Water retention and bloating get lumped together, yet they are different problems, and the wrong fix helps neither. Bloating is gas and pressure in the gut. Fluid retention is water held in body tissues, showing up in ankles, hands and face. This guide shows you how to tell them apart with a five-second pitting test, the common causes, including medication and hormones, the dietary and movement habits which ease mild swelling within 72 hours, and the red-flag symptoms which need a GP or 999 rather than a home remedy.