How to Prevent Deep Vein Thrombosis?
Deep vein thrombosis (DVT) is the formation of blood clots within the body’s deep veins. These clots are composed of platelets, fibrin, and red blood cells, and they can break off and travel to the lungs, where they may cause pulmonary embolism, a condition that can be fatal if left untreated. DVT develops when blood flow slows in the deep veins due to certain factors, such as injury or surgery, illness, extended bed rest, or sitting on an airplane for hours on end.
Know the Warning Signs
Deep vein thrombosis (DVT) is a dangerous condition in which blood clots form in deep veins, usually in your legs. These clots can break loose and travel through your body. If that happens, they can block blood flow to vital organs—most often your lungs—which could be fatal. The most common warning sign of DVT is swelling or pain in one leg. If you experience any symptoms of DVT, see a doctor immediately so you can get tested for it. Also keep an eye out for other possible signs of DVT like chest pain or pressure, coughing up blood, back pain, and more.
Avoid Wearing Compression Stockings
Compression stockings work by reducing leg swelling, which helps blood flow. If you’re sitting for long periods of time or are confined to bed, it’s a good idea to wear compression stockings. But if you’re exercising regularly and staying on your feet, don’t bother with them—they could actually contribute to DVT development. Compression stockings put pressure on your veins and can cause blood clots by obstructing your lymphatic system. And if you suffer from varicose veins, think twice before putting on compression gear—you risk developing even more dangerous blood clots when wearing them.
Get Up and Move Around
Traveling is great, but sitting on a plane or car for long periods of time can increase your risk of developing blood clots in your legs. Veins that are compressed—like those in your legs—can form clots when you sit still for too long. That’s why you need to get up every hour or so and walk around during a long trip, especially if you’re planning on doing a lot of flying or driving. Take some time to do calf stretches: Stand with one leg on a step and place both hands against it for support. Step up onto one foot and then bring it back down; repeat with the other leg 10 times each. You should feel your calves work when doing these exercises. Do them often!
Don’t Stay in Bed for Long Periods of Time
If you’re on bed rest for a prolonged period of time, your blood can begin to clot. That clot is called deep vein thrombosis (DVT). This isn’t something that happens overnight, though; it takes about two weeks for DVT to develop after you’ve spent an extended period of time in bed. It's not always easy, but try and get up and move around as much as possible. If you have some sort of home care visit plan or someone checking in on you frequently, talk with them about whether they think it would be safe for you to get out of bed more often or not—you don't want to further injure yourself while trying to do what's best for your body.
Eat a Nutritious Diet
The number one risk factor for deep vein thrombosis is obesity. Your risk of developing blood clots increases substantially when you're obese. Even if you’re otherwise healthy, carrying around too much weight can harm your circulation and increase your odds of suffering a clot. If you need to lose weight, be sure it’s done safely under a doctor's supervision, since rapid weight loss is linked with higher risks of complications like heart attack and stroke. Losing 10 percent of your body weight will help cut down on health risks without having any adverse effects on your metabolism or energy levels.
Maintain a Healthy Weight
It’s important to maintain a healthy weight if you want to stay free of blood clots or even prevent blood clots from developing in your body. It may sound obvious, but research suggests that being overweight increases your risk of blood clots and that losing excess pounds is often enough to restore normal blood flow. But there are other key factors as well, including smoking cessation and exercise; not only do these help reduce your risk of developing a clot, but they also increase overall circulation.
Exercise Regularly
Physical activity helps reduce your risk of developing a blood clot. That’s because it makes your blood flow more quickly, and when there’s less time for a clot to form, it’s less likely that one will. The movement also increases circulation in your lower body, which can help break up existing clots and keep new ones from forming. In fact, even doing things like standing for long periods at work or sitting for extended periods of time can increase your risk of developing a clot. Even if you exercise regularly without getting out of breath, it doesn’t mean you shouldn’t be concerned about clots—and experts recommend moderate exercise (like walking) rather than vigorous activity (like running) as optimal to prevent them.