Traveling Can Increase Your Risk for Serious Venous Disease Complications

Any extended travel in a car or on an airplane or train increases your risk for a serious complication of vein disease.

Deep vein thrombosis, or DVT, is the formation of a blood clot inside a vein deep in the body, especially in the legs. DVT may not have any symptoms or can cause pain, swelling and warmth in the leg. If untreated, people with DVT are at risk for developing a pulmonary embolism in which the blood clot breaks away and travels to the lung. More than a half million people in the United States suffer a pulmonary embolism each year and more than 10 percent die. The danger of travel is greater if you have recently had surgery, are pregnant, overweight, smoke or have a history of blood clots.

The risk of DVT should not keep you from traveling if you take these simple steps:

• Stay hydrated. Drink lots of water and avoid caffeine or alcohol.
• Wear loose, comfortable clothes.
• Get out of your seat every hour or two and walk. In an airplane it is helpful to request an aisle seat.  In a car, stop and walk around for a few minutes.  While seated rotate your ankles, draw circles on the ground with your toes, flex your feet and toes and raise your legs slightly and hold them in the air for a few seconds.
• Avoid crossing your legs while you are seated because that impedes circulation and can cause blood to pool in the veins.
• Wearing compression stockings during a trip can significantly reduce your risk for DVT. Make sure to purchase medical grade stockings, fitted by a trained professional.

 Taking these simple actions will reduce your risk of DVT and give you a happier, healthier trip.