Knowing the telltale symptoms of deep vein thrombosis will help you get treatment promptly and even save your life. DVT or deep vein thrombosis should not be taken lightly. It is a serious condition where a blood clot develops inside a vein located deep within your body. It usually forms in the lower leg or thigh, but it may also develop in other body parts.

When a piece of this clot suddenly breaks away and starts to travel upward towards the lungs, it can get lodged here and cause serious complications.

Why is it important to watch out for early warning signs of DVT?

An individual may not show any pulmonary embolism symptoms; however, it can be life-threatening if it happens. The primary risk factors for clot-forming are lack of mobility, a genetic tendency towards clotting, or any injury to veins and surrounding tissues. According to the CDC or Center for Disease Control and Prevention, telltale symptoms of deep vein thrombosis appear in only about 50% of the people who get this. The most noticeable and common symptoms, if they appear, are as follows.

1. Swelling
   Swelling in the ankle, foot, or leg, and usually on one side only, can be an early warning sign for DVT
2. Chronic pains
   Severe and unexplained pain in the affected ankle or foot that is affected by DVT
3. Pain in calf muscles
   Cramping pains in the affected legs usually beginning at the calf muscles
4. Skin sensitivity
   A patch of skin that starts to feel warmer when touched as compared to the skin on the surrounding areas
5. Skin discoloration
   Red and darkened skin around the affected and painful area
6. Veins
   Swollen veins that are stiff and sore when touched can be a sign that you have deep vein thrombosis.
7. DVT in upper areas
   When DVT happens in the upper extremities, like a clot in your arm, the symptoms are slightly different. You will experience symptoms like shoulder pain, neck pain, blue-tinted skin color, swelling in hand or arm, pain moving from the forearm to arm, and overall weakness in the hand.
8. Pulmonary embolism
   In case the clot dislodges itself from the area where it originated and starts moving towards the lungs, you can experience sudden breathlessness, slow breathing, accelerated heart rate, rapid breaths, chest pains when you try to breathe deeply, etc.

When you notice any of these telltale symptoms of DVT, you should consult your doctor. He will diagnose it with blood exams and then perform an ultrasound or any other imaging test like a Doppler test to confirm the diagnosis. Treatment for DVT typically includes taking blood thinner medicines or anticoagulants until your body cannot tolerate them anymore. In that situation, the doctor places a filter in the inferior vena cava. If you notice leg swelling and pain along with the following symptoms, you should call emergency services right away.

1. Sharp chest pain
2. Chest tightness
3. Rapid breathing
4. Shortness of breath
5. Pain in the arm, shoulder, jaws, or back
6. Pain every time you inhale
7. Severe lightheadedness
8. Accelerated heartbeat