Most
of the time, blood clots are a good thing. When you get injured, you need your
blood to freeze and pool together at the site to help stop the bleeding. But
sometimes clots appear when they're not needed, and that can be a problem -
especially if they form in deep veins near your muscles.
It's like roadblocks on the blood highway,
causing circulation jams and blocking the blood flow that keeps your system
working.
Things
can become more dangerous if the DVT breaks off from its original location and
moves into your lungs. It then becomes a pulmonary embolism, a clot that
prevents these vital organs from getting the oxygen and blood they need. This
can damage the lungs and other organs and may result in death.
Some
people are more prone to developing DVT than others, so it is helpful to stay
on top of any risk factors. The following are the warning signs of a blood clot
that should be watched, so you can act quickly if a blood clot develops.
**
8 signs you may have a blood clot
1.
Puffiness
Just
like a garden hose clamp, it compresses the vein behind the clot. This pressure
can build up and be pushed out, tightening surrounding tissues.
2.
Un-explained pain
In
the chest, the pain can feel like a heaviness resting on your chest rather than
an intense pain. The feeling of pressure or dull pain that accompanies other
symptoms is a sign that you may have one.
3.
The skin appears blue or pale
The
insufficient blood supply from the blood clot is what makes your skin pale,
then blue as oxygen comes out of the blood.
4.
A sense of warmth
Usually
one feels warm in the arms or legs. This may be accompanied by sweating or pain
in the affected area.
5.
Loss of feeling
Tingling
or numbness in your legs or arms could be a sign .. Since blood is cut to the
area due to the clot, the blood is unable to circulate in the area. This is
similar to how it feels when your hand falls asleep after you fall asleep with
your wrist bent.
6.
Migraine with loss of vision or capacity to speak
A
blood clot in the brain is called an ischemic stroke. Headaches are common
enough that you don't have to worry if this is the only symptom. But a stroke
in the brain can cause problems in your eyes and may affect your ability to
speak.
7.
Vomit & diarrhea with stomach pain
With
symptoms of vomit, it could be food poison or it could be a blood lump in your
abdomen. Abdominal pain can cause intense pain, unlike mild pain with other
types of clots.
8.
Shortness of breath with pain
A
gore clot in lungs is called a pulmonary embolism . The same symptoms might
occur with one in heart. Shortness breath, feeling unable to seize your breath,
chest pain, rapid pulse, sweating, fever, and coughing up blood are all signs
that one of them is in your lungs.
Treatment
for blood clots usually includes the use of medications to thin the blood and
break up clots. Drug treatments and blood thinners such as aspirin, warfarin
(Coumadin, Jantoven), dabigatran (Pradaxa), rivaroxaban (Xarelto), apixaban
(Eliquis), and heparin can significantly reduce the risk of developing a
dangerous blood clot.
This
does not mean that you should take an over-the-counter medication such as
aspirin to prevent blood clots. Please seek advice from your healthcare
professional before taking aspirin as you may have other health complications
that may be a concern when combined with a blood thinner.