Identifying the Signs of Blood Clots: When to Seek Medical Attention
Do you know the signs of blood clots? If not, you need to know about them to get emergency help. A blood clot is a blockage that happens in either a vein or an artery which blocks the blood flow and increases the risk of life-threatening complications. Learn the signs of blood clots when you should seek medical help in this article. Get a consultation with the best cardiologists in Brooklyn.
Signs of blood clots
Blood clots mostly occur in areas with tiny blood vessels where blockages are possible. It includes your lungs, brain, neck, belly, heart, legs, and arms. Here are the most common symptoms that occur for each location, including:
- Blood clots symptoms in the brain:
85% of strokes happen due to blood clots in the brain because these clots can travel to the brain from other parts of the body or block blood vessels in the brain. When this happens, blood can’t transfer oxygen to your brain, resulting in hypoxia. If brain tissue doesn’t get oxygen for a long time, it leads to severe symptoms and even death. You may experience these symptoms if you have a blood clot in the brain:
- Numbness or weakness in the arm, face, and leg, especially on one side of the body.
- Slurred speech.
- Difficulty speaking or understanding others.
- Face muscle drooping and lack of control on one side of the face.
- Confusion, disorientation, or not being able to respond well.
- Sudden behavioral changes such as increased agitation.
- Vision problems such as not being able to see clearly in one or both eyes with blackened vision or blurred, or double vision.
- Difficulty walking and loss of balance or coordination.
- Sudden headache without a known cause.
- Nausea and vomiting.
If any of these symptoms appear and disappear suddenly, you should seek immediate medical help.
- Blood clot in the heart:
When a blood clot happens in an artery, it will cut off blood flow to the heart which causes a heart attack. When you develop clots in the arteries that send blood to the heart, it’s called coronary artery thrombosis. These clots generally happen when fatty plaque in the heart arteries breaks off and leads to blood clot formation, which blocks blood flow and the oxygen and nutrients they carry for heart tissue, leading to heart attack. You may experience symptoms like:
- Chest pain or discomfort
- Difficulty breathing
- Dizziness or passing out
- Pain in the arm, neck, back, or jaw.
- Sweating
- Nausea and vomiting
- Shortness of breath
- Lightheadedness
If you have some of these symptoms, then you should seek immediate medical help.
- Blood clot in the lungs:
When a blood clot happens in the lungs, it’s called a pulmonary embolism (PE). This blood clot happens deep in the veins of the legs and can break free and move to the arteries in the lungs, which prevents blood flow. This is a medical emergency, so you should be mindful of those symptoms. PE symptoms may include:
- Sharp chest pain and surrounding areas like jaw, neck, shoulder, back, or arm.
- Breathing problems like having pain when you breathe, or sudden shortness of breath even when you haven’t
- Palpitations or fast heart rate.
- Coughing up blood.
- Blood clot in the arms or legs:
The most common place for a blood clot to happen is in the deep veins of the leg, which is known as deep vein thrombosis (DVT). When blood clots form in the leg or arm, it may cause various symptoms, including:
- Skin becomes redder or darker than other areas.
- Swelling due to fluid buildup.
- A warm sensation to the touch.
Mostly one leg or arm is affected by blood clots, not both. Your symptoms’ severity depends on the size of the clot. That’s why some symptoms only cause minor calf swelling without major pain. If the clot is large, your entire leg will become swollen and cause extensive pain. An arterial clot in the leg or arm may cause other symptoms, including:
- Skin appears pale and cold to touch in the affected area compared to other areas.
- Weakness and inability to move the affected part.
- Numbness or tingling, and sometimes with pain.
- Blisters, wounds, or sores.
- Decreased or no pulse in your arm or leg.
- Necrosis, or tissue death.
- Skin sloughing is when skin falls away from the tissue underneath.
- Blood clot in the belly (abdomen):
When blood clots develop in the abdomen it may affect many organs, so your symptoms can vary. Blood clots in the abdomen can happen in arteries or veins and may cause symptoms like:
- Severe abdominal pain, especially after eating.
- Bloating, nausea, and vomiting.
- Bloody diarrhea.
- Abdominal fluid accumulation, known as ascites.
- Abdominal pain that comes and goes.
These symptoms can indicate blood clots but also develop with other conditions. So, to find the underlying cause, doctors perform imaging tests to confirm the diagnosis.
When to seek medical attention
You should seek medical attention if you think you may have a blood clot or notice symptoms like throbbing, cramping, or swelling in one part of the body.
Blood clots can happen in any vein or artery, however, they mostly occur in small veins in certain body parts, like the heart, brain, arms, or legs. If a blood clot is not treated on time, it can lead to life-threatening complications. So, you should know about the symptoms and recognize them to get immediate help.
If you need help with blood clots or heart problems, visit our cardiology clinic in Brooklyn to get professional medical help. Call us to book your appointment now!!!
The Cardiologists at Doral Health & Wellness consistently have outstanding patient satisfaction ratings. The professionals at Heart Specialist Brooklyn are able to greatly improve their patient’s health and quality of life because of their vast training and experience. New Yorkers can get the greatest medical, surgical, and cardiovascular care at Doral Health & Wellness Brooklyn. Visit us at 1797 Pitkin Avenue, Brooklyn, NY 11212. You can reach us at +1(347) 384-5690 to schedule a consultation.