Can i get dvt in my ankle

Most occur in people ages 60 or older, but younger people can get them, too. Damage to a blood vessel, from either an injury or surgery, can provoke a blood clot. Being confined to bed during the recovery period leads to sluggish blood flow, further increasing the risk. More than half of VTEs are related to a recent hospital stay or surgery, but most don't occur until after you've left the hospital. Undergoing treatment for cancer also raises your risk. So can prolonged sitting during long-distance travel.

If you or a family member has suffered a VTE, ask your doctor about family testing for clotting disorders, which might be considered if there was no other explanation for the clots. Treating a VTE typically includes injections of an anti-clotting drug such as heparin, followed by drugs such as rivaroxaban Xarelto , apixaban Eliquis , dabigatran Pradaxa , or edoxaban Savaysa , which are taken in pill form.

People with less serious cases may need only oral drugs, while more serious cases may require clot-dissolving medications given through an intravenous IV line or through a thin, flexible tube catheter , which is done in a hospital. How long you stay on the anti-clotting drugs depends on your situation. When a clot develops after surgery, doctors often recommend staying on the drug for three to six months. But there's an increasing trend to keep people on the medications for longer time periods, in part because of the chronic nature of the problem, says Dr.

Three in 10 people who have a VTE will have another episode within 10 years. If you're slated for surgery or are confined to bed because of an illness or injury, talk to your doctor about ways to prevent DVT.

For most people, walking as soon as possible after an operation can lower the risk. Doctors sometimes prescribe anti-clotting drugs in high-risk people after surgery.

You usually need to take anticoagulant medicine for several months after this treatment. DVT in pregnancy is treated differently. It is treated with anticoagulant injections for the rest of the pregnancy and until the baby is 6 weeks old. Read more about DVT in pregnancy. If you're travelling for 3 hours or more by plane, train or car, there are things you can do during the journey to reduce your risk of DVT. These include drinking plenty of water and avoiding alcohol.

Find out more tips to reduce your risk of travel-related DVT. If you go into hospital, your healthcare team should check your risks of DVT. If they think you're more likely to get DVT, you may be given treatment to prevent it, such as medicine or compression stockings knee-high elastic socks that help your blood circulation , while you're in hospital. Your doctor may suggest surgery to remove a DVT clot in your arm or leg. This is typically only recommended in the case of very large blood clots or clots that are causing serious issues, like tissue damage.

During a surgical thrombectomy, or surgery to remove a blood clot, your surgeon will make an incision into a blood vessel. In some cases, they may use a small inflating balloon to keep the blood vessel open while they remove the clot. When the clot is found and removed, the balloon is removed with it. Risks include:. The longer you sit, the greater your risk of developing a blood clot.

If you have to be seated for long periods, there are exercises you can do while sitting to keep your legs moving and help circulate blood. Bend your leg, and raise your knee toward your chest. Wrap your knee with your arms for a greater stretch. Hold this position for several seconds, then do the same exercise on the other side.

Place your feet flat on the floor. Keeping the balls of your feet on the floor, raise your heels. Hold for a few seconds, then lower your heels. Raise the balls of your feet off the floor, keeping your heels in place. Hold for a few seconds, then lower the balls of your feet. Lift both feet off the floor. Draw circles with your toes in one direction for a few seconds. Switch directions, and draw circles for a few seconds.

Once a DVT blood clot is diagnosed, your doctor will likely prescribe a medication to help thin the blood or break up the clot. You can combine the prescribed medication with the following home remedies to prevent other complications and reduce the risk of future blood clots. If possible, take daily walks to improve blood flow. Shorter, frequent walks are better than one longer walk.

This is especially important for the legs. Blood can pool if your feet are on the ground all day. Use a stool or chair to keep your legs elevated and close to level with your hips. These specially designed stockings fit tightly around your feet and become gradually looser as they move up your leg to your knee.

The compression helps prevent pooling and swelling , and it increases blood flow. DVT occurs most commonly in people who are over 50 years old. But DVT can still happen at any age. Certain conditions that alter how your blood moves through your veins can raise your risk of developing clots. DVT is a major risk associated with surgery. Walking around after being on bed rest can prevent clots from forming. If your body is not producing enough albumin, then you will likely run into some issues.

Albumin is what keeps fluid from leaking out of your blood vessels and going into tissues that surround those vessels. And if your body is struggling to produce enough of that, it may react by having a build-up of fluids, which leads to swelling, especially in the ankle area. Come to Vein Clinics of America if you have swelling with visible large varicose veins.

Otherwise, we recommend that you contact your primary care physician first to rule out other possibilities of your ankle swelling. Have a Vein Clinics of America network physician examine your legs and recommend a treatment program customized to your specific condition.

Satish Vayuvegula. Share this post. Request an appointment today However, if you are just curious about the most common cause of swollen ankles, read on. Sedentary Lifestyle Either sitting or standing for long periods of time is known to do some serious damage to your body, especially your veins and your muscles.