Deep vein thrombosis, or deep vein thrombosis (DVT) is a medical condition that results from the formation of a blood clot (thrombus) in a deep vein, usually in the calf, thigh, or pelvis. Your body can dissolve most small to moderate lumps with time and a healthier lifestyle. However, there is always a risk of DVT blocking or stopping the flow of blood in the veins, causing portions of the thrombus to rupture and block blood vessels in the lungs or arteries that connect to the brain. The result is serious health problems or even death. If you are at risk of developing DVT, you are strongly advised to take preventive measures and seek beneficial treatment.
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Part 1 of 3: Eliminating Risk Factors
Step 1. Lose weight, especially if you are obese
The risk of DVT is much greater if you are overweight or obese. A large body weight makes it more difficult for blood to circulate in the body, especially to carry blood back to the heart from the legs and thighs. As a result, blood pressure will rise and result in damaged blood vessels, triggering the formation of plaques and blood clots. Losing weight will ease the work of your heart and blood vessels, thereby reducing the risk of DVT and atherosclerosis.
- Lose weight by increasing cardiovascular exercise (such as walking) and reducing your calorie consumption.
- Reducing your daily intake of 500 calories will reduce about 1.8 kg of fat tissue each month.
Step 2. Quit smoking
The risk of DVT is also much greater if you are a chronic smoker. Various chemical compounds in cigarettes can interfere with the blood clotting process, as well as circulation and blood vessels in general--as a result, your blood thickens and clots excessively (hypercoagulation)-which increases your risk of developing DVT and other vascular diseases. Try to quit smoking gradually (with the help of nicotine patches), quit altogether and/or with the help of suggestive urges or hypnotherapy.
- When a blood clot breaks up in a vein and begins to flow in a vein, it becomes an embolism, which can block blood vessels leading to the heart or lungs. This can result in sudden death in some cases. Only a subset (10-15%) of people who develop a pulmonary embolism die soon after.
- Approximately 2,000,000 Americans experience DVT each year, and smoking is a significant contributing factor.
Step 3. Be more physically active
Sitting for long periods of time is a risk factor for DVT. So, increase your cardiovascular exercise by walking, jogging, cycling, or swimming. Your calf muscles function like a second heart, helping to pump blood in the leg veins back to the heart, but only when they contract with some type of regular exercise.
- If you sit for work, or travel on a plane and can't exercise properly for a few hours, at the very least, move your legs and thighs while sitting.
- A broken leg wrapped in a cast is particularly at risk for DVT. Therefore, try to wiggle your toes as long as your feet are in a raised position.
- The most common signs and symptoms of DVT are: swelling, redness, and pain in the calf or lower leg (especially along the veins), difficulty supporting the body (especially when running), and skin that feels warm or hot to the touch.
- Your DVT symptoms may be mild. Half of patients with DVT are asymptomatic when examined.
Step 4. Put on pressure stockings
Pressure stockings will support the muscles and blood vessels in the lower legs, which will reduce swelling/edema, as well as the risk of DVT. Tight stockings are especially important for people who have insufficiency (leakage of valves) or dilated (varicose) veins. These stockings should reach your knees, or higher, with the toes closed or exposed. These stockings can be purchased online, at medical supply stores, and sometimes at pharmacies or physiotherapists' clinics.
- Purchase class 1 stockings, with the least pressure, unless your doctor recommends class 2 or 3 stockings.
- Use increased pressure stockings when performing high-risk activities such as traveling by car, bus or plane. Pressure stockings like these, sometimes sold under the label "elastic flight socks", feel tighter at the ankles than the thighs, which increases blood flow.
Step 5. Drink more non-caffeinated fluids
Getting enough fluids greatly affects your blood volume, and "dilutes it," thereby reducing your risk of DVT. So drink plenty of water and fresh fruit juices, especially if you live in a hot and/or dry climate. Avoid caffeinated drinks such as coffee, black tea, soft drinks, and energy drinks, because caffeine is a diuretic, which can trigger urine output and over time dehydrate your body.
- During the dry season, try to drink 3.8 liters of water daily.
- Keep in mind that most fresh fruits and vegetables are also good sources of fluids.
Part 2 of 3: Seeking Alternative Therapies
Step 1. Foot massage
Find a massage therapist or a friend who will help you massage your calf and thigh muscles to prevent DVT. Massage will relieve muscle tension and improve circulation of blood and lymph fluid. Start massaging in your lower calves and work your way up to your thighs, so you're helping the veins return blood to your heart. Start massaging for 30 minutes then continue. Let the massage therapist (or your friend) press as hard as you can.
- Always drink plenty of water after a massage to flush out inflammatory compounds and lactic acid from your body. Otherwise, you may experience a headache or mild nausea.
- If you have an acute DVT accompanied by symptoms (swelling and pain), you should avoid massage and talk to your doctor about this.
