If you're in the middle of the middle, however â not lower or upper-middle class â that would be an income range between $39,764 and $64,582, says Aaron Pacitti, an assistant professor of economics at Siena College in Loudonville, N.Y. Again, it isn't official.
Edema definition and facts. Edema is a swelling, usually of the legs, feet, and/or hands due to the accumulation of excessive fluid in the tissues. The edema that occurs in diseases of the heart, liver, and kidneys is mainly caused by salt retention, which holds the excess fluid in the body.
Edema can also develop as a result of a blood clot in the deep veins of the lower leg (called deep vein thrombosis [DVT]). In this case, the edema is mostly limited to the feet or ankles and usually affects only one side (the left or right); other conditions that cause edema usually cause swelling of both legs. (See Patient education: Deep vein thrombosis (DVT) (Beyond the Basics).)