There are typical signs to watch out for with a blood clot in the leg. These signs will include pain, swelling and heat. There might be a bluish or whitish discoloration on the skin of the leg that is affected. Redness of the skin could also occur. When you have a blood clot the leg pain will worsen when you bend your foot. Leg cramps could also occur, especially at night. The pain of a blood clot normally starts at a slow pace. Some patients will not have any symptoms. The causes of a leg blood clot could include trauma within the blood vessels, hypercoagulability, and also changes in the normal flow of blood for example a partial or complete blockage of the flow of blood.
Prolonged sitting and prolonged rest, obesity, recent childbirth, heart attack, high altitudes, the Pill, HRT, advanced age, inherited genetic blood clotting conditions, recent surgeries, and certain heart or respiratory conditions could also lead to a blood clot.
Patients will normally be prescribed anticoagulants that thins the blood and helps to prevent any future blood clot. On rare occasions, ‘clot busting’ medications might be needed to dissolve a blood clot. When a patient cannot take any coagulants then a filter is placed into a vein to prevent any future blood clot. A thrombectomy could be performed when the blood clot is obstructing the blood vessels.
To prevent any blood clot forming it is best to reverse or avoid risk factors. Obese patients should lose weight, legs should be elevated when sitting or lying, prolonged immobility and sitting should be avoided, and high doses of estrogen should also be avoided unless absolutely necessary. A sequential compression device or special stockings can be worn. Most leg blood clots will resolve by themselves. Some upper leg blood clots can cause an embolism in the lung which can sometimes prove fatal.
Prolonged sitting and prolonged rest, obesity, recent childbirth, heart attack, high altitudes, the Pill, HRT, advanced age, inherited genetic blood clotting conditions, recent surgeries, and certain heart or respiratory conditions could also lead to a blood clot.
Patients will normally be prescribed anticoagulants that thins the blood and helps to prevent any future blood clot. On rare occasions, ‘clot busting’ medications might be needed to dissolve a blood clot. When a patient cannot take any coagulants then a filter is placed into a vein to prevent any future blood clot. A thrombectomy could be performed when the blood clot is obstructing the blood vessels.
To prevent any blood clot forming it is best to reverse or avoid risk factors. Obese patients should lose weight, legs should be elevated when sitting or lying, prolonged immobility and sitting should be avoided, and high doses of estrogen should also be avoided unless absolutely necessary. A sequential compression device or special stockings can be worn. Most leg blood clots will resolve by themselves. Some upper leg blood clots can cause an embolism in the lung which can sometimes prove fatal.
