Not to be brushed off or ignored, blood clots can be quite painful and block major blood vessels, which can cause a heart attack or stroke and if left untreated, possibly death.
Blood clots can form if you don't move around a lot. You may also get a blood clot if you:
- Have had recent surgery.
- Are 65 or older.
- Take hormones, especially for birth control. (Ask your doctor about this).
- Have had cancer or are being treated for it.
- Have broken a bone (hip, pelvis, or leg).
- Have a bad bump or bruise.
- Are obese.
- Are confined to bed or a chair much of the time.
- Have had a stroke or are paralyzed.
- Have a special port the doctor put in your body to give you medicine.
- Have varicose (VAR-e-kos) or bad veins.
- Have heart trouble.
- Have had a blood clot before.
- Have a family member who has had a blood clot.
- Have taken a long trip (more than an hour) in a car, airplane, bus, or train.
Here are five ways you can prevent them from happening:
1. Get up and move.
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Do not stand or sit for more than an hour at a time. If you travel a lot or if your job requires you to be stuck at a desk for long periods at a time, get up every hour and walk around for a few minutes to get your blood flowing.
2. Know the side effects of your meds.
If you’re on the Pill, you’re at a higher risk for developing deep vein thrombosis (DVT). Other risk factors include pregnancy, certain cancers (lung, pancreatic, and ovarian cancers), heart disease, obesity, major surgery, and a family history of blood clots.
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3. Stop harmful activities.
That means quitting smoking, eating less processed foods, drinking lots of water, and making sure you take a visit to the doctor every now and again.
4. Know the symptoms.
It’s important to pay attention to what your body is trying to tell you. Swelling (usually in one leg), shortness of breath, chest pain, unexplained sweating, fatigue, and persistent leg pain are all symptoms of a blood clot.
5. See your doctor
Once you hit a particular age, your doctor may recommend that you start wearing compression stockings – they help circulate the blood in your legs – and/or taking a blood-thinning medication.
