Signs and symptoms of deep vein thrombosis

Deep vein thrombosis (DVT) occurs when a blood clot (thrombus) forms in one or more deep veins in your body, usually in the legs. Deep vein thrombosis can cause leg pain or swelling, but may be asymptomatic.

• Symptoms of deep vein thrombosis
• Causes of deep vein thrombosis
• Risk factors
• Complications of DVT
• Prevention of thrombosis

DVT may be associated with diseases that affect the blood clotting process. A blood clot in your legs can also form if you have not moved for a long time, such as after surgery or an accident. But walking over extremely long distances can lead to the formation of blood clots.

Deep vein thrombosis is a serious condition because blood clots in your veins can travel through your bloodstream and become lodged in your lungs, blocking blood flow (pulmonary embolism). However, pulmonary embolism can occur without evidence of DVT.

When DVT and pulmonary embolism occur at the same time, it is called venous thromboembolism (VTE).

Symptoms

Signs and symptoms of DVT:

• Swelling of the affected leg. In rare cases, swelling appears in both legs.
• Leg pain. The pain often begins in the calf and may feel like cramping or soreness.
• Red or discolored skin on the leg.
• Feeling of warmth in the affected leg.

Deep vein thrombosis may occur without noticeable symptoms.

When to see a doctor

If you have signs or symptoms of DVT, contact your doctor.

If you develop signs or symptoms of pulmonary embolism (PE), a life-threatening complication of deep vein thrombosis, get emergency medical help.

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Warning signs and symptoms of pulmonary embolism include:

• Sudden shortness of breath
• Chest pain or discomfort that gets worse with deep breathing or coughing.
• Feeling dizzy or dizzy or faint
• Rapid pulse
• Rapid breathing
• Coughing up blood

Do you suspect deep vein thrombosis? Contact the professionals.

Diagnostics

Orthopedic traumatologists are often involved in determining the cause of hand swelling. If indicated, patients are referred to surgeons, rheumatologists, vascular surgeons, and other specialists. The diagnosis is made based on the results of the following procedures:

• Questioning, physical examination
  . The specialist determines the circumstances and time of swelling, identifies other symptoms, and monitors the dynamics of the disease. Evaluates the localization, prevalence, severity of edema, range of motion in joints, color, density, tissue temperature.
• Radiography
  . Prescribed for injuries, joint diseases, and some purulent processes. Allows you to confirm the presence of fragments or displacement of the articular ends of the bone, inflammatory and degenerative changes.
• Ultrasonography.
  It is carried out to confirm thrombosis, determine the condition of venous and lymphatic vessels, and assess the prevalence of purulent processes.
• Other imaging techniques
  . In doubtful cases, MRI is performed for a detailed study of soft tissues, and for the study of hard structures.
• Laboratory research
  . Tests help detect signs of inflammation, markers of rheumatic diseases, and renal dysfunction.

Pressotherapy of hands

Risk factors

Many factors can increase your risk of developing DVT, which include:

• Age. At age 60, the risk of DVT increases, although it can happen at any age.
• Sitting for long periods of time, such as while driving or flying. When your legs remain motionless for several hours, your calf muscles do not contract. Muscle contractions promote blood circulation.
• Prolonged bed rest, such as during a long hospital stay or paralysis. Blood clots can form in the calves if the calf muscles are not used for a long time.
• Trauma or surgery. Injury to the veins or surgery may increase the risk of blood clots.
• Pregnancy. Pregnancy increases pressure in the veins of the pelvis and legs. Women with an inherited bleeding disorder are at particular risk. The risk of blood clots from pregnancy can last up to six weeks after the baby is born.
• Birth control pills (oral contraceptives) or hormone replacement therapy. Both factors can increase the blood's ability to clot.
• Exposure to drugs or chemicals. Certain drugs can cause blood clots. Consult your physician before use.
• Overweight or obese. Excess weight increases pressure in the veins of the pelvis and legs.
• Smoking. Smoking affects clotting and circulation, which may increase the risk of DVT.
• Cancer. Some forms of cancer increase levels of substances in the blood that cause blood clotting. Some forms of cancer treatment also increase the risk of blood clots.
• Heart failure. Increases the risk of developing deep vein thrombosis and pulmonary embolism. Because people with heart failure have limited heart and lung function, symptoms caused by even a small pulmonary embolism are more noticeable.
• Inflammatory bowel diseases. Bowel diseases such as Crohn's disease or ulcerative colitis increase the risk of DVT.
• Personal or family history of DVT or PE. If you or someone in your family has had one or both of these, you may be at greater risk of developing DVT.
• Genetics. Some people inherit genetic risk factors or disorders, such as factor V Leiden, that make their blood clot more easily. The hereditary disease itself may not cause blood clots unless it is combined with one or more other risk factors.
• Risk factor unknown. Sometimes a blood clot in a vein can occur without an obvious underlying risk factor. This is called unprovoked VTE.

Diabetes

Diabetes mellitus disrupts all metabolic processes in the body. A malfunction of the endocrine system manifests itself in skin itching. The skin, as one of the human organs, also reacts to various negative processes in the body. Elasticity decreases, dryness, peeling, and slight swelling appear. The result of scratching the epidermis can be infectious, viral and fungal diseases.

Read also: Leg is swollen and hurts: what is the reason?

Treatment for a condition in which the hands become swollen and itchy due to diabetes mellitus is to normalize blood sugar levels. Swelling and itching will go away as symptoms.

Complications

Complications of DVT may include:

• Pulmonary embolism (PE). PE is a potentially life-threatening complication associated with DVT. This occurs when a blood vessel in your lung is blocked by a blood clot that travels to the lung from another part of your body, usually your leg. If you have signs and symptoms of PE, it is important to seek medical help immediately. Sudden shortness of breath, chest pain when inhaling or coughing, rapid breathing, rapid pulse, feeling weak or faint, and coughing up blood may occur with PE.
• Postphlebitic syndrome. Damage to the veins by a blood clot reduces blood flow to the affected areas, causing leg pain and swelling, skin discoloration, and skin ulcers.
• Complications of treatment. Complications may arise from blood thinners used to treat DVT. Bleeding is a side effect of anticoagulants. It is important to have regular blood tests when taking these medications.

Internal pathological processes

Kidney diseases

Various kidney diseases of inflammatory and non-inflammatory etiology lead to swelling of the extremities.

Diseases of the cardiovascular system

Heart disease also causes swelling. Associated symptoms, in addition to swelling of the palms, are increased blood pressure, general weakness, and shortness of breath.

Liver diseases, malfunction of the endocrine system, poor circulation, all these pathological processes in the body can cause local and general edema. In almost 100% of cases, itching is not a symptom of these diseases. But only a specialist can accurately diagnose and prescribe the correct treatment.

Prevention

Measures to prevent deep vein thrombosis include the following:

• Don't sit still. If you have had surgery or were on bed rest for other reasons, try to get back to work as soon as possible. If you sit for any period of time, do not cross your legs as this can block blood flow. If you are traveling long distances by car, stop every hour or so and take a walk. If you're on an airplane, stand or walk occasionally. If you can't do this, stretch your shins. Do some exercises. Try raising and lowering your heels while keeping your toes on the floor, then lifting your toes while pressing your heels into the floor.
• Do not smoke. Smoking increases the risk of developing DVT.
• Do exercises and control your weight. Obesity is a risk factor for DVT. Regular exercise reduces the risk of blood clots, which is especially important for people who sit a lot or travel frequently.

Allergy

Are your hands swollen and itchy? Most likely, this condition was triggered by contact with an allergen. Also, in addition to the fact that the hands may become swollen and itchy, accompanying symptoms will be a change in the color of the skin (redness) and various rashes on the skin of the hands. In this case, there is a complete absence of any pain in the affected limbs.

The most common allergens that cause swelling and itching:

• Decorative cosmetics, hygiene products (cream, soap),
• Household chemicals (washing powder, detergent),
• Medicines,
• Food (citrus fruits, seafood, eggs, honey),
• Animal fur,
• Pollen from various plants.

Analyze, perhaps the day before you tried some exotic fruit for the first time or applied a new cream. Maybe they didn’t take care of their hands while cleaning and used cleaning products without gloves. It is necessary to identify the allergen and completely stop contact with it.

An allergic reaction on the hands most often occurs in people prone to such reactions. Also, studies conducted by many scientists have proven that allergies are transmitted genetically. That is, if your parents suffered from this illness, it is highly likely that this will happen to you too.

Allergy treatment

1. Determine the allergen that provoked this condition and eliminate it.
2. Applying a cold compress will help make the affected area less itchy and reduce swelling.
3. Apply topically or orally an antihistamine (Loratadine, Suprastin, Diazolin).

Treatment

Pre-hospital assistance

General recommendations include placing the limb in an elevated position. In case of traumatic injuries, the arm should be fixed with a splint or bandage, cold should be applied, and the victim should be given an anesthetic. For joint diseases, local medications with analgesic and anti-inflammatory effects can be used. The presence of rapidly growing swelling and intense pain is grounds for immediate contact with a specialist.

Conservative therapy

In case of injuries, the injury site is anesthetized, the arm is straightened or reduced, and a plaster cast is applied. For burns and frostbite, dressings are performed. The treatment regimen for diseases accompanied by hand swelling may include the following methods:

• Protective mode
  . The patient is advised to limit the load on the arm. Orthopedic devices are used according to indications.
• NSAIDs
  . They are used for joint diseases in the form of topical agents, tablets or injections. Reduce the severity of pain. Eliminate inflammation and, as a result, swelling of the hands.
• Glucocorticoids
  . Blockades with hormonal drugs are performed for joint damage. Indications are intense pain, active inflammatory process, which is not relieved by other medications.
• Vascular agents
  . Angioprotectors, phlebotonics and antispasmodics are recommended for diseases of the veins and lymphatic vessels.
• Physiotherapy
  . To reduce pain, relieve inflammation, and improve blood circulation, medicinal electrophoresis, magnetic therapy, laser therapy, UHF, mud therapy, and lymphatic drainage massage are prescribed.
• Physiotherapy
  . Special exercise therapy complexes are used during the rehabilitation period after injuries, and for diseases of blood vessels and joints. Therapeutic exercise is supplemented with massage and manual therapy.

Surgery

Taking into account the characteristics of the pathology that causes swelling of the hands, the following surgical interventions can be performed:

• Injuries
  : osteosynthesis of the humerus or forearm bones, open reduction of dislocations of the shoulder and elbow joint, opening of hematomas, excision of areas of necrosis during frostbite, plastic surgery for burns.
• Infectious processes
  : opening of felon, boil, carbuncle, abscess or phlegmon, arthrotomy, sequestrectomy.
• Joint diseases
  : arthroplasty, arthrodesis, endoprosthetics.
• Vascular pathologies
  : regional thrombolysis for venous thrombosis, tunneling for lymphedema, lymphovenous shunting.

After operations, painkillers are prescribed, antibiotic therapy is carried out, and rehabilitation measures are carried out using physiotherapeutic techniques.