Blood clotting is a necessity when it comes to the normal functioning of a body. When you cut or injure yourself, clotting is essential to prevent you from losing too much blood. But, what happens if blood clots inside a vein or an artery? It could cause a medical emergency if it ever reaches your heart and lungs (pulmonary embolism).
A clot that forms inside a vein is called a venous clot and such clots could build up over time. Deep vein thrombosis or DVT is a serious form of venous clots. An arterial clot is one that is formed inside the artery. This sort of clot requires immediate treatment as it could lead to a heart attack or stroke.
Symptoms
The symptoms that indicate a blood clot can come right out of the blue and clots in different parts of the body have different symptoms.
Symptoms of blood clot in the leg
If a major vein in your body suffers from a blood clot it is called a deep vein thrombosis or DVT. Most common in the hip and leg area, these clots can be a serious threat to your health as they could break lose and travel to your lung or heart. Signs of such a clot are redness, feelings of warmness in that part of the leg, swelling, tenderness and pain.
Symptoms of blood clot in the chest
A clot in the arteries of the heart can block blood flow and cause a heart attack, while a blood clot in the lungs can cause pulmonary embolism (PE). Symptoms can include sharp pains in the chest that worsen with each breath; rapid heart rate and shortness of breath.
Blood clot in the stomach
Such a blood clot is called a mesenteric venous thrombosis and can cause internal damage. Symptoms include abdominal pain that worsens after eating, bloating and vomiting.
Blood clot in the brain
Blood clots that have formed in the heart chambers or within the carotid arteries can travel to the brain and cause a stroke. Symptoms include numbness on one side of the body; difficulty in seeing, speaking and walking.
While a blood clot can happen to anyone there is an at-risk demographic and that is:
- People who are obese
- Over the age of 60
- Those suffering from chronic inflammatory disease
- Smokers
- Women on oral contraceptives
- Pregnant women
- Someone with atrial fibrillation
- Persons with cirrhosis
- Cancer patients
This is not an exhaustive at-risk list, blood clots can also happen to someone who sits for a prolonged period of time, someone on bed rest and even someone who has a family history of blood clotting issues.
Diagnosis
Diagnosing a blood clot correctly is crucial, time-sensitive and can be done in many ways. A doctor will recommend one or more of the following tests to determine if you have a venous or arterial blood clot.
D-Dimer Blood Test- This test works to detect if there is an abnormal level of clotting activity in the bloodstream. It helps doctors diagnose whether the issue is deep vein thrombosis or pulmonary embolism.
Ultrasound – This process uses sound waves to create pictures of blood flowing through the affected area. With this, the doctor can find the source of the clot.
Venography – When an Ultrasound is unable to find the clot, this method may be used. An X-ray of the leg is taken after dye has been injected into a vein, making the vein and any clots visible.
CT Scan – This sort of test is very accurate in confirming if a stroke is the result of an embolism or thrombus. It is one of the first test performed in case of a stroke.
MRI Scan – MRI’s are more difficult to perform than CT Scans but can be used to detect clots within blood vessels.
Echocardiography – These tests are most often used to diagnose blood clots in patients who have had an artery affected because of an embolism.
If immobile, blood clots, do not pose a threat and if they dissolve on their own are not cause for concern. But when they occur in main veins is when you need to consult a licensed medical practitioner and take immediate action.
