Deep vein thrombosis occurs mainly in lower leg and thighand almost always on one side of the body at a time. So what signs should you watch out for?
A key sign is the pain in the legs wave thigh or calf tendernessaccording to the American Heart Association.
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Someone with the problem can also experience swelling in the legs and reddish discoloration or red streaks.
The skin can also feel hot to the touchwhen someone suffers from Deep venous thrombosis. The human body naturally dissolves blood clots after the internal injury has healed.
However, when the clots do not dissolve naturally, restrict normal blood flow to the heart, becoming a serious medical condition.
Unfortunately, pulmonary embolism can be fatal.
They can cause breathing problems. For example, it may be the cause of an unexplained shortness of breath or of a fast breathing.
They can also cause chest pain anywhere below the rib cagewhich can worsen with the deep breathing.
A pulmonary embolism can cause a increased and accelerated heart rate, as well as cause dizziness or cause someone to pass out.
There are several ways to diagnose them, if you are concerned about the signs.
If you have symptoms of deep vein thrombosis, the NHS recommends that you book an urgent appointment with your GP or dial 111.
If you are experiencing shortness of breath and chest pain, it is important to dial 999 immediately.
You are more likely to experience deep vein thrombosis if you are overweight, take the birth control pill or HRT, or have varicose veins.
There are also some temporary situations where you are at higher risk.
These are situations like if you are confined to bed, or if you are pregnant or have had a baby in the previous six weeks.
In some cases, it can happen for no obvious reason.
To prevent blood clots, you should not sit still for long periods of time.
If a doctor thinks you have DVT, you should be referred to the hospital within 24 hours for an ultrasound.
The scan shows whether blood is flowing normally through the vein.
You may also have an x-ray of the vein. To do this, a dye will be injected to show where the blood clot is.