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Blood clot in the leg vein
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Deep vein thrombosis (DVT) occurs when a blood clot (thrombus) forms in one or more deep veins in your body, usually in your legs. Deep vein thrombosis can cause leg pain or swelling, but it can also occur without symptoms.
- You can get DVT if you have certain conditions that affect the way your blood clots. A blood clot in your legs can also occur if you do not move for a long time, such as when you are walking. For example, after an operation or an accident, when you travel a long distance or when you are bedridden.
- Deep vein thrombosis can be very serious as blood clots in your veins can break loose, travel through your bloodstream, get stuck in your lungs and block blood flow (pulmonary embolism). However, pulmonary embolism can occur with no evidence of DVT.
If DVT and pulmonary embolism occur together, it is called venous thromboembolism (VTE).Deep vein thrombosis (DVT) treatment hyderabad
symptom
The signs and symptoms of DVT can include:
- Swelling of the affected leg. It rarely swells in both legs.
- Pain in the leg. Pain often starts in your calf and can be felt as cramps or pain.
- Red or discolored skin on the leg.
- A feeling of heat in the affected leg.
- Deep vein thrombosis can occur with no visible symptoms.
The reasons
Anything that prevents your blood from circulating or clotting normally can cause a blood clot.
- The main causes of DVT are damage to a vein from surgery or trauma, and inflammation from an infection or injury.Deep vein thrombosis (DVT) treatment hyderabad
Risk factors
There are many factors that can increase your risk of developing DVT. The more risk factors you have, the higher your risk for DVT. Risk factors for DVT include:
- Age. If you are over 60 years of age, your risk of DVT increases, although it can happen at any age.
- Sitting for a long time, for example while driving or flying. When your legs stay still for hours, your calf muscles won’t contract. Muscle contractions usually help blood flow.
- Longer bed rest, for example during a long hospital stay or paralysis. Blood clots can form in the calves of your legs if your calf muscles don’t move for a long time.
- Injury or surgery. Damage to the veins or surgery can increase the risk of blood clots.
- Pregnancy. Pregnancy increases the pressure in the veins in your pelvis and legs. Women with a congenital bleeding disorder are particularly at risk. The risk of blood clots forming during pregnancy can persist for up to six weeks after your baby is born.
- Birth control pills (oral contraceptives) or hormone replacement therapy. Both can increase the ability of your blood to clot.
- Be overweight or obese. Being overweight increases the pressure in the veins of your pelvis and legs.
- Smoke. Smoking affects blood clotting and circulation, which can increase your risk of DVT.
- Cancer. Some forms of cancer increase the amount of substances in your blood that cause blood to clot. Some forms of cancer treatment also increase the risk of blood clots.
- Heart defect. This increases your risk of DVT and pulmonary embolism. Because people with heart failure have impaired heart and lung function, symptoms that are caused by even a small pulmonary embolism are more noticeable.
- Inflammatory bowel disease. Bowel diseases such as Crohn’s disease or ulcerative colitis increase the risk of DVT.
- A personal or family history of DVT or PE. If you or a family member have one or both of them you may be at a higher risk of developing DVT.
- Genetically. Some people inherit risk factors or genetic disorders, such as Factor V Leiden, that make blood clotting easier. Hereditary disease alone cannot cause blood clots unless it is linked to one or more other risk factors.
- Not a known risk factor. Sometimes a blood clot can occur in a vein without an obvious underlying risk factor. This is known as an unprovoked VTE.
Complications
Complications of DVT can include:
Pulmonary embolism (PE). The EP is a complication.Deep vein thrombosis (DVT) treatment hyderabad