Venous thrombosis, which can be deep or at the surface depending on the venous system involved, is an abnormal blood clotting in a vein, especially in the legs.
Coagulation is a physiological and fundamental phenomenon for our organism. However, when it occurs at the wrong time and place, the blood forms a clot, the so-called thrombus. Deep or superficial venous thrombosis is thus an established pathology that can have even serious consequences, such as pulmonary embolism.
What are the symptoms of venous thrombosis? Dr. Corrado Lodigiani, Head of the Centre for Hemorrhagic Diseases and Thrombosis in Humanitas, spoke about this in an interview with Corriere della Sera.
Heaviness, swelling and pain
“The limb affected by deep venous thrombosis becomes heavier. The affected subject suffers from a feeling of heaviness that is usually associated with an increase in the volume of the limb itself. Both arms and legs may be affected by the formation of a thrombus, but the legs are more at risk due to the stagnation of the blood that tends to accumulate at the extremities due to the effect of gravity during the upright position.
In addition to swelling and heaviness there may be pain of varying intensity. It is an equivocal symptom because it resembles a cramp, joint or muscular pain attributed to a possible unfamiliar trauma. The individual may experience mild or very intense pain, which is rarely unbearable: in this case the thrombus extension is such as to cause a compression of the artery and a reduced inflow of blood into the periphery with a consequent risk of surgical intervention to avoid tissue necrosis,” explains Dr Lodigiani.
Here is why you should not underestimate the symptoms
Thrombosis can also occur with more superficial symptoms, as Dr. Lodigiani explains: “The skin can be reddened, sometimes becoming a dark brownish color, in association with a feeling of intense warmth.
Different symptoms may or may not appear at the same time. The important thing to know is how to recognize them and, therefore, not to underestimate them. Otherwise, the situation may deteriorate in hours or days. Deep venous thrombosis can evolve and result in pulmonary embolism over this period of time. If you experience these symptoms, it is essential to go to First Aid to confirm the clinical suspicion and to be able to set up a lifesaving therapy as soon as possible “.
What is pulmonary embolism?
Pulmonary embolism is a lung infarction, Dr. Lodigiani explains: “The evolution into embolism is not inevitable, but more than 80% of the events of deep venous thrombosis become complicated and become pulmonary embolism. Today it is almost considered the same condition so much that it is called pulmonary thromboembolism. Pulmonary embolism can be silent, i.e. without symptoms, a phenomenon that is not so rare, especially in patients with other pathologies and symptoms. Its most frequent symptoms are piercing pain, described as a stab in the chest; an alteration of breathing, perceived as a sudden “hunger for air”; a dry cough or cough with catarrh mixed with blood, more or less abundant; and finally heart palpitations with acceleration of the heartbeat. Pulmonary embolism can also lead to syncope and loss of consciousness and even be a fatal event. If not treated promptly and especially properly, pulmonary embolism can become complicated in the following months or years with a very severe form of heart failure called chronic pulmonary heart disease”.
