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Blood clots, whatever their location of inception be, are threatening for life. Blood clot in leg, often a condition medically termed as Deep Vein Thrombosis (DVT) is a very serious problem that should be tended to without any prolonging or delay. If you are faced with any kind of inflammation, bluish tint on the external outlook on any parts of the legs or arms along with tenderness in the area, it is time to consult a doctor and get rid of the risk factors of a blood clot in legs.
- What are Blood Clot in Legs
- What Do Blood Clots in Leg Feel Like?
- What Causes Blood Clot in Legs?
- Signs and Symptoms of Blood Clot in Legs
- How to Treat Blood Clot in Leg?
- Blood Clot in Leg Treatment at Home
- Diet for Blood Clots in Legs Treatment
- Blood Clot in Legs During Pregnancy
What are Blood Clot in Legs?
Blood clot in legs, can occur due to accidents or bumping into an object but having one out of nowhere with no occurrence to back it up is a serious issue that one needs to look into. This condition, is often termed as Deep Vein Thrombosis and is explained as an embedded blood clot found in one of the primary deep veins located in the legs or arms.
This kind of formation of blood clot in the leg often results in restriction of the blood circulation from the lower part of the body back to the heart which can be very fatal in the long haul. These blood clots often result in the formation of inflammation in the area which is known as thrombophlebitis. The signs of a blood clot in leg should be immediately recognised and not neglected for this can often restrict the smooth blood circulation.
What Do Blood Clots in Leg Feel Like?
As the signs and symptoms often times coincide with that of a normal muscle cramp or pull, it is hard to sometimes distinguish between the two. But, the significant time frame is sometimes one of the most important indicator of whether or not the blood clot in your leg is a normal condition or Deep Vein Thrombosis.
When it comes to explaining how a blood clot in leg actually feels like, the answer will more or less skirt around the common terms of pain, inflammation and tenderness around the affected area. Many people who have experienced this kind of condition have explained they started off thinking the pain was due to a muscle pull or cramp but when the pain didn’t go down even after keeping the leg elevated for an hour or so, they found the possible alternative, which is DVT.
The pain is often localised to the area of the leg that is affected and in most cases, only visible in one leg which is one of the major blood clot in leg symptoms. It is always advised to be wary of such conditions if you have just undergone any major surgery or under birth control pills.
What Causes Blood Clot in Legs?
Blood clot in legs can occur due to a number of reasons and it is necessary to look out for every little blood clot in leg symptoms to help heal it before its too late. Since the list of causes is quite a bit long, we have categorised them based on the special causes along with the common causes to make it easier for you to grasp and understand.
1. Common Causes:
The list of common causes for the blood clot in leg include:
- Prolonged sitting, like that in the bus and flight journeys often restricts the smooth flow of blood in the body which can necessarily cause blood clot in the leg
- Complete immobility due to any trauma or accident
- Obesity or uncontrolled weight can also contribute to the formation of blood clot
- Usage of estrogen induced birth control pills
- Ageing is yet another major contributing factor to this
- Pregnancy or even postnatal stages sometimes show blood clot symptoms, especially in the legs
2. Chronic and Special Causes
Some of the primary chronic and severe causes for DVT include:
- Any kind of damage or impact to the blood vessels in the legs often cause interior lesion which, in turn, result in the formation of blood clot
- Irregularities in the pressure of the blood flow throughout the body. Partial restriction or complete blockage in the blood circulation often times result in the formation of clots
- Hypercoagulability is yet another medical condition where the blood is more likely to clot than deemed normal
- Vasculitis or Varicose veins which often alter the blood flow in and out of the veins in the body.
Signs and Symptoms of Blood Clot in Legs
Much like we mentioned in the second sub-heading, blood clots in leg or otherwise denoted as Deep Vein Thrombosis is characterised by a number of specific signs and symptoms which need to be assessed and treated carefully to avoid any fatal damage to one’s health. These symptoms are characterised by the restriction of blood flow in the affected area of the clot.
