Vein Thrombosis Symptoms

Deep vein thrombosis is a very common condition seen predominantly in persons over the age of 40. On its own, deep vein thrombosis is not a major concern, however, complication that arise from it such as pulmonary embolisms are an extremely high health risk going as far as resulting in death, depending on the extent of the blockage.

When blood thickens and clumps together, it forms blood clots. In deep vein thrombosis, these blood clots develop in any of the deep lying veins in the human body. Most commonly formed in the veins in the lower leg or thigh. These blood clots, at this stage of the condition, are not very harmful and might cause a little irritation at most. However, when these clots break off and travel through the bloodstream, they have the ability to cause sever complications for the patient. While there is a possibility of the same kind of clots developing in the veins closer to the surface of the skin, these clots have a much lower health risk as they do not break off and hence are unlikely to cause any further complications. When a blood clot breaks off from the deep lying veins and flow through the blood stream, they could possibly enter the heart and travel, with the blood toward the lungs. A blood clot that has broken off and travels independently in the bloodstream is known as an embolus. The blood vessels in the lungs are known as pulmonary arteries. Hence, when an embolus enters the pulmonary arteries it can cause a blockage in the artery. This condition is known as a Pulmonary Embolism. The blockage will stop blood from entering that part of the lung, and will eventually cause that area of the lungs to die due to the lack of blood.

Pulmonary Vein Thrombosis

Pulmonary embolisms are a huge health risk arising from a complication of a deep vein thrombosis and studies have shown that close to 650,000 people die from this condition every year in the United States.

Symptoms to identify if a person is suffering from deep vein thrombosis include, but are not limited to a gradual onset of pain, swelling in the area where the blood clot exists, a redness coloration on the affected area, Cramps in the leg – most commonly at night, an acute leg pain when the foot is bent. However, close to 50% of individuals who suffer from this condition show no symptoms at all.