- Symptoms of each type of thrombosis
- Healing and how treatment is done
- What to do to prevent thrombosis
- Who is most at risk
- Thrombosis in pregnancy
Thrombosis is characterized by the formation of blood clots inside veins or arteries, preventing normal blood circulation, causing pain and swelling in the legs or arm, for example. Generally, thrombosis occurs in people who have varicose veins, who sit for a long time or lie down, as in a plane trip, taking hormones, during pregnancy or as a result of surgery. Learn to correctly identify the symptoms of thrombosis.
Thrombosis can be superficial or deep, like deep vein thrombosis. However, in any case the treatment with medication must be urgent, because the blood clot can flow through the bloodstream lodging in organs such as the lungs, generating a pulmonary embolism, or in the brain, generating a cerebral thrombosis, for example, serious situations that can even lead to death.
Symptoms of each type of thrombosis
There are some types of thrombosis, depending on where the vessels are blocked, and the main types of symptoms they cause are:
- Thrombosis in the legs: swelling, redness and warmth in the affected area that worsen over time, usually with pain or heaviness, and the skin may become stiff. Although thrombosis in the legs is more common, since it is where the blood can travel more slowly, it can also appear anywhere else, such as arms or hands, for example. Pulmonary embolism: shortness of breath, cough and tiredness, which can worsen and cause severe difficulty in breathing; Cerebral thrombosis: stroke symptoms, such as tingling or paralysis on one side of the body, crooked mouth, difficulty speaking or changes in vision, for example. Understand how cerebral thrombosis happens and how to treat it.
However, in some cases, depending on the size of the blood clot and the blood vessel where it is housed, it may not generate any symptoms. In addition, there is thrombophlebitis, which is the partial closure of a superficial vein, causing localized swelling and redness in the affected vein, which causes a lot of pain on palpation.
In the presence of signs and symptoms that indicate thrombosis, the emergency medical service should be sought immediately, so that the doctor can make a clinical evaluation and, if necessary, order tests such as ultrasound or tomography. This is because it is necessary to start a quick treatment with anticoagulant drugs, such as Heparin, for example.
Healing and how treatment is done
Thrombosis is curable, and its treatment has two fundamental objectives, which are to prevent the growth of clots and to prevent existing clots from loosening. These goals can be achieved through the use of anticoagulant medications, such as Heparin and Warfarin, under the guidance of the vascular surgeon or cardiologist.
In some cases, it is necessary to stay in hospital to adjust medication doses and perform tests more quickly. After the initial period, it will be recommended to take some precautions, such as avoiding sitting with your legs down and always wearing elastic compression stockings, such as Kendall stockings, for example.
Check out more details about treatment options for thrombosis.
What to do to prevent thrombosis
The prevention of thrombosis can be done through healthy eating, good hydration and regular physical exercise, which improves blood circulation, reduces inflammatory processes and prevents the accumulation of fatty plaques in blood vessels.
In cases of surgery, it is important that the doctor indicates, when indicated, medications to prevent thrombosis, such as prophylactic heparin. In addition, physical therapy can help you stay active during this period, even when you have to stay lying down, with moving your feet, for example. This type of movement is important to improve blood circulation, as venous stasis favors the formation of thrombi.
In people who have varicose veins, circulatory problems or remain sitting or standing for a long time at work, it is recommended to use medium compression elastic stockings. In addition, in situations of standing still for a long time, such as bedridden people, who sit for a long time or during a trip, for example, it is advised to move at regular periods.
When traveling, the person must get up every hour and walk a little, in order to facilitate blood circulation. Here are other tips that can help improve your trip:
Who is most at risk
Some risk factors for the development of thrombosis are:
- Family history; Obesity; Pregnancy and childbirth; Blood disorders, such as thrombophilia. Understand more about this condition that increases the risk of thrombosis; Injuries or surgery on the legs or feet; Use of medications that interfere with clotting; Very long rest period, whether lying or sitting; Age, the risk increases by twice for each 10 years increase from 20 years of age.
The more risk factors the individual has, the more likely he is to develop a thrombosis.
Thrombosis in pregnancy
The risk of thrombosis increases greatly in pregnancy because the blood's clotting capacity increases, especially at the end of pregnancy, as a natural way to survive childbirth. If the pregnant woman observes the symptoms of thrombosis, she must immediately go to the hospital for treatment to begin, as this is a serious situation.
The treatment of thrombosis in pregnancy can be done with injectable Heparin, because Warfarin is contraindicated in pregnancy as it is harmful to the baby. It is important to inform that when a woman suffers an episode of thrombosis in pregnancy, she should continue treatment until 3 or 6 months after the baby is born. In addition, she is at greater risk of developing other conditions of thrombosis in her life and, therefore, should be prevented. Learn how to identify and treat thrombosis in pregnancy.
