Sunday, May 1, 2011

Blood Clot in Leg

Blood clots in leg causes pain and swelling of the leg. But, blood clot symptoms usually go unnoticed till they assume gigantic proportions.

Facts About Blood Clot in the Leg
A blood clot is formed as a defense mechanism in the body, when there is a damage to the blood vessel. The clot is formed so that the damaged area can be sealed with the clot, thus preventing the flow of blood. When this clot moves away from the damaged area, it becomes dangerous to the vital organs. If a blood clot moves to the heart or to the brain, it can cause heart attacks, strokes, etc. Sometimes blindness is also associated by these clots, as they block the supply of blood to the eyes. The clots formed in the thighs have a tendency to break away and move to the other parts of the body than the clots formed in the calf.

A clot is normally formed among the deep veins in the leg around the calf area or the pelvis. The clot has the capacity of spreading to other parts of the body. In rare conditions, a clot can form in the thighs or arms as well. The innermost veins are covered by a layer of muscle. These veins are located at the center of the leg. Deep vein thrombosis is at times confused with blood clotting that is noticed on the superficial veins located on the topmost layer of the skin. However, the clotting of blood in the superficial veins is not as dangerous as deep vein blood clotting.

Blood Clot in Leg Symptoms
Most of the times, the small clots do not produce any kind of symptoms. Over a period of time, the body defense mechanism is able to breakdown these clots without leaving any long-term effects.

The large clots are the dangerous clots, as they partially or completely block the supply of blood. The symptoms of the large clots are enumerated here:

There is a noticeable change in the skin color. Usually the skin color changes to red.
Swelling of the affected leg is the most common symptom of blood clot in the leg.
It becomes difficult to stand erect or put weight on the affected area due to pain and tenderness. This condition restricts one's daily movements as well.
Another symptom of blood clot in the leg is that, the skin feels either hot or warm when touched.
Tightness or pain in the thighs can also be caused by blood clots. The pain is usually noticed while walking.
At times, the veins on the surface of the skin are widened due to the clots.

Causes of Blood Clot in Leg
Blood clots in the leg are most commonly caused due to sitting for long periods at a stretch. Dick Cheney, the former Vice-President of the United States of America, suffered from deep vein thrombosis due to extensive air travel during his visit to Afghanistan, Pakistan and Australia. Sitting on long haul flights was said to be the reason for the blood clot. Similarly, sitting for long periods during car travel can also lead to the formation of a blood clot.

Prolonged illness resulting in bed rest or immobility due to injury can also lead to the formation of a blood clot. Trauma to the lower body can also be responsible for clot formation. Blood clots after surgery, such as orthopedic, gynecologic, etc. are also common.

Obesity is said to be one of the triggering factors for the formation of a clot. Blood clots can also be formed due to a person's advanced age. Climbing high altitudes, use of birth control pills, cancer, etc. are some of the other causes of blood clots in the leg.

There are number of reasons for the formation of a blood clot in leg. It is important not to neglect any of the symptoms as the clots can be fatal.

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