Table of ContentsView AllTable of ContentsWhere They FormVisible SignsInvisible SignsLowering the RiskSeeking Medical Care
Table of ContentsView All
View All
Table of Contents
Where They Form
Visible Signs
Invisible Signs
Lowering the Risk
Seeking Medical Care
A blood clot in your leg, calleddeep veinthrombosis(DVT), can have severe outcomes if it remains without treatment. Getting a prompt diagnosis and the right care can reduce your risk of having severe problems.
You may not be aware you have a blood clot in your leg. In many cases, physical symptoms are dismissed as minor or a result of aging. Some blood clots may form with invisible symptoms or none at all. You may not discover you have a blood clot until it causes severe problems.
Knowing the signs of a blood clot in the leg can help you determine when treatment may be necessary. This article describes what to look for if you are at risk of a blood clot in the leg, the effects of hidden symptoms, and when to seek treatment.
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Where Blood Clots Form on Legs
The most common place for a blood clot to form in the legs is in the large deepveinsin your lower leg, thigh, or pelvis. These veins are the main blood vessels that return blood to your heart.
Blood clots form when an incident such as an injury or surgery to your hips or legs causes damage to the lining of a blood vessel to make it narrow. Blood clots can also develop if the makeup of your blood changes so it does not flow freely and clots form more easily.
A blood clot in your leg is dangerous because there is the risk of a piece of the blood clot breaking free. If this occurs, the clot can travel through your bloodstream and block the blood flow to your lungs. This severe problem, called apulmonary embolism, requires prompt treatment to avoid death.
When the leg blood clot stays in place, it can cause a condition calledpost-thrombotic syndrome. It causes permanent damage to the valves in the veins in your leg, resulting in pain, swelling, and leg sores.
Risk Factors for a Blood Clot in Your LegHaving the following risk factors can increase your chances of having a blood clot in your leg:Family history of blood clotsAdvanced ageProlonged immobility due to illness, injury, prolonged travel, or lifestyleDehydrationfrom not drinking enough waterSmokingHaving obesityTakinghormonesinhormonal birth controlpills or postmenopausalhormone replacement therapy (HRT)Certain medical conditions that cause chronic inflammation such asdiabetes,cancer,hypertension(high blood pressure), orhigh cholesterolRecent surgery or physical traumaPregnancy
Risk Factors for a Blood Clot in Your Leg
Having the following risk factors can increase your chances of having a blood clot in your leg:Family history of blood clotsAdvanced ageProlonged immobility due to illness, injury, prolonged travel, or lifestyleDehydrationfrom not drinking enough waterSmokingHaving obesityTakinghormonesinhormonal birth controlpills or postmenopausalhormone replacement therapy (HRT)Certain medical conditions that cause chronic inflammation such asdiabetes,cancer,hypertension(high blood pressure), orhigh cholesterolRecent surgery or physical traumaPregnancy
Having the following risk factors can increase your chances of having a blood clot in your leg:
Physical and Visible Signs of a Blood Clot in the Leg
Physical and visible signs of a blood clot typically appear only on the affected leg. If you have symptoms that only occur on one side or limb while the unaffected limb remains normal, it is a strong indication that the problem is likely a blood clot.
You can feel a blood clot in your leg due to the pressure of obstructed blood building up behind the clot. The obstruction causes reduced blood flow and lower levels of oxygen available to your organs and tissues.
Symptoms of a blood clot in your leg include:
How Different Types of Blood Clots Feel
Invisible Signs of a Blood Clot in Leg
Since the deep veins of the leg are not visible through your skin, a blood clot in your leg can be invisible.
About 30%–40% of leg blood clots go unnoticed because they do not cause typical symptoms. Some people do not know they have this condition until it advances to a pulmonary embolism and causes serious problems.
If you have leg pain, your healthcare provider will use one or more of the following tests todiagnose a blood clot in your leg:
Lowering the Risk of Getting Leg Blood Clots
Lowering the risk of leg blood clotsinvolves addressing the modifiable risk factors (risk factors that you can change) for this disorder. This often involves making lifestyle changes that offset the effects of limited movement, recent surgery, or advanced age.
The following strategies could lower your risk of getting a blood clot in your leg:
Anticoagulants
If you have a high risk of developing a blood clot in your leg or have an existing one, your healthcare provider may prescribe ananticoagulant. These medications, also called blood thinners, work on your blood’s clotting factors to prevent new clots from forming and current clots from increasing in size. Anticoagulant treatment is the standard initial treatment for a leg blood clot.
The most common anticoagulants used to prevent or treat a blood clot in a leg include the following:
Intravenous (IV) and injectable anticoagulants:
Oral anticoagulants:
What Is Deep Vein Thrombosis?
