Deep vein thrombosis can manifest itself in a sudden onset of pain in the calf or thigh muscle with one calf swollen to round an inch greater than the other car muscle. If you identify freshly swollen veins in a painful limb this can also be a sign of DVT and in either of these cases you should seek medical advice immediately.

Deep Venous Thrombosis (DVT) is a condition defined by a blood clot, or thrombus, forming in a deep vein. Commonly affecting the leg veins, such as the femoral, popliteal, or the deep veins of the pelvic region, DVT can prove fatal if the clot comes loose, makes its way into the blood, and enters the heart.

There are other factors that contribute to a person’s risk of having deep vein thrombosis. Factors such as age must be considered because those who are above sixty are at a higher risk. Being immovable for a long time like in a plain ride is also dangerous. If you have a family member who has the condition of increased blood clotting or you are pregnant or overweight or having various spider webs of varicose veins on your legs.

A person who is inactive for an extended period of time is at increased risk of DVT. This can happen during a long airline flight, while wearing a cast, following surgery and even when in the hospital for another condition. Other risk factors include:

* Varicose veins

* Blood clotting disorders

* Family history of DVT or clotting disorders

* Heart disease

* Obesity

* Chronic leg swelling

* Dehydration

* Birth Control Pills containing estrogen

* Hormone replacement therapy

* Pregnancy/recent childbirth

* Smoking

Causes:

While recent research shows that various factors prove to put a person at risk for DVT, a more common cause for deep vein thrombosis is inactivity. The less you move, the slower your blood circulates, thereby increasing the chances for clots to form. Business travelers, people who spend long hours in cramped airplane seats or in cars, and people confined to wheelchairs are especially at risk if they are unable to regularly circulate the blood in their legs.

Symptoms include leg pain or swelling, tenderness of leg tissue, increased leg warmth and increase in redness. This most likely occurs only in one leg or extremity. Symptoms of DVT may include varicose veins, tenderness, pain, swelling, and redness in the affected limb. Other conditions that exhibit similar symptoms include skin infections in particular, and muscle strains.

Deep vein thrombosis happens when a blood clot forms in the lower leg. If the clot breaks off, it may travel to the lungs. That can then be fatal. If you have symptoms such as pain, redness and swelling in a leg, you should seek medical help as soon as possible.

STRAIGHTEN UP AND FLY RIGHT

Here are some tips to help reduce the risk of a DVT:

• Drink plenty of water to avoid dehydration before and during your trip.

• Try to keep your thighs clear of the edge of your seat.

• Wear loose fitting clothing.

• Keep the legs uncrossed.

Copyright (c) 2009 Dr. Jennifer Feeny

Deep vein thrombosis (DVT) is a condition in which a blood clot (a blockage) forms in a deep vein. Although these clots usually occur in the veins of the leg, they can also develop in other parts of the body. A DVT is considered a medical emergency and if you suspect that you or a loved one might have a DVT, please seek medical attention immediately. News correspondent David Bloom died in 2003 from a DVT at age 39. It is wise to familiarize yourself with the symptoms and risk factors because knowing this information may save your life.

Risk factors

A person who is inactive for an extended period of time is at increased risk of DVT. This can happen during a long airline flight, while wearing a cast, following surgery and even when in the hospital for another condition. Other risk factors include:

* Varicose veins

* Blood clotting disorders

* Family history of DVT or clotting disorders

* Heart disease

* Obesity

* Chronic leg swelling

* Dehydration

* Birth Control Pills containing estrogen

* Hormone replacement therapy

* Pregnancy/recent childbirth

* Smoking

* Age (over 40 years old)

* Trauma

* Recent surgery

The more risk factors a person has, the greater the risk of developing a DVT. But, anyone can develop a DVT, even people without any of these risk factors.

Symptoms

The most common warning signs are calf tenderness, swelling, warmth and/or redness of the leg. However, some people with a DVT have no symptoms or just a very mild discomfort in the leg.

