How Can I Tell if I Have a Blood Clot?

Key takeaways

• Deep vein thrombosis can cause unexplained swelling, pain or tenderness in one leg.
• Warm skin, redness or a bluish color change may signal a clot.
• Sudden shortness of breath or chest pain may indicate a pulmonary embolism.

Summary

Blood clots can be difficult to recognize because their symptoms often resemble common aches, pains or illnesses. Dr. Adam Rosenbluth explains the signs of deep vein thrombosis (DVT), including unexplained leg swelling, persistent pain, cramping, tenderness, warmth and changes in skin color.

He also discusses pulmonary embolism, which occurs when a clot travels to the lungs and can cause sudden shortness of breath, chest pain, a rapid heartbeat, dizziness, fainting or coughing up blood. Understanding these symptoms and knowing common risk factors, such as surgery, hospitalization, immobility and hormone therapy, can help people seek treatment quickly when needed.

The key takeaways and summary were created with the assistance of generative AI. An AARP editor reviewed and refined the content for accuracy and clarity.

Full transcript

[0:00] Blood clots can be serious, even life-threatening.
[0:03] And the tricky part is that their symptoms can feel a lot like everyday aches, pains or illnesses, so it’s not always obvious when you have one.
[0:13] That’s why people often ask me, “Dr. Adam, how can I tell if I have a blood clot?” Let’s start with the basics.
[0:20] A blood clot is a semisolid clump of blood cells.
[0:24] Your body forms a blood clot after an injury to help stop bleeding.
[0:28] The problem is when a clot forms when it shouldn’t or when it doesn’t go away on its own.
[0:34] When patients tell me they’re worried about a blood clot,
[0:37] they’re typically talking about deep vein thrombosis, or DVT.
[0:43] These clots usually form in the deeper and larger veins of your legs.
[0:48] If you have a DVT, you might notice swelling in one leg that doesn’t have an obvious cause.
[0:55] You might experience pain, cramping or tenderness in your leg that doesn’t go away.
[1:02] It may even feel like a pulled muscle.
[1:04] The area could feel warm, or you might notice redness or a change in skin color, including a bluish tone.
[1:12] If this blood clot breaks loose and travels to your lungs, it’s called a pulmonary embolism.
[1:19] This causes sudden shortness of breath.
[1:22] You might feel a sharp chest pain, especially when breathing in.
[1:26] Some people notice a rapid heartbeat, dizziness or fainting, in some cases even coughing up blood.
[1:33] Your risk of blood clots increases after things like recent surgery,
[1:39] being hospitalized or long periods of immobility, including during travel or bed rest.
[1:45] Using hormone therapy or having a personal or family history of blood clots can also raise your risk.
[1:51] If you think you have a blood clot or are experiencing any of the symptoms, get medical help right away.
[1:59] Blood clots are treatable, but getting treatment early can truly be lifesaving.
[2:05] For more advice like this, please check out Ask Dr. Adam at AARP.ORG/AskDrAdam