1. Difficulty breathing
2. Faster than normal or irregular heartbeat
3. Chest pain or discomfort, which usually worsens with a deep breath or coughing
4. Anxiety
5. Coughing up blood
6. Lightheadedness, or fainting
Can I Do Anything To Prevent Blood Clots?
You can lower your risk for blood clots by getting up and walking around during your flights every hour. This will improve blood circulation throughout your legs, and flush out any small clots that may be forming.
You can also do stretches and move around plenty before you board a long flight to improve blood flow throughout your body. And generally, leading a healthy lifestyle with balanced meals and regular activity about 5 days a week can keep you from being at risk for blood clots.
Check out the video below from Sharita Jennings, founder of Get Fit Like That , for some stretches to improve your blood circulation before and even during your flight.
Sharita Jennings is a fitness and travel enthusiast and creator of Get Fit Like That, LLC. She is a health policy attorney and ACE certified group fitness instructor and fitness nutrition specialist. She provides online fitness plans and leads group fitness classes in Washington DC. Check out her fitness tips and workouts at GetFitLikeThat.com.