A serious complication of DVT is a pulmonary embolism, which may cause death. This happens when a clot breaks loose from the leg and travels to the lung. Symptoms of a pulmonary embolism include:

* Shortness of breath

* Chest pain

* Tightness in chest

* Coughing up blood

Another complication of a DVT is damage to the vein from the blood clot which can result in chronic swelling, pain and discoloration of that leg.

Diagnosis

Diagnosis can be challenging for a physician, especially when symptoms are vague. Leg swelling can be cause by congestive heart failure or venous insufficiency. Calf tenderness could be caused by tendonitis. If a DVT is suspected, a doctor will order tests that can detect a blood clot in the leg. The most accurate for diagnosis is the venogram. A venogram involves injecting dye into the vein and taking pictures to determine if there is a blockage. A less invasive option is a Duplex Ultrasound. Due to its high sensitivity and specificity, Duplex Ultrasound has replaced venography as the most widely used test in evaluation of DVT. Duplex Ultrasonography is safe in pregnancy and for those allergic to contract dyes used in venograms.

Treatment

There are a few options that your doctor may recommend in the treatment of DVT. Anticoagulants, like heparin or coumadin, may be prescribed to thin the blood to prevent accrual or formation of new clots. If you are unable to take anticoagulants, a filter may be placed in a large vein called the inferior vena cava to capture the clots. Compression stockings may be used to control swelling in the legs.

Prevention

If you have risk factors for a DVT, consider these tips for reducing the likelihood of developing a blood clot:

* Exercise you legs every 2 to 3 hours when on a long trip. Walk the aisles of a plane or train, and take regular breaks during a car trip.

* Drink plenty of fluids; avoid alcohol and caffeine.

* Wear Compression stockings.

* Take blood thinning medications, if prescribed by your doctor.

* If you are hospitalized, or having surgery, discuss preventative medication with your physician.

Each year, at least 100,000 deaths are attributed to deep venous thrombosis and pulmonary embolisms. About 1 in every 1000 adults develop a DVT in a given year. Deep vein throbosis is a common, serious medical condition that all adults should be aware of. Early symptom recognition and diagnosis improves outcomes and saves lives.

Some people think of varicose veins as nothing more than a cosmetic problem. Yes, those blue bulges and streaks just beneath the surface of the skin may be unsightly. But they are nothing to worry about, right? Well that depends. Varicose veins can cause quite a bit of pain. And it is not the sort of pain that just disappears overnight. Once they show up on your legs, they are there for the long haul. A varicose vein forms when the wall of a vein weakens and develops a pocket. In these pockets the blood flow is slowed, leading to inflammation and a dull ache. Over time, your symptoms can intensify. The skin over the vein may become discoloured or dry and irritated. The vein itself may ulcerate, which can cause it to bleed. Since people tend to keep their varicose veins under wraps, you may not realize just how common this condition is. An estimated 30 to 60 percent of adults have them, the majority being women over age 40. Here are some tips that you can consider to adopt to treat and prevent varicose veins.

1. Evaluate Estrogen

If you are a woman with a family history of varicose veins, taking birth control pills or hormone replacement therapy may increase your odds of developing the condition. Both contain estrogen, and estrogen opens certain connections between arteries and veins, increasing pressure. You may want to discuss your options with your doctor.

2. Stay Regular

Straining to move your bowels can affect the valves in the veins of your legs. When a valve does not function properly, it causes the vein wall to weaken, which sets the stage for a varicose vein. If you are prone to constipation, increase your fiber intake. Among the best food sources are fruits, vegetables, and whole-grain breads and cereals.

3. Get A Move On

Walk as much as possible. Walking creates a pumping action in your foot and calf, which reduces pressure in the veins on the surface of your legs. It also helps move the blood back up to your heart so it can’t pool in your veins.

