Deep vein thrombosis occurs when a clot clogs a vein in the leg, preventing blood from properly returning to the heart and causing symptoms such as swelling of the leg and severe pain in the affected region.
If you think you may be developing a venous thrombosis in your leg, select your symptoms and find out what the risk is:
- 1. Sudden pain in one leg that worsens over time Yes No
- 2. Swelling in one leg, which increases Yes No
- 3. Intense redness in the affected leg Yes No
- 4. Feeling of heat when touching the swollen leg Yes No
- 5. Pain when touching the leg Yes No
- 6. Leg skin harder than normal Yes No
- 7. Dilated and more easily visible veins in the leg Yes No
There are still cases, in which the clot is very small and does not cause any symptoms, disappearing alone with time and without needing treatment.
However, whenever venous thrombosis is suspected, one should go to the hospital to identify the problem and start the appropriate treatment, since some clots can also move and affect important organs, such as the lung or brain, for example.
How to confirm the diagnosis
The diagnosis of thrombosis should be made as soon as possible, so it is advisable to go to the hospital or the emergency room whenever there is a suspicion of a clot in the leg.
Usually, the diagnosis is made from the evaluation of symptoms and some diagnostic tests such as ultrasound, angiography or computed tomography, which help to locate where the clot is. In addition, the doctor also usually orders a blood test, known as D-dimer, which is used to confirm or rule out suspected thrombosis.
Understand better why deep vein thrombosis happens and how to avoid it.
Who is most at risk for thrombosis
There are greater chances of having a deep vein thrombosis in people with:
- History of previous thrombosis; Age 65 years or older; Cancer; Diseases that make blood more viscous, such as Waldenstrom's macroglobulinemia or multiple myeloma; Behçet's disease; History of infarction, stroke, congestive heart failure or lung disease; Diabetes; Who had a serious accident with major muscle injuries and bone fractures; Who had a surgery that lasted more than 1 hour, especially knee or hip arthroplasty surgery; In women who are given hormone replacement with estrogen.
In addition, people who need to be immobilized in bed for more than 3 months also have an increased risk of developing a clot and having deep vein thrombosis.
Pregnant women, women who have recently been mothers or women who are undergoing hormone replacement or using some hormonal contraceptive method, such as the pill, also present a slightly risk of thrombosis, since hormonal changes can interfere with blood viscosity, making easier for a clot to appear.
See which are the 7 most common side effects of hormonal remedies like the pill.
