My ankles are Swelling up.

Dear Ask The Doctor: I am a 44 yr old male who is relativley healthy but over the last few days my ankles and lower legs have begun to swell to the point that i have a hard time even putting my shoes on.The swelling is is getting worse by the day.I need to know what might be causing this and if this is cause for worry?Any help you can give me would be greatly appreciated as this has really got me worried.

Dear Donald: There are multiple causes of feet and lower legs swelling: metabolic, cardiovascular, allergic, kidneys, amongst others. I strongly recommend that you get a clinical and lab evaluation by your primary care physician in order to rule out the most serious causes and proceed to determine the best treatment option for you.