Deep vein thrombosis

It’s natural to be concerned when you find out you may have deep vein thrombosis. You want to be sure you’re in the right place for your care.

At Aurora, we have a dedicated vascular medicine program that many other hospitals can’t offer, which means you’ll receive comprehensive care and support throughout your diagnosis, treatment and beyond. Plus, our doctors regularly participate in research and clinical trials, giving you access to the newest, most effective technologies and procedures available to treat deep vein thrombosis.

What is deep vein thrombosis?

A deep vein thrombosis (DVT) occurs when a blood clot, or thrombus, forms in a vein deep inside your body. The clot limits blood flow or blocks it completely. These clots can break free and travel to the arteries in your lungs, causing a life-threatening blockage called pulmonary embolism.

A blood clot can form in any deep vein, but most commonly happens in the lower leg. This is called a lower extremity thrombosis.

Deep vein thrombosis symptoms & complications

Deep vein thrombosis doesn’t always cause symptoms. But because it can quickly become life threatening, you should see your doctor right away if you have any signs of the condition.

The most common symptoms of deep vein thrombosis include:

• Pain, inflammation or warmth in one of your legs, which may initially feel like a leg cramp
• Leg pain that gets worse over time (pulled muscles and other conditions usually get better in time)
• Redness or discoloration of the skin on one leg
• Leg sores (ulcers) that are slow to heal
• Swelling in one leg or along a vein, or swelling that doesn’t go down when you elevate the leg
• Pain in the back of your calf muscle (injured muscles tend to occur in one side of your calf)

Warning signs of a pulmonary embolism

Deep vein thrombosis can lead to a pulmonary embolism, which is extremely serious. Get medical help immediately or call 911 if you develop any of these symptoms:

• Sudden shortness of breath
• Coughing up blood
• Chest pain that gets worse when you breathe deeply or cough
• Feeling dizzy or faint
• Extremely rapid pulse
• Excessive sweating

Deep vein thrombosis causes & risk factors

Doctors don’t always know why deep vein thrombosis happens. Sometimes, lifestyle and habits may contribute to developing the condition. Other times, certain inherited disorders can cause it.

Certain risk factors are associated with deep vein thrombosis. You’re more likely to develop it if you:

• Are over 60
• Are overweight or obese
• Are pregnant or recently gave birth
• Are receiving certