‘I am a venous surgeon – listed below are three pink flag indicators of blood clots to identify’
Blood clots are a double-edged sword. On the one hand, they kind in response to bleeding.
On the opposite hand, they will spell the onset of grave cardiovascular problems, particularly once they kind in your veins, often known as deep vein thrombosis.
Deep vein thrombosis (DVT) could be critical as soon as the clots that reside in your veins break free.
The gel-like clumps can then journey by your bloodstream and get caught, blocking your blood circulate.
This is usually a recipe for life-threatening issues, requiring pressing medical consideration, the NHS warns.
Fortunately, Professor Mark Whiteley, Founder and Consultant Venous Surgeon from The Whiteley Clinic, shared the pink flag indicators to be careful for with Express.co.uk.
The skilled advisable being cautious of the next signs:
- Painful calf
- Swelling
- Discolouration in legs.
The precise signs would possibly rely upon the place of the blood clot, in keeping with Professor Whiteley.
He stated: “If the clot is in the lower leg, then the classic symptom is a painful calf, particularly when trying to stand on tiptoes.
“The discomfort can be sudden but is more likely to progress over a few hours to a day. There may be a bit of swelling.
“If the clot is above the knee, then there is usually a generalised ache of the leg, particularly the calf.
“If the clot completely blocks the vein, then there can be quite significant swelling of the ankle and lower leg.”
He added that the entire leg can swell and even flip darkish blue in additional “extreme” circumstances.
Once you discover these signs, it’s essential to have an “urgent medical review in A&E”, the professor suggested.
“As deep vein thrombosis can get bigger, and there is a risk of clot breaking off and reaching the lung, which is potentially fatal, this is [considered] a medical emergency.”
The NHS additionally notes that the gel-like clumps have to be handled “immediately”.