Every year approximately thirty-five thousand Americans are diagnosed with deep vein thrombosis (DVT). Even though it is a condition that is very common, if it is not diagnosed and managed early, it increases the risk of you developing other serious health conditions like pulmonary embolism. Therefore, El Paso deep vein thrombosis is treated and managed by an experienced team that specializes in the treatment of deep vein thrombosis.
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What Is Deep Vein Thrombosis?
Deep vein thrombosis is a very serious medical condition that causes blood clots to form in the deep vein found in your body. In most cases, it is a condition that does not always present with noticeable symptoms making it hard to realize that you might be at risk. Therefore if it is not treated, it increases your risk of suffering from premature death. If the clot breaks loose, it travels via the bloodstream into your lungs hence cutting off the flow of blood completely.
What Are the Signs of Deep Vein Thrombosis?
The most common signs and symptoms of deep vein thrombosis are leg swelling, a feeling of warmth, leg pain, discolored or red skin. If you begin experiencing any symptoms of DVT, it is essential to seek medical care urgently because the earlier you receive the diagnosis the better, for you can improve your circulation and health.
Do Certain Factors Increase Your Risk of Having DVT?
Some of the factors that can increase the risk of DVT are experiencing an injury on one or multiple leg veins, a blood clotting disorder, and prolonged bed rest. You are also at risk of developing DVT if you are overweight, a smoker, or using oral contraceptives.
How Is Deep Vein Thrombosis Diagnosed?
In most cases, for the care providers to diagnose DVT, they usually carry out a review of your medical history and enquire about your lifestyle or symptoms. Thereafter, he performs a physical examination where he feels your legs for any tenderness or swelling and also looks for signs of skin discoloration or redness. In case the doctors figure out that you might be at risk of having a blood clot, he requests an ultrasound which is a diagnostic imaging test that involves the use of high-frequency sound waves to capture pictures of soft tissues in your body. It is a test that pinpoints blood clots on your vein early before breaking off and causes an embolism.
How Is Deep Vein Thrombosis Treated?
Generally, the treatment of deep vein thrombosis varies depending on the risk of your blood clot breaking free, getting into your lungs, and the severity of your symptoms. Therefore the health care specialist may recommend a combination of both prescription medication and healthy lifestyle changes. Therefore you can benefit from the following vena cava filter, blood thinners, compression stockings, or clot-busting medication. However, during the treatment, you are encouraged to be physically active because the more you exercise and move, the easier it makes it for blood to circulate as it is supposed.
In a nutshell, if you are concerned about your risk of developing DVT, you are encouraged to visit the i-Vascular center for more information on how you can manage deep vein thrombosis before it complicates pulmonary embolism.