The major signs and symptoms of a blood clot in leg or DVT include:
- Swelling and inflammation in the area adjoining the blood clot
Persistent pain in and around the clot, especially in the entirety of the affected leg - Redness around the area is also a characteristic sign of the possible blood clot in the area
- Feeling of warmth in the periphery of the blood clot is definitely a red alert in terms of a
- Formation of a blood clot in the leg
- Discolouration near the clot, especially in either a bluish or a whitish colour
- Leg cramps
Even after administering the medicines and such, there are chances that the symptoms of blood clot on the leg might last for as long as six months depending on the severity of the situation. If it it being treated in the initial stage, it is most likely not going to take much time but if it is the advanced stage, it would need precision with the outcomes and that sure takes months to heal.
How to Treat Blood Clot in Leg?
Persistent presence and formation of blood clots in leg often leads to formation of DVT which can often be a very fatal condition for the people. There are a number of blood clot in leg treatment which have successful cured and completely healed the person off the condition. The only catch is to diagnose the symptoms at the correct time and treat them accordingly. Apart from the conventional method of treatment, there are a number of natural remedies for blood clot in leg which actually work wonders without imposing any kind of side-effect.
In order to seek professional help regarding the issue, it is always best to reach out to your general physician first and get the suspicions about DVT clarified following which the blood clot will further be treated by a doctor who has an expertise in the field of thrombosis, specifically a hematologist.
1. Blood Thinners – Traditional Treatment
Blood clots are primarily formed either due to prohibited blood circulation or coagulation of the blood at certain areas. This kind of condition is easily treated with the anti-coagulants or otherwise known as blood thinners. On administering the medicine, the first dosage, which is often given intravenously, simply thins out the blood within minutes of injecting. The second dosage is given in an oral form which takes around 5 days to administer its effects on the body.
2. Newly Introduced Drugs
Drugs like warfarin which has been used for quite some time now comes with a few downsides which is why the advancing medical sciences have introduced some of the newer drugs for the treatment of this ailment. Some of the more popularly replacement blood thinners that have made their way to the market include rivaroxaban, edoxaban etc.
3. Treatment with Clot Busters
Clot busters are sort of used as the last requisite if none of the pre administered drugs work or fails to dissolve the clot in the blood. These clot busters often have a number of side effects which is why they are not readily used and kept as the last resort if everything else fails.
Blood Clot in Leg Treatment at Home
Home remedies account for one of the safest yet effective methods of treatment of diseases. Blood clot in the leg, often termed as Deep Vein Thrombosis is not oblivious to this claim. There are a number of natural remedies for blood clots in legs that work wonders in treating the cause from the root itself. If you have been looking for easy yet effective home remedies to treat that pain in your leg caused because of the blood clot, then you have come to just the right place.
Some of the best blood clot for leg treatment at home include:
How to Dissolve Blood Clots in Legs
1. Aspirin
Platelets are the components in our blood that are primarily responsible for the clotting. The action of platelets information of clogs is normal when there is a cut or wound but uncontrolled action of it is what results in the formation of the blood clot in the body. The Aspirin therapy helps in preventing any over the exaggerative clumping action of the platelet which could often even lead to heart attacks because of restricted blood flow to the heart owing to the blood clots.
2. Ginger
Aside from being a wonderful spice, ginger has an amazing contributing factor to the treatment of a number of health issues. Much like the mode of action of aspirin, even ginger helps in thinning the blood which prevents it from either coagulating or clotting. It smoothens out the circulation of the blood without any kind of side effects.
Experts suggest to either chew ginger on its own or enjoy its benefits by mixing it in with tea can have beneficial effects on the body.
3. Garlic
If you didn’t know already, garlic is vividly known around for promoting easy circulation of blood in the body. This is one of the primary preventive measures for a blood clot in legs. Garlic is rich in anti-thrombotic properties which helps prevention of unnecessary thrombosis in the body which causes the ghastly blood clots that are sometimes even life-threatening if not treated at the right time.
Experts suggest eating one clove of raw garlic every morning to imbibe the benefits that it impacts on the health of a person.
4. Cayenne Pepper
So, when your mom told you that eating peppers is good for health even if they are hot, she didn’t lie. Reports suggest that cayenne peppers have a great impact on people suffering from DVT. It helps by thinning out the blood and the constituent capsaicin helps in a smoother circulation of blood. That is not all though because it further aids in maintaining the blood pressure and prevents the accumulation of cholesterol in the blood which is often the primary reason for the formation of blood clot in leg.
