Thrombophlebitis – What is it, Symptoms and Treatments!

Thrombophlebitis – What it is, Symptoms and Treatments that we should not ignore. In addition, thrombophlebitis is inflammation of a vein caused by a blood clot. It usually occurs in the legs. A blood clot is a solid formation of blood cells that clump together.

Blood clots can interfere with normal blood flow throughout the body and are considered dangerous. Thrombophlebitis can occur in veins near the surface of your skin or deeper, between muscle layers.

This condition usually occurs in your legs, but it is possible to develop thrombophlebitis in other parts of your body. Blood clots can cause the veins in your neck or arms to swell, but this is rare.

Thrombophlebitis affects the superficial veins and is a different condition from deep vein thrombosis (DVT). Symptoms of thrombophlebitis include swelling, redness and tenderness over the affected vein.

What Causes Thrombophlebitis:  A blood clot causes thrombophlebitis . Inactivity, such as being bedridden after trauma or surgery, is a major cause of blood clots. You can also develop a blood clot if you are quiet for too long, such as during a plane ride or a car ride.

Lifting, stretching and moving your feet periodically during long flights or car rides can help reduce your risk of blood clots. Movement promotes circulation, which discourages blood cells from sticking together.

You can also develop clots if you have injured your blood vessels. Trauma to the limb in question can cause injury to a vein. You can also suffer damage to a blood vessel from needles or intravenous (IV) catheters during a medical procedure. This type of injury is a less common cause of blood clots.

There are also some things that can cause your blood to clot more easily. These include:

  • Have a pacemaker;
  • Having a central venous IV line;
  • Having cancer;
  • Having an inherited condition that causes your blood to clot a lot;
  • Be pregnant;
  • being obese;
  • With varicose veins ;
  • Being on hormone therapy, including some birth control pills;
  • smoking;

What are the symptoms of thrombophlebitis:  The symptoms of thrombophlebitis depend in part on the type you have. You may experience the following symptoms near the affected area if you have any type of thrombophlebitis :

  • ache;
  • heat;
  • tenderness;
  • swelling;
  • redness;
  • Superficial thrombophlebitis sometimes causes the affected vein to become visibly thickened and red;

How is Thrombophlebitis Diagnosed? In some cases, your doctor will not need to do any major tests to identify the problem. The appearance of the area and your description of its symptoms may be enough to diagnose this condition.

If the appearance and description of the condition does not provide enough information for your doctor to make a diagnosis, they may use an imaging technique to see if a clot is present. Options include an ultrasound, sound, a CT scan and an MRI.

In other cases, your doctor may choose to perform a venogram. This involves injecting a dye into your vein that shows up on X-rays. Your doctor will then take X-ray images to see if you have a clot.

How Thrombophlebitis is Treated:  Your doctor may recommend that you manage your condition at home if you havesuperficial thrombophlebitis . They will give you instructions they can include.

  • Applying heat;
  • Wearing support stockings;
  • Keeping the limb upright;
  • Using anti-inflammatory medications such as ibuprofen (Advil, Motrin)
  • Taking antibiotics;

Your doctor may need to remove the vein if the person with superficial thrombophlebitis becomes permanently unsightly or painful, or if you have this condition in the same vein more than once.

The procedure is known as vein stripping . This type of procedure should not affect your circulation. The veins deeper in the leg can handle the increased amount of blood flow.

Patients with superficial thrombophlebitis usually do not need blood thinners. However, if the clot is near the junction of one of your deep veins , blood thinners can help reduce the risk of the superficial clot becoming DVT. If DVT is not treated, it can lead to a pulmonary embolism (PE) or a blood clot in your lungs. A PE can be fatal.

thrombophlebitis

How Can I Prevent Thrombophlebitis:  Stretching or walking regularly if you sit at a table for long periods or if you are taking a long trip in a car or plane. Sitting for a long time can lead to thrombophlebitis.

Your doctor will change your IV lines regularly if you are in the hospital. They may also give you medications to help prevent thrombophlebitis depending on your condition and other factors.

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