Proactively working on prevention is perhaps the best thing that you can do to lower your risk of developing DVT. The chances of developing DVT drops significantly if you are aware of the early symptoms. Commit yourself to an annual checkup and make sure that you have shared all the health concerns which you have been facing lately with your physician. You need to be even more cautious if you have a family history of blood clotting disorders. Your risk of developing DVT increases if you have inherited any sort of blood clotting disorder. If you notice symptoms such as any new swelling in your legs or arms, any sort of pain or soreness in your arms, any redness of the skin or a warm spot on your leg, contact your physician. These symptoms should never be ignored as they may be an indication of blood clots which lead to DVT.

There are some drugs are known to increase the risk of DVT if they are not taken as directed. Make sure that you are following your doctor’s prescription directions to the letter if you have been diagnosed with a cardiovascular condition. You will be likely given blood-thinning drugs in order to prevent clotting if you are scheduled for surgery. However, when you are on such medications, it becomes very important to administer some precautions. For instance, vitamin K is known to have a negative effect on blood-thinning drugs and, therefore, experts at the Mayo Clinic advise patients to monitor their intake of vitamin K if they are taking blood thinners. Other than this, the risk of blood clots also increases because of some types of cancer treatment. Discuss your concerns regarding the prescriptions with your doctor.

Some of the other major risk factors for developing DVT are surgery or any other injury to the veins. This is mainly because of the fact that injuries can slow your blood flow. So, the sooner you get yourself moving safely after a surgery or illness, the better it will be for you. You can lower your risk of developing post-surgical clots by getting out of bed and stimulating blood flow in your legs, hands and throughout your body. Make sure that you are carefully following the doctor’s orders after a leg injury. Injuries such as ankle sprains damage the tissues in the legs which significantly increase the risk of getting DVT. Take rest, elevation, and heat as prescribed by your doctor.

The risk for having DVT also increases if you are sitting for extended periods of time in train, bus, car, or airplane. Therefore, if you are on a long trip, it is always suggested to get up and walk around at least once every two to three hours so that your muscles get an opportunity to stretch. Wear loose fitting clothing and socks during long trips so that the circulation of blood to your lower extremities is not hindered. You can even consider wearing compression stockings while traveling or when you have to stand or sit for extended periods of time. During a long trip, try to change your positions regularly as this also helps in keeping the blood circulating freely. Proper circulation of blood throughout your body decreases the odds of swelling which happens because of fluid retention.

It is very important to maintain a healthy weight because those extra pounds can put an added pressure on the veins in your pelvis and legs. This becomes even more important if you are already at risk for DVT. If you are more than 10 to 20 lbs. overweight, then it’s time to work on it. Talk to your doctor about making improvements in your diet if you are overweight or obese. We will even suggest you to start following a fitness regime. Not only will it keep you healthy and fit, but also you can shed off those extra pounds. Plan your diet chart with the help of a dietitian.

Everyone is aware of the fact that uncontrolled high blood pressure can lead to a number of cardiovascular complications, such as heart attack, stroke, and heart failure. All of these complications have a capacity of posing a great threat on the lives of their victims. However, not everyone is aware of the fact that not only high blood pressure leads to cardiovascular complications, but also, it is one of the major risk factors for deep vein thrombosis (DVT). It is especially critical to maintain a healthy blood pressure if you are already at risk for DVT, or if you have pulmonary embolism, or if you have a family history of DVT or other blood clotting disorders. You can maintain your blood pressure at healthy levels by keeping a few simple things in mind, such that your diet should be low in fat and carbohydrates. At the same time, it must contain good percentage of minerals, vitamins and fibers. Regular physical exercise is also very effective in controlling blood pressure.

You should be aware of the DVT symptoms so that if any situation arises, then immediate medical attention can be provided to the victim. The most common symptoms of deep vein thrombosis are pain, swelling, unusual warmth, or redness in one of the legs. However, these symptoms can even appear on your ankle, arm, foot, or neck. If you are experiencing any symptoms of DVT, alert your doctor immediately. You may be having a pulmonary embolism if you are experiencing more severe symptoms, such as shortness of breath, chest pain, or dizziness. In such cases, it becomes very important that the victim gets immediate medical attention. Always remember that preventing DVT is lot easier than treating it.

Sedentary lifestyle is not healthy for anyone, but avoiding it becomes even more important for those who are at risk for DVT, or have a genetic predisposition to clotting. The blood circulation to the extremities of the body is hindered of you are in the habit of sitting for long periods of time. This in turn increases the risk of having DVT. Obesity is another major risk factor for DVT, which is also a result of sedentary lifestyle. There are several things which you can do to keep yourself continuously moving. For instance, try to take the stairs in place of lift, do not eat lunch seated at your desk and also do not skip breaks while working in your office.

Health organizations all around the world are constantly touting the health benefits of giving up smoking. A number of studies conducted in various parts of the world have proven this opinion to be absolutely true. The American Health Association has even claimed that smoking is the most important preventable cause of premature death in the United States. Giving up smoking not only reduces your risk of cardiovascular disease, lung problems, stroke and certain cancers, but also, it may benefit those who are at the risk for DVT. The blood pressure also increases because of smoking which is another risk factor for DVT. According to the experts at the Mayo Clinic, smoking also interferes with the blood circulation and increases the tendency for the blood to clot.

The Intermittent Pneumatic Compression devices are very effective in preventing the onset of deep vein thrombosis and are usually used along with elastic compression stockings. Plastic sleeves are provided along with them, these sleeves can fit over your leg up to your knee or even up to your thigh. A machine which is capable of sequentially filling and emptying the sleeves with air is connected to the plastic sleeves by hoses. The machine exerts pressure to your ankle, calf, and thigh.

Some over-the-counter measures are also available for the prevention of deep vein thrombosis. Administration of heparin is one such pharmacological options available for the prevention of DVT. A subcutaneous injection is used for administrating heparin. The medication is injected into a layer of fat. Heparin is able to prevent blood clots because it can interfere with the normal coagulation in the blood which prevents the formation of new clots and also prevents the growth of an existing blood clot. But, we will suggest you to take heparin only after consulting your physician.