→ Less gravity-dependent
→ Minimal improvement with elevation
🔹 Common Causes
→ Lymphedema (lymphatic obstruction)
→ Myxedema (hypothyroidism)
→ Lipedema (often tender, spares feet)
Quick Clinical Clues
→ Bilateral ankle pitting + worse in evening → think HF/venous/renal
→ Unilateral pitting + pain/redness → consider DVT/cellulitis (urgent evaluation)
→ Firm chronic swelling + skin thickening → think lymphedema
→ Puffy face + non-pitting → think hypothyroidism (myxedema)
⭐ Exam Tip
→ “Pit = pressure/volume problem” (HF/renal/liver/venous)
→ “No pit = lymph or mucopolysaccharides” (lymphedema/myxedema)
