For most people, walking or taking care of some housework are fine right after you find out you have DVT. It's also OK right after a pulmonary embolism. Your doctor may prescribe a blood thinner -- they may call it an anticoagulant -- and compression stockings.
Following a DVT, your leg may be swollen, tender, red, or hot to the touch. These symptoms should improve over time, and exercise often helps. Walking and exercise are safe to do, but be sure to listen to your body to avoid overexertion.
Exercise does not speed up clot dissolution. You can immediately resume exercise once pain and swelling improve. Mild to moderate activity after a DVT in the leg will not increase your risk of dislodging the clot to the lungs.
It takes about 3 to 6 months for a blood clot to go away. During this time, there are things you can do to relieve symptoms. Elevate your leg to reduce swelling. Talk to your doctor about using compression stockings.
Your goal is to walk for 30 to 45 minutes, 5 to 7 days per week. A resource for patients developed by the North American Thrombosis Forum. were prescribed medication to treat your DVT, such as an anticoagulant, please be sure to take your medication as directed.
Yes—The cramping sensations and pain that occur with DVT will persist and even worsen with time. Stretching or “walking it off” like an ordinary charley horse will not ease DVT pain or clear it up.
DON'T stand or sit in one spot for a long time. DON'T wear clothing that restricts blood flow in your legs. DON'T smoke. DON'T participate in contact sports when taking blood thinners because you're at risk of bleeding from trauma.
Does blood clot pain come and go? Unlike the pain from a charley horse that usually goes away after stretching or with rest, the pain from a blood clot does not go away and usually gets worse with time.
For years, if you had a DVT, your doctor would order bed rest. This was thought to lower the risk of a clot traveling through your bloodstream to your lungs. But recent research suggests that bed rest doesn't help people with DVT and that it may be fine for you to get up and move around.
The Importance of Exercise if You Have DVT
Studies show that exercise also can improve symptoms of DVT, including swelling, discomfort, and redness. Physical activity can also make you feel more energized. If you have DVT, being active is especially important for your legs. That's where blood clots usually form.
Drinking plenty of water can help dissolve blood clots as it helps keep the blood thin and flowing smoothly. Drinking at least eight glasses of water a day is recommended to help prevent blood clots from forming.
Duplex ultrasonography is an imaging test that uses sound waves to look at the flow of blood in the veins. It can detect blockages or blood clots in the deep veins. It is the standard imaging test to diagnose DVT. A D-dimer blood test measures a substance in the blood that is released when a clot breaks up.
Blood clots do go away on their own, as the body naturally breaks down and absorbs the clot over weeks to months. Depending on the location of the blood clot, it can be dangerous and you may need treatment.
Elevate your legs above the level of your heart.
Elevate your legs when you sit or lie down, as often as you can. This will help decrease swelling and pain. Prop your legs on pillows or blankets to keep them elevated comfortably.
It's important to call your doctor right away or go to the emergency room if you have symptoms of a DVT. Don't wait to see if your symptoms go away. Get treatment right away to prevent serious complications.
They include sudden shortness of breath, chest pain while breathing in or coughing, rapid breathing, rapid pulse, feeling faint or fainting, and coughing up blood. Postphlebitic syndrome. Damage to the veins from the blood clot reduces blood flow in the affected areas.
Signs that you may have a blood clot
leg pain or discomfort that may feel like a pulled muscle, tightness, cramping or soreness. swelling in the affected leg. redness or discoloration of the sore spot. the affected area feeling warm to the touch.
This evaluation, known as Homan's Test, consists of laying flat on your back and extending the knee in the suspected leg. Have a friend or family member raise the extended leg to 10 degrees, then have them squeeze the calf. If there's deep pain in the calf, it may be indicative of DVT.
New leg pain — such as a calf cramp or charley horse — could signal a blood clot in the leg. But if the pain only lasts for a few seconds and doesn't come back, it's probably not a blood clot. “Blood clot symptoms don't come and go quickly,” says Dr. Tran.
Stay Hydrated
Dehydration contributes to the development of sluggish blood flow and blood clots. NYU Langone doctors advise drinking 8 to 10 8-ounce glasses of water each day for optimal blood flow. It's especially important to do this when your mobility is limited for long periods, such as while traveling.
throbbing pain in 1 leg (rarely both legs), usually in the calf or thigh, when walking or standing up. swelling in 1 leg (rarely both legs) warm skin around the painful area. red or darkened skin around the painful area – this may be harder to see on brown or black skin.
Anticoagulants, such as heparin, warfarin, dabigatran, apixaban, and rivaroxaban, are medications that thin the blood and help to dissolve blood clots.