Blood clots are one of the most potentially deadly phenomena that can form undetected inside your body. Having some essential background knowledge can help you prevent or identify them early and ultimately may help save your life or someone else’s, so let’s dive in:
1. What Is a Blood Clot? What is Deep Vein Thrombosis?
- Blood clots form in your body over a long period of time when blood thickens in a manner that causes it to glob together and build into a large, semisolid mass, known as a clot.
- The clot can grow larger over time, usually staying at the point of origination—often the legs.
- Deep Vein Thrombosis (DVT) is the result of a blood clot formation in a deep vein.
- DVT has an extreme likelihood of causing a major vascular attack in your system.
- A DVT attack could manifest as thrombophlebitis – when the blood clot causes immense swelling and disrupts your circulatory system, sometimes fatally.
- DVT can also lead to a pulmonary embolism (PE), which is often fatal and occurs when part of the DVT blood clot breaks off and travels to your lung or another major organ.
2. How Common Are Blood Clots and DVT?
- The U.S. Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) Reports around 900,000 Americans are treated for DVT annually.
- Of the 900,000 Americans treated for DVT and PE annually, CDC reports more than 1 in 10 of these cases to be fatal (around 100,000 yearly deaths in the US alone as a result of blood clots).
3. Blood Clots are Preventable!
- Knowing the risk factors is the first step, and then you should take specific actions, such as:
- Proper diet
- Not smoking
- Being as physically active as possible
- Wearing thigh high compression socks (or full length compression stockings) if you meet any of the risk factors. You should wear the compression socks to help prevent blood clots if you:
- Are a pilot or flight attendant
- Work long shifts as a nurse
- You have had a blood clot, PE or DVT previously
- Have a job where you have to stand for extended periods of time
- Drive a truck or taxi for a living
- Work a desk job where you sit for extended periods of time
- Physix Gear Sport sells high-quality compression socks for men and women. Check out our store for the best compression socks for nurses, sports enthusiasts, or anyone!
- These thigh high compression socks are super affordable and look quite trendy, so you will even boost your self-esteem wearing them at work, at the gym, or anywhere else in public.
- Compression socks also can prevent or decrease general pain and swelling in your legs and feet, so this is just another added benefit to wearing them. Did we mention that compression socks help improve your blood circulation?
4. What Causes Blood Clots?
It is difficult to pinpoint the exact cause of a specific clot, but there are risk factors that dramatically increase your likelihood of having one:
- Chronic Health Conditions, especially Diabetes and Vascular Health Diseases
- Immobility
- Occupations and activities that require you to stand in one position or sit for extended periods
- Obesity
- Smoking
- Certain Surgeries
- Certain long-term medications, especially birth control pills
- Long-term lack of physical activity and aerobic exercise
Check this article out to learn more about the causes of blood clots.
5. How To Detect Blood Clots Early
These are the common signs you likely have a blood clot in your leg, which is the most common place they form. If you experience any of these symptoms, it is important you see a physician immediately:
- Extended pain or discomfort in the leg
- Swelling
- Cramp-like feeling that won’t go away
- Unexplained reddish/blue-ish discoloration of the skin
- Leg may feel unusually warm or hot when you touch it
6. How To Help
The best way to help is to spread awareness. Share this article with others, especially those you know who may be at risk. Continue to educate yourself on blood clots and DVT so you can be a better advocate for your own health and wellness as well as the betterment of others and the world around you!