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Deep vein thrombosis (DVT) occurs when a blood clot (thrombus) forms in one or more of the deep veins in the body, usually in the legs. Deep vein thrombosis can cause leg pain or swelling. Sometimes there are no noticeable symptoms.
Thrombophlebitis (throm-boe-fluh-BY-tis) is an inflammatory process that causes a blood clot to form and block one or more veins, usually in the legs. The affected vein might be near the surface of the skin (superficial thrombophlebitis) or deep within a muscle (deep vein thrombosis, or DVT).
To diagnose deep vein thrombosis (DVT), your health care provider will do a physical exam and ask questions about your symptoms. The provider will check the legs for swelling, tenderness or changes in skin color.
But some blood clots form inside the veins without a good reason. They don't dissolve naturally. These clots may require medical attention, especially if they are in the legs, lungs or brain. A number of conditions can cause this type of blood clot.
Sudden weakness or numbness of the face, arm or leg. Sudden difficulty speaking or understanding speech. Consult your health care provider if you develop these symptoms in an area on an arm or leg: Swelling. Change in skin color, such as an area on the leg that looks unusually red or purple. Warmth. Pain.
A pulmonary embolism (PE) occurs when a blood clot gets stuck in an artery in the lung, blocking blood flow to part of the lung. Blood clots most often start in the legs and travel up through the right side of the heart and into the lungs. This is called deep vein thrombosis (DVT).
Symptoms. Mild atherosclerosis usually doesn't cause symptoms. Atherosclerosis symptoms usually don't happen until an artery is so narrowed or clogged that it can't send enough blood to organs and tissues. Sometimes a blood clot completely blocks blood flow. The clot may break apart. If this happens, it may cause a heart attack or stroke.
Blood clots are made when substances in the blood thicken and form a semisolid mass. This process may be triggered by an injury. Sometimes it occurs inside blood vessels that don't have an obvious injury. Once these clots form, they can travel to other parts of the body where they can cause harm.
You might have an imaging test, like an ultrasound, to check your leg for superficial or deep vein thrombosis. A blood test can show if you have a high level of a substance that dissolves clots. This test can also rule out DVT and show if you're at risk of having thrombophlebitis repeatedly.
Peripheral artery disease (PAD) may not cause symptoms, or symptoms may be mild. PAD symptoms include: Leg pain when walking. Muscle pain or cramping in the arms or legs, often in the calf. Muscle pain in the arms or legs that begins with exercise and ends with rest.