Step 2. Try acupuncture treatments
Acupuncture is a treatment where thin needles are inserted into energy points in the skin or muscles to relieve pain and inflammation, and improve blood circulation. Acupuncture to reduce the risk of foot health problems may be quite effective, although it is generally not recommended by doctors. Based on the principles of traditional Chinese medicine, acupuncture works by releasing various compounds including endorphins, serotonin, which will reduce discomfort.
- The acupuncture points that can help relieve symptoms in your feet aren't all located on the feet--some of them may be located deep in other parts of your body.
- The practice of acupuncture is carried out by a variety of healthcare professionals, including several physicians, chiropractors, naturopathy, physiotherapists, and massage therapists--anyone certified by the NCCAOM.
Step 3. Consider vibration therapy
An interesting alternative therapy option to reduce the risk of developing foot health problems is vibration therapy. By placing your feet on the vibrating device, the muscles in your calves and thighs can contract, helping to pump blood into the small veins. The vibration frequency can also soothe and strengthen muscles while stimulating the nerves to relieve pain.
- Full-body vibration kits are hard to find in rehab, and are usually too expensive for you to buy and use at home, so consider a smaller device to just vibrate the soles of your feet and lower legs.
- A vibrating device that you can hold is another option that may be good enough to stimulate your leg muscles.
- If you have acute DVT with symptoms, don't use vibration therapy like this, and talk to your doctor before trying it.
Part 3 of 3: Seeking Medical Help
Step 1. Visit your family doctor
Despite your efforts to avoid DVT, if your feet (especially your calves) appear swollen, red, and painful to the touch, and don't improve within a few days, make an appointment with your doctor. Your doctor will examine your feet and soles of your feet, and ask you some questions about your family medical history, diet, and recent travel. If you are a woman, your doctor may also ask if you are pregnant, have recently given birth, are taking birth control pills or are on hormone replacement therapy, as higher levels of estrogen can cause blood clots.
- Birth control pills are at the highest risk during the first year of use, although modern birth control pill formulas tend to be safer than their predecessors decades ago.
- Your doctor may prescribe a blood-thinning medication (anticoagulant) such as heparin if he or she suspects you have a DVT. Blood-thinning medications will decrease your blood's ability to clot, although they won't dissolve existing blood clots.
- Your family doctor is not a heart and blood vessel specialist. So, you may need to be referred to a specialist.
Step 2. Ask for a referral to a specialist
Cardiologists and vascular specialists are highly trained to distinguish all vascular problems that can arise in the legs and other parts of the body. There are a number of serious conditions that can cause swelling and pain in the legs, including diabetic neuropathy, venous insufficiency (lower leg vein valve leakage), compartment syndrome (swollen lower leg muscles), popliteal artery entrapment, bacterial infections, and cellulitis.
- The specialist may perform an ultrasound examination to look for lumps in the upper leg, or venography (an X-ray examination with dye) to look for lumps in the lower leg. The results of the ultrasound examination will be compared from time to time to see the enlargement or reduction of the size of the blood clot.
- The specialist may also order a D-dimer blood test. D-dimer is a chemical that is produced when a blood clot gradually dissolves.
Step 3. Talk about stronger drug options with your doctor
If a DVT is detected, your doctor may prescribe stronger medications to stop the blood clot from growing, and eventually dissolve it. After giving heparin injection, you may be given other blood-thinning medications by injection (such as enoxaparin) or by tablets such as warfarin (Coumadin). If your DVT is serious, your doctor may give you a thrombolytic drug by intravenous injection, which can dissolve blood clots quickly.
- You may also be given oral medications that do not require blood circulation monitoring and have recently been approved by the FDA such as dabigatran, rivaroxaban, or apixaban.
- Thrombolytic drugs commonly used for DVT are streptokinase, urokinase and recombinant tissue-type plasminogen activator (r-tPA).
- Although thrombolytics have been updated in recent years, they can cause serious internal bleeding and are generally only used in cases of life-threatening DVT, so their use in other DVTs is debatable.
- If you can't take blood-thinning medication, your doctor may place a small filter in the abdominal vein to prevent blood clots from entering the vein, which could lead to a dangerous condition.
- If you are hospitalized, a mechanical device to apply pressure to the sole of your foot or foot may be used for several days. These devices are especially useful when used in conjunction with blood-thinning medications.
Tips
- Early treatment can greatly reduce the risk of complications such as pulmonary embolism.
- Don't sit or stand for too long. Move more often, especially if you work in a sitting position.
- Supporting your feet higher than the rest of your body (by leaning them against a wall or resting on some pillows) will help reduce swelling from standing too long at work.
- Avoid crossing your legs or ankles while you are sitting.
- At least once every half hour, take a few minutes to move and improve blood flow.
Warning
- If you have had hip or knee repair surgery in the past three months, it is not recommended that you take long trips, even with medication.
- Genetic factors also have a role. You are at higher risk if a member of your family has had a DVT, or other blood clotting problems, such as pulmonary embolism.