4. Have A Seat When Necessary

Do not sit if you can walk, and do not stand if you can sit. If you have a job that requires you to stand for long periods of time, try to work it so that you can sit down once in a while. You should also try to walk around for at least 10 minutes every 1½ hours.

5. Stock Up On Support

Support stockings compress the vein and help keep pain and inflammation in check. They provide varying degrees of pressure. Generally, the more severe the varicose vein, the more pressure that is required. You can buy stockings over the counter to start, but eventually, your doctor may have to write you a prescription for an even stronger pair. You should wear your stockings for all your waking hours, then take them off while you sleep.

6. Shed Some Pounds

Overweight does not cause varicose vein, but it can definitely aggravate them. For one thing, it puts extra pressure on your legs – just what strained veins don’t need. For another, it is usually a sign of inactivity, too much sitting or standing and not enough moving around.

7. Favor Snug-Fitting Footwear

Your shoes can provide an extra measure of support in the foot and ankle area, which is just where you need it. You want the highest level of compression at the lowest part of your body. Just be sure your shoes are not so snug that they actually make your feet hurt.

“Thrombo” implies “clot”. An inflammation of the vein is called phlebitis. Thrombophlebitis happens when an inflammation in one or more veins is caused by a blood clot. This problem normally occurs in your legs, yet it may also rarely appear in the arms and neck. The affected vein can also be near your skin surface, which may result to superficial thrombophlebitis or DVT (deep vein thrombosis). A blood clot in the deep vein puts you in greater risk for other more server health problems such as embolism (dislodged clot passing through your lungs) or pulmonary embolism, or the blocking the lung’s pulmonary artery.

There are many reasons why you can obtain a blood clot. Yet it increases if you are confined in a bed for a long period of time like when you’re suffering from a heart attack or a leg injury or after you underwent a surgery. It will also alleviate the condition if you just had a stroke that causes paralysis in your legs and arms. Both pregnancy and postpregnancy creates increased pressure in your veins in the legs and pelvis, resulting to phlebitis. Some medication such as hormone replacement therapy or contraceptives can contribute to the increase of the clotting ability of your blood. Obesity, excessive alcohol drinking, and smoking are also popular causes of this condition. Phlebitis is most likely to happen if you suffer from a blood-clotting disorder or if you have such family medical history.

Redness and swelling as well as pain, tenderness, and warmth in the affected area are the common phlebitis symptoms. If the damage is in your superficial vein, you will see hard and tender red cord underneath your skin’s surface. When it’s the deep vein that is affected, you will feel pain when you walk or stand and your leg appears swollen and tender to touch. You will likely develop fever too. Others exhibit asymptomatic condition.

There are a variety of ways to diagnose thrombophlebitis. Your physician will initially inquire about any discomfort you are experiencing and then take a look at the affected veins found near the skin’s surface. He may also perform either of the following examinations:

1. MRI and CT scans. Both of these can give visual images of the veins that can help determine if there’s an existing blood clot. There are times when venous thrombosis is discovered when such scans are accomplished for other purposes.

2. Venography. A contrast agent such as a dye is injected into one of the large veins in your ankle or foot. An X-ray will reveal an image of veins found in the feet and legs, which can be used to search for any blood clot. This is not normally used today as some less invasive tests can already confirm the doctor’s diagnosis.

3. A lot of those who suffer from acute thrombosis have high blood level of D dimmer, a dissolving substance for clots. This test may not be conclusive, however, since elevated D dimer may be present in other conditions, but it’s useful in ruling out DVT.

There are plenty of ways that you can prevent the progression of phlebitis. One is to not remain idle. You can take walk along the aisles when you’re in an airplane or stop every hour and walk around your car if you’re driving. Don’t wait anything tight around the waist, and drink a lot of water to prevent dehydration. If you’re prone to phlebitis or worse DVT, you can ask your doctor if you can use compression stockings. Taking aspirin is not recommended as it can excessively thin your blood.