Stay Hydrated Dehydration contributes to the development of sluggish blood flow and blood clots.
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.
Don't: Eat the Wrong Foods
So you have to be careful about the amounts of kale, spinach, Brussels sprouts, chard, or collard or mustard greens you eat. Green tea, cranberry juice, and alcohol can affect blood thinners, too.
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.
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.
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.
Natural Ways to Treat Blood Clots
Eat natural pineapple or take a nutritional supplement with bromelain. Increase your intake of other foods and drinks that may help dissolve blood clots such as garlic, kiwi, kale, spinach, red wine, and grape juice. Drink more water. Increase your exercise.
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.
It usually takes about 3 months to treat a DVT. If you aren't likely to have another one, you may be able to stop taking blood thinners at that point. People whose chances are higher may need to stay on them for years. Talk with your doctor about what's best for you.
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.
While many blood clots dissolve with the help of blood thinners, some dangerous clots require fast-acting clot-busting medications called thrombolytics. Because thrombolytics can cause severe bleeding, doctors usually give them only to people with large, severe clots that increase risk of pulmonary embolism.
Blood thinners are medicines that prevent blood clots from forming. They do not break up clots that you already have. But they can stop those clots from getting bigger. It's important to treat blood clots, because clots in your blood vessels and heart can cause heart attacks, strokes, and blockages.
As the blood clot worsens, the skin around it often becomes red or discolored and feels warm to the touch.
Thrombolytic Therapy Dissolves Blood Clots.
Thrombolytics - medicine that dissolves blood clots. Catheter-directed thrombolysis - a procedure in which a long tube, called a catheter, is surgically inserted and directed toward the blood clot where it delivers clot-dissolving medication.
Dehydration, a condition in which your body doesn't have enough fluids. This condition causes blood vessels to narrow and blood to thicken, raising risk for blood clots. Organ transplants and implanted devices, such as central venous catheters and dialysis shunts.
If you are currently being treated for DVT, do not massage your legs. Massage could cause the clot to break loose. If you are scheduled for surgery, ask your surgeon what you can do to help prevent blood clots after surgery. Stop smoking.
The skin around painful areas or in the arm or leg with the DVT may feel warmer than other skin. Trouble breathing. If this happens, it could mean that the clot has moved from your arm or leg to your lungs.
As keeping blood moving to all areas of the body helps prevent blood clot formation, simple movements and stretches can help reduce the risk for deep vein thrombosis, allowing for healthy habits during work from home periods.
According to the Society for Vascular Surgery, after a blood clot forms, the risk of further problems or complications is highest during the first 7 days. If people need to travel after experiencing a blood clot, they may need to wait a few weeks. A doctor can help decide when it is safe to travel again.