Thrombosis is a disease in which blood clots occur in deep veins called blood clots. The danger is that such a clot can come off at any time and clog the vessel. A blockage in the pulmonary artery causes thromboembolism and can be fatal.
What causes lower extremity thrombosis?Under normal conditions, a person's blood coagulates with wounds. If there is no damage, but coagulation nevertheless has occurred, a blood clot forms. This should be feared by those who:
- over fifty years old;
- leads a sedentary lifestyle (especially for older people);
- suffers from overweight or obesity;
- recently underwent surgery on a major joint or in the abdominal cavity;
- takes combined oral contraceptives, which include estrogen;
- abuses alcohol, smokes.
Vein thrombosis of the lower extremities may occur in pregnant women. This is due to the fact that blood coagulation during pregnancy is better than in normal condition. The uterus is constantly growing, thereby obstructing blood circulation. A very high risk of thrombosis with caesarean section.
Symptoms of a blood clot in the leg
Vein thrombosis is dangerous because at first it can occur without any visible manifestations. As the blood clot grows and rises up the leg, the lower leg swells and begins to hurt. If your leg is suddenly swollen in the absence of physical injuries and injuries, immediately consult a specialist. He will conduct an ultrasound and prescribe a series of tests that will fix the problem. In addition, the doctor can send you for angiography - this is the name of the procedure in which a special dye is injected into the veins. This is done in order to track the movement of a blood clot.
If the symptoms of a blood clot in the leg are confirmed, the doctor will most likely prescribe anticoagulant drugs in the form of injections or tablets. Injections can be quite painful, so you should take care of the pain medication in advance. In case the thrombus is very large, special solvent preparations are introduced into it. This procedure is called thrombolysis. There is another effective method of treatment: a cava filter is inserted into the internal vena cava. This is done in order to prevent the thrombus from reaching the lung. A kava filter is usually prescribed for those who are allergic to drugs. If you find all the symptoms of a blood clot in your leg listed above, your doctor will recommend wearing compression stockings, which can be purchased at a pharmacy, for two to three hours a day. Wearing stockings is also an excellent prophylaxis for thrombosis.
How long does the treatment last?
It depends, first of all, on the degree of the disease. It is necessary not only to destroy the thrombus, but also to eliminate the risk of its re-occurrence. Tune in to the long process of treatment - most likely, it will last at least three months. In particularly difficult cases, maintenance therapy lasts a lifetime.
How to prevent thrombosis?
Symptoms of a blood clot in your leg do not bother you? Perfectly. However, if you are at risk, it makes sense to think about prevention. If you have a long flight, do not wear tight clothing. Stop drinking alcohol, try not to sit still - periodically move your legs, change your pose and do self-massage of calves. If the flight lasts more than six hours, we advise you to wear compression stockings.
That's all. In this article, we have described in detail the symptoms of a blood clot in the leg and ways to prevent thrombosis. We hope this information was useful to you.