DVT

Deep Vein Thrombosis (DVT)

Deep vein thrombosis is a blood clot in a vein located deep within your body, usually in your leg. Get treatment right away so you can prevent serious complications. Treatments include medicines, compression stockings and surgery. Be patient. You may need to take medicine for a few months and wear compression stockings for two years.

What is deep vein thrombosis?

Deep vein thrombosis (DVT, also called venous thrombosis) occurs when a thrombus (blood clot) develops in veins deep in your body because your veins are injured or the blood flowing through them is too sluggish. The blood clots may partially or completely block blood flow through your vein. Most DVTs happen in your lower leg, thigh or pelvis, but they also can occur in other parts of your body including your arm, brain, intestines, liver or kidney.

What is the danger of DVT?

Even though DVT itself is not life-threatening, the blood clots have the potential to break free and travel through your bloodstream. A pulmonary embolism (PE) happens when the traveling blood clots (emboli) become lodged in the blood vessels of your lung. Since this can be a life-threatening condition, you need a quick diagnosis and treatment.

As many as half of those who get a DVT in their legs develop symptoms of intermittent leg pain and swelling that may last months to years. These symptoms are called post-thrombotic syndrome and can happen because of damage to the valves and inner lining of your veins leading to blood “pooling” more than it should. This increases the pressure inside your veins and causes pain and swelling.

Characteristics of this condition include:

  • Pooling of blood.
  • Chronic leg swelling.
  • Increased pressure within your veins.
  • Increased pigmentation or discoloration of your skin.
  • Leg ulcers known as venous stasis ulcers.
Symptoms and Causes

What are the symptoms of deep vein thrombosis?

A DVT usually forms in the veins of your legs or arms. Up to 30%of people with a DVT don’t have symptoms, but sometimes the symptoms are very mild and may not raise concern. The symptoms associated with an acute DVT include:

  • Swelling of your leg or arm (sometimes this happens suddenly).
  • Pain or tenderness in your leg or arm (may only happen when standing or walking).
  • The area of your leg or arm that’s swollen or hurts may be warmer than usual.
  • Skin that’s red or discolored.
  • The veins near your skin’s surface may be larger than normal.
  • Abdominal pain or flank pain (when blood clots affect the veins deep inside your abdomen).
  • Severe headache (usually of sudden onset) and/or seizures (when blood clots affect the veins of your brain).
  • Some people don’t know they have a DVT until the clot moves from their leg or arm and travels to their lung. Symptoms of acute PE include chest pain, shortness of breath, cough with blood, lightheadedness and fainting.

It’s important to call your doctor right away or go to the emergency room if you have symptoms of a DVT. Don’t wait to see if your symptoms go away. Get treatment right away to prevent serious complications.

What causes deep vein thrombosis?

These conditions can increase your risk of a deep vein thrombosis:

  • Having an inherited (genetic) condition increases your risk of blood clots.
  • Having cancer and some of its treatments (chemotherapy).
  • Having a history of deep vein thrombosis in yourself or your family.
  • Having limited blood flow in a deep vein because of an injury, surgery or immobilization.
  • Not moving for long periods of time, like sitting for a long time on trips in a car, truck, bus, train or airplane or being immobile after surgery or a serious injury.
  • Being pregnant or having recently delivered a baby.
  • Being older than 40 (although a DVT can affect people of any age).
  • Having overweight/obesity.
  • Having an autoimmune disease, like lupus, vasculitis or inflammatory bowel disease.
  • Using tobacco products.
  • Having varicose veins.
  • Taking birth control pills or hormone therapy.
  • Having a central venous catheter or pacemaker.
  • Having COVID-19.