Abnormal blood clots can form in your veins. And that's a problem. Because, if they break free from your veins and travel to your lungs, they can become a life-threatening concern. Now, the key to preventing this outcome is to prevent clots, or to detect them as early as possible. That way, you can seek immediate intervention and save your own life!
Rather than treating a clot, we'd like to help you prevent one. Especially a deep vein thrombosis, or DVT, the name for a clot that forms in the deep veins in your legs. Luckily, that's fairly easy to do. Because, the best way to fight abnormal clotting is with movements that boost blood flow in your legs. So, simply by taking a daily walk, you could be reducing your risk for an abnormal clot. But, in the event prevention doesn't work, here are the symptoms of a blood clot to watch for, in order to help with early detection.
Unfortunately, it's hard to tell when blood clots are forming. Because, sometimes, they don't cause any symptoms. Other times, however, you'll notice these blood clot symptoms:
If you notice any of these symptoms, call our vein specialists right away. Detecting a blood clot early in its formation can help prevent a potentially deadly clot break. And, by learning the risk factors for blood clots, you may be more attuned to early warning signs.
Blood clots can form at any time, but your risk will increase if you are pregnant, have heart disease or are dealing with cancer. More recently, we've learned that your risk will increase if you have eczema (also known as atopic dermatitis) or extended exposure to air pollution, according to this study. Additionally, if you are bed-ridden, sustain damage to the walls of your blood vessels after surgery or an injury, or if you've been previously infected with COVID, you may be at an increased risk for clotting and for clot breaks.
Clot breaks develop when a DVT breaks loose from the veins in your legs, traveling to the lungs where it becomes a pulmonary embolism. Symptoms of a clot break include sudden, unexplained shortness of breath; an unexplained cough; fatigue; increased heart rate; and/or chest pain. When you try to breathe deeply, you may also feel pain in your rib cage.
While blood clots can resolve on their own, that could be a lengthy process. And, in the meantime, the clot could cause serious health issues. First, if a clot forms in an artery, that could prevent your cells from receiving much-needed blood. Also, since DVT clots can break free and travel to your lungs, they need immediate medical attention.
Treating blood clots involves medication or medical device intervention. Some clots can be resolved with oral or IV blood thinning medication. At other time, clots may be resolved by inserting a catheter or wire to open up the blood vessel. In certain cases, the clot may be surgically removed via thrombectomy. Luckily, most clots can be resolved before they cause serious harm. But you must seek immediate medical attention to achieve the best results. So, at the first sign of clotting symptoms, give us a call or click here to request an appointmentwith our vein specialists in Georgia.
Atlanta
3225 Cumberland Blvd. Southeast, Suite 520
Atlanta, GA 30339
Stockbridge
1035 Southcrest Dr., Suite 220 + 250
Stockbridge, GA 30281
Tucker
1975 Lakeside Pkwy., Suite 300
Tucker, GA 30084
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