HOLIDAY TRAVEL AND BLOOD CLOTS
Despite the recession, many of you will be traveling over the upcoming season. Time to take some precautions my friends. They call this the economy class syndrome, because of the cramped legroom in economy class.
No matter if you go by air or car, sitting still for a long time makes it riskier for you to get a deep vein blood clot, DVT (deep vein thrombosis). It is usually in the calf and sometimes the thigh.
WHAT SYMPTOMS WILL YOU NOTICE WITH DVT?
Sometimes these clots are silent, but most result in a swollen painful calf. If this clot breaks off and shoots to the lung, you may have chest pain. A pulmonary embolism occurs and it can give you the same pain as in a heart attack. You might be short of breath and even cough up blood. Yell and get to any emergency room pronto.
PREVENTIVE THINGS TO DO
If you have a connecting flight with long hours of waiting between flights you must keep moving your legs to keep the blood flowing. Walk when possible to let the muscles of the legs squeeze the veins and move blood to the heart. On any long flight periodically move and stretch your legs.
You might go to any medical supply store and get some compression stockings if you have a long flight. At least don’t wear sock with tight elastic bands at the top. And please don’t sit with your legs crossed for long periods of time, as this constricts the veins.
Coffee before a flight and alcohol on the flight can contribute to dehydration. Better to drink plenty of fluids. Dehydration narrows the blood vessels and thickens the blood. When driving, stop every couple of hours and walk a bit at a rest area. Even if you are the driver, pushing on the gas pedal isn’t enough activity.
DVT FACTS
Clots in the legs that travel to the lungs cause ninety percent of pulmonary embolism. Ten percent of the time you die. We see more than 600,000 cases a year, so it is not rare. People die within an hour after symptoms START.
Your chances of getting one doubles for every 10 years after 60. Chances also increase if you have varicose veins, are pregnant, overweight, are taking hormones or birth control pills, or have had cancer treatment.
Blood thinners, called anticoagulants, are the treatment, but they will not dissolve the clots already formed. They will keep them from growing and prevent new ones from forming.
Reduce your risk of getting DVT or a blood clot to your lungs by taking these simple precautions. Above all, keep moving.
Your comments are always appreciated.
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2 comments:
In 2008, the paradigm for DVT treatment is changing.
The newly-published 2008 clinical guidelines for physicians from the American College of Chest Physicians (ACCP) on how to treat DVT and other forms of venous thromboembolic disease are available as a complimentary download at http://www.thenewguidelines.org
Wow…. It's a nice health tips, thanks for sharing.
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