5. Turmeric
Turmeric is one of the pivotal ingredients in the field of alternative medicines. It has time and time proved its significance and the same is handed down to the treatment of blood clot in leg as well. Turmeric has anti-inflammatory and anti-coagulating properties which help in ensuring that the blood stays in a flowing consistency and doesn’t coagulate. The compound, curcumin, present in the turmeric has profound anti-coagulating properties which helps in unrestricted blood circulation.
6. Folic Acid (Vitamin B9)
The consumption of folic acid for the treatment of blood clot in leg has significantly become popular. Homocysteine is a compound that often causes an issue with the blood circulation in the body (R). Folic acid has been found to cure this issue with ease where it reduces the percentage of the blood clot in the leg by a whopping 25% which considerably is a lot (R).
Get Folic Acid (Vitamin B9) here
7. Epsom Salt
Epsom salt is not just beneficial for you to get a supple and soft skin. This special bath salt has a number of other benefits, prevention of hardening of the arteries and other blood vessels being one of the primary ones. This salt not just aids in proper circulation of blood by maintenance of the blood vessels, it also helps in ensuring better heart health by increasing the elasticity of the arteries and preventing any kind of blood clot formation.
Get Epsom Salt here
8. Green Tea
Green tea is not just a great source of anti-oxidant, it also helps in prevention of blood clot in the body. The special chemical compound, rutin, which is primarily found in green tea helps blocking the function of the enzyme responsible for the clotting of the blood. Although the process of action is still a maze and hasn’t been cleared yet by the scientists, it is for sure that this can effectively help cure any signs and symptoms related to blood clot in legs.
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9. Vitamin E
While you definitely want to avoid Vitamin K if you suffer from hypercoagulating of the blood, Vitamin E can, on the other hand, be your best friend. Vitamin E rich foods like walnuts, spinach, kiwis etc have a non-coagulating property which is what helps them with the risk factors for blood clots in legs. This is a great home remedy for people suffering from Deep Vein Thrombosis.
Get Vitamin E here
Diet for Blood Clots in Legs Treatment
Diet plays one of the most important parts in the treatment of blood clots in the leg. It is primarily the improper diet and the unhealthy lifestyle we lead that hampers the overall well being of ours. Having a set and healthy diet incorporating some of the above mentioned compounds can definitely help in the prevention of the onslaught of events that come along with the clotting of the blood in the legs.
Some of the food and diet plans that can help prevent vein thrombosis include:
- Adequate consumption of water often leads to dehydration which, in turn, results in thickening the blood that later takes shape of clots (R). It is thus very important to stay hydrated without fail and the best advise is to at least drink 2 liters of water every single day without fail.
- Lightly sip of red wine from time to time. Does this sound a bit surprising? Well, several studies and researchers have shown that the presence of flavonoids in the red wine helps in prevention of blood clot (R). It is best to consume it from time to time in permissible amounts to help better the situation of a blood clot in the leg.
- As mentioned above, garlic and ginger are two other food components that has anti-coagulating properties and helps keep the blood in motion without clotting it. It also has blood thinning properties which definitely adds to the popular ways to get rid of the blood clots in legs.
- The phenols that are found in olive oil have profound impacts in getting rid of the blood clots in the body. This aids by minimising the blood clot promoter in the body which then ensures to keep the stream of blood circulation smooth and unaffected.
Blood Clot in Legs During Pregnancy
Blood clot during pregnancy might be a recurring happening if suitable measures aren’t administered. It is not always the blood clot that causes the problem but the persistence and location. A blood clot in legs during pregnancy mostly affects one of the legs which is either swollen or pains to move. There are often chances that the clot might travel to the vital organs and obstruct the proper functioning of it which is very fatal not just for the mother but for the baby as well.
There are chances of formation of blood clot in the placenta as well which is often times a lot threatening for the baby’s life. If there are any visible signs of thrombosis in the body while you are pregnant, it is always advised to get to checked thoroughly otherwise there are chances of possible obstruction in the blood circulation which can be very fatal to a pregnant woman’s and her baby’s health.
A blood clot in legs or Deep Vein Thrombosis is a serious issue which should be tended to with seriousness. Taking or treating it lightly can often inflict ghastly effects on one’s health which is why it is best to either contact a professional or even follow the diet based including the above mentioned remedies.
