Understanding Deep Vein Thrombosis (DVT)

Deep Vein Thrombosis, or DVT, occurs when a blood clot forms in a vein located deep within the body, typically in the thigh or calf. The circulatory system can be thought of as a network of internal pipes, where a DVT is essentially a blockage in one of the primary lines. While the initial symptoms may feel like a minor leg cramp or increased swelling, these clots are serious because they can break loose, travel to the lungs, and cause a life-threatening emergency.

Why Do These Clots Form?

Blood is supposed to remain moving. When it settles or the blood vessel, the “pipe,” gets damaged, the blood tends to clump together due to the clotting factors present in blood. Three main reasons this can happen include sitting for too long, injury or surgery, and/or having other health conditions that predispose an individual to developing these clots. If an individual remains sitting for too long, such as on a long flight, being stuck in a hospital bed, or when sitting at a desk for an extended period of time, blood pools in the legs. If an individual has recently broken a bone or had surgery, the body’s natural response is to clot to heal the area, but sometimes it overdoes it. Lastly, some people have blood that is naturally “thicker” due to genetics, pregnancy, or certain medications such as birth control that may make someone more likely to develop blood clots.

Signs to Not Ignore

Deep vein thromboses are tricky to identify because about half of the people who have them may not feel anything at all and may develop clots even without any known risk factors. When symptoms do arise, they typically appear in just one leg. These signs and symptoms include swelling, where one leg looks significantly larger than the other, pain or a deep aching sensation that will not go away, and/or warmth and redness, where the skin on an individual's calf or thigh might feel hot to the touch or look reddish/purplish.

How DVTs are Handled

If you suspect a clot, it is important to seek medical advice and attention quickly. If your doctor suspects a clot, they typically do a quick, painless ultrasound to see the blood flow in an individual’s veins. If they find a clot, the goal is to prevent the clot from getting bigger or breaking loose from its position. This is usually done with the administration of blood thinners, which are medications that thin the blood and make it more difficult for blood to clot. Compression socks to “squeeze” the legs and movement such as walking are usually recommended after being provided with blood thinners to keep the blood in the legs flowing upward and to keep the blood moving overall.

Works Cited

"About Venous Thromboembolism (Blood Clots)." Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 5 Mar. 2025, https://www.cdc.gov/blood-clots/about/index.html.

"Deep Vein Thrombosis (DVT)." Mayo Clinic, 2024, https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/deep-vein-thrombosis/symptoms-causes/syc-20352557.

"Deep Vein Thrombosis (DVT): Symptoms & Treatment." Cleveland Clinic, 23 Dec. 2025, https://my.clevelandclinic.org/health/diseases/16911-deep-vein-thrombosis-dvt.

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