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A clot is a clump that is made of blood cells and also protein in the blood. A clot is still blood, but that has changed from a liquid to a semisolid state. The purpose of the formation of a clot is to help reduce the rate of bleeding when people are injured. Clotting helps to prevent people that are injured from losing an excessive amount of blood, especially when they’re injured. Usually, clots do dissolve on their own.
However, there are situations in which the blood clot doesn’t dissolve, and this could lead to the obstruction of the blood vessel. Clots that form inside one of the veins might not dissolve on its own, which can lead to a potentially life-threatening situation. A clot that isn’t moving cannot harm, but one that’s moving can be dangerous. On the other hand, a clot that breaks free and moves to other parts of the body, such as in the heart and lungs can get stuck, and prevent the free movement of blood. This usually requires urgent medical attention. This piece would focus on some of the signs you would notice if you have a blood clot.
What Are The Types Of Blood Clot?
There are 3 main types of vessels in the circulatory system, and they include the veins, arteries, and capillaries. Blood clots can develop in the veins or arteries. A clot that develops in the artery is known as an arterial clot, while that which forms in the vein is known as a venous clot. Some of the symptoms of an arterial clot involve severe pain in part affected, paralysis of the body, heart attack or a stroke. On the other hand, venous clots tend to develop over time, and can also be life-threatening. Deep vein thrombosis, is the most severe type of deep vein thrombosis.
What Problem Can It Lead To?
A clot that develops abnormally can lead to severe problems, and can even be life-threatening. A clot that forms in an artery can lead to conditions such as a heart attack, stroke, and can cause pain and swelling when it develops in a vein. A clot that forms deep in the body is referred to as deep vein thrombosis, while one that forms in the lungs is known as pulmonary embolism. These conditions require immediate medical attention.
Deep Vein Thrombosis
This is a condition in which the clot forms in one of the major veins in the body. This is more prevalent in the legs, arms, pelvis, lungs, and sometimes the brain.
There is no way to diagnose this condition without medical evaluation and test. However, there are some factors and symptoms that develop, which can help in seeking professional help.
Development Of Blood Clot In The Heart
The formation of a blood clot in the heart leads to a heart attack. Although it’s uncommon for this to happen in the heart, it still occurs. A blood clot in the heart can cause the patient to feel some heaviness in their heart. Other symptoms include lightheadedness and shortness of breath
Development Of Blood Clot In The Kidneys
This condition is also known as renal vein thrombosis, and the clot associated with this condition usually develops slowly and found mostly in adults. People affected with this condition typically don’t present with any symptom until the clot dislodges into the lungs. People affected with this might notice blood in their urine, and also urinate less often.
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Development Of Blood Clot In The Tummy
A blood clot in the tummy usually doesn’t present with any symptom. However, clots in the veins in the stomach or esophagus can rip and leak blood. This may cause people to vomit blood.
What Are The Factors Associated With The Abnormal Formation Of Clots?
There are a lot of things that could trigger the formation of clots. It can situations such as an injury to the bones or muscles. There are also cases in which people are not aware of how they developed a clot. Below are some of the things that increase the chances of developing a clot:
- Recovering from a surgery or having to sit for long hours on a flight or in a wheelchair.
- Individuals that are obese or overweight have a high chance of developing a clot.
- People that are above the age of 60.
- Individuals with a history of diabetes or a high level of cholesterol in their blood.
What Are The Signs Of Blood Clot?
There are some things you might notice if you have developed a blood clot. Some of the signs include the following:
- Swelling: One of the first things you would notice when you have a blood clot is that the affected part of the body would swell up. This occurs because the clot has stopped the flow of blood. In a situation where the lower leg is affected, the patient might develop deep vein thrombosis, as explained above. However, clots can also develop in the arms and in the tummy. Even after the clot has been removed, patients might still have swelling and in some cases, pain and sores due to the damage to the blood vessel.
- Color of the skin: One of the signs you might also notice is that the color of the affected part of the body would change. This happens especially when there is a clot in the veins or legs. The color of the leg might look bluish or reddish. In addition, a clot in the lung could make the sin pale, bluish, and clammy.
- Pain: One of the common signs of the blood clot is that affected individuals may experience pain in the area blocked by a clot. In cases where the clot is lodged in the arm, the patient might feel pain, and if the clot is in the heart, affected persons would feel the pain in the chest area.
- Another sign of blood clot, especially when it concerns the lung or heart is that the patient may have difficulty breathing. This may cause their hearts to race. Other conditions that might be associated with this include sweatiness or fainting.
References
How much of the world do you need for meaningful clinical trials?. (2011). European Heart Journal, 32(24), pp.3057-3063.
Slattery, M. (1996). How Much Physical Activity Do We Need to Maintain Health and Prevent Disease? Different Diseases-Different Mechanisms. Research Quarterly for Exercise and Sport, 67(2), pp.209-212.
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