Contact a Healthcare Provider If You’re Unsure
Contact your healthcare provider if you’re unsure about symptoms that may indicate the presence of a blood clot in your leg. It can be hard to distinguish the leg pain of a blood clot from other conditions. Signs and symptoms of a blood clot in your leg can often be confused with a muscle injury,cellulitis(a bacterial skin infection), or inflammation.
If you have had recent surgery, it is important to follow your post-op instructions to reduce your risk of a blood clot in your leg. Your instructions may include the following guidelines:
Do not delay if you experience the following symptoms of a pulmonary embolism. This is a life-threatening condition. Call 911 or get immediate emergency care if you have any of the following symptoms:
Summary
A blood clot in your leg is a serious problem. Knowing the signs of a blood clot in your leg can help you get a prompt diagnosis and begin treatment early. Do not dismiss leg pain or swelling if you have risk factors for a blood clot in the leg.
The right treatment can help prevent the clot from growing. It can also reduce the risk of a piece of the clot breaking off and blocking the blood flow to your lungs. If the blood clot remains intact, treatment can help avoid long-term damage to the veins in your legs.
If you are at risk of a blood clot in your leg, consult your healthcare provider for any leg or calf pain. Get emergency care if you have symptoms of a pulmonary embolism, which can be fatal if left untreated.
13 SourcesVerywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.NIH News in Health.How to spot and prevent deep vein thrombosis.Cedars-Sinai.Pulmonary embolism: finding the hidden threat.National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute.Venous thromboembolism: deep vein thrombosis (DVT).Harvard Health Publishing Harvard Medical School.Top causes of blood clots in the legs and how to avoid them.American Academy of Orthopedic Surgeons.Deep vein thrombosis.North American Thrombosis Forum (NATF).What are symptoms of a blood clot?Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.Venous thromboembolism (blood clots).National Blood Clot Alliance.Blood clot risks and what you can do.National Blood Clot Alliance.What is the initial treatment of DVT?Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality.Blood thinner pills: your guide to using them safely.Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.Venous thromboembolism (blood clots): diagnosis and treatment.Saint Luke’s.Preventing deep vein thrombosis after surgery.American Lung Association.Pulmonary embolism symptoms and diagnosis.
13 Sources
Verywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.NIH News in Health.How to spot and prevent deep vein thrombosis.Cedars-Sinai.Pulmonary embolism: finding the hidden threat.National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute.Venous thromboembolism: deep vein thrombosis (DVT).Harvard Health Publishing Harvard Medical School.Top causes of blood clots in the legs and how to avoid them.American Academy of Orthopedic Surgeons.Deep vein thrombosis.North American Thrombosis Forum (NATF).What are symptoms of a blood clot?Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.Venous thromboembolism (blood clots).National Blood Clot Alliance.Blood clot risks and what you can do.National Blood Clot Alliance.What is the initial treatment of DVT?Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality.Blood thinner pills: your guide to using them safely.Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.Venous thromboembolism (blood clots): diagnosis and treatment.Saint Luke’s.Preventing deep vein thrombosis after surgery.American Lung Association.Pulmonary embolism symptoms and diagnosis.
Verywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.
NIH News in Health.How to spot and prevent deep vein thrombosis.Cedars-Sinai.Pulmonary embolism: finding the hidden threat.National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute.Venous thromboembolism: deep vein thrombosis (DVT).Harvard Health Publishing Harvard Medical School.Top causes of blood clots in the legs and how to avoid them.American Academy of Orthopedic Surgeons.Deep vein thrombosis.North American Thrombosis Forum (NATF).What are symptoms of a blood clot?Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.Venous thromboembolism (blood clots).National Blood Clot Alliance.Blood clot risks and what you can do.National Blood Clot Alliance.What is the initial treatment of DVT?Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality.Blood thinner pills: your guide to using them safely.Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.Venous thromboembolism (blood clots): diagnosis and treatment.Saint Luke’s.Preventing deep vein thrombosis after surgery.American Lung Association.Pulmonary embolism symptoms and diagnosis.
NIH News in Health.How to spot and prevent deep vein thrombosis.
Cedars-Sinai.Pulmonary embolism: finding the hidden threat.
National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute.Venous thromboembolism: deep vein thrombosis (DVT).
Harvard Health Publishing Harvard Medical School.Top causes of blood clots in the legs and how to avoid them.
American Academy of Orthopedic Surgeons.Deep vein thrombosis.
North American Thrombosis Forum (NATF).What are symptoms of a blood clot?
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.Venous thromboembolism (blood clots).
National Blood Clot Alliance.Blood clot risks and what you can do.
National Blood Clot Alliance.What is the initial treatment of DVT?
Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality.Blood thinner pills: your guide to using them safely.
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.Venous thromboembolism (blood clots): diagnosis and treatment.
Saint Luke’s.Preventing deep vein thrombosis after surgery.
American Lung Association.Pulmonary embolism symptoms and diagnosis.
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