7 Symptoms of Blood Clots

Blood clotting is the body's natural response when the skin has been broken or a muscle has been injured. A clot is essentially blood that takes on a semi-solid or solid state and is not as fluid as usual. In the case of broken skin, the blood will congeal on the surface of the cut to protect the bloodstream from infection from outside sources. Dark bruises occur when the blood clots around internal tissues that have been injured.Usually a clot will dissipate on its own as the injury heals. Problems occur when blood clots do not fully liquefy and begin to travel through the veins and arteries. If a clot is large enough, it can become lodged in a smaller vein or artery and cause a blockage that will not allow blood to travel through that part of the cardiovascular system. The result is that any organs or bodily systems on the other side of the blockage are starved for the oxygen and nutrients they usually receive from the bloodstream.

1. Leg pain

The most common type of blood clots happen in the deeper veins of the legs, known as deep vein thrombosis. These clots are not readily apparent on the surface of your skin, but they can cause unexpected leg pain if they are present long enough. The pain people experience is not always the same. Some clots can cause sharp, stabbing pain. Others can cause a throbbing ache. The pain is often described as similar to a muscle cramp or a charley horse that does not go away after a few minutes. The leg may also become tender and hurt when it is touched.Because it is more likely you will have a blood clot in just one leg rather than in both legs, pain that is localized in one leg is a good indication that a clot might be present. If the pain persists after treating the area with ice or elevating your leg to reduce swelling, you should visit a doctor to make sure there are no clots present. The danger with deep vein thrombosis is that larger blood clots might break up into smaller pieces and travel through the bloodstream where they could lodge in the heart, brain, or lungs and cause serious damage or even death.Next