In simple terms, deep vein thrombosis (DVT) is a condition that causes the development of a blood clot in your veins, usually in the legs. The condition, when left undiagnosed can turn dangerous. Studies reveal that every year, up to 900,000 people show signs of DVT. Here are some of the tell-a-tale symptoms of deep vein thrombosis   you should know about.

Swelling of the legs
One of the tell-a-tale symptoms of deep vein thrombosis is swelling that occurs on just one leg. When swelling occurs due to other reasons, both legs swell up. However, with DVT, only the affected leg swells up. When blood clots occur in the veins, they can obstruct blood flow from the legs to the heart. This results in swelling.

Pain while bending or moving the foot
Depending on the area where the blood clot has occurred, you can experience pain when you try to walk or bend the foot. Some of the common areas where blood clots occur are the ankles, foot, or calf muscles. Leg pain might be a constant throbbing, but it may increase or get unbearable when you try to move the foot.

Warm skin around the affected area
If you have pain in your legs or feet, a telltale symptom of deep vein thrombosis is that the skin will be warm to touch. The lodged blood clot causes heat in the area, and this reflects on your skin.

Leg cramps
One of the most common symptoms of deep vein thrombosis is leg cramps. Leg cramps cause involuntary contractions of the calf muscles. In the case of DVT, the body’s way of pushing the blood clot can result in cramps. Cramps that stay for hours together and do not get better with stretches or heat/cold packs need to be checked for DVT.

Skin discoloration
If your blood clot is close to the skin’s surface or is large, your skin changes color. Bluish white skin or abnormally colored skin that is accompanied by pain or swelling definitely needs to be checked by a doctor. Go to the hospital as soon as you can.

Symptoms worsening even after rest
If your leg pain or swelling is due to a muscle pull, it usually gets better after a few hours of rest or after massaging the area. However, with DVT, the symptoms only get worse with time. Topical creams or external massages don’t help, rather they cause more pain.

All these tell-a-tale symptoms of deep vein thrombosis are important in detecting the condition. If you notice one or more of these symptoms, definitely talk to your doctor about it. Loose blood clots that travel through the circulatory system can get lodged in the pulmonary arteries and can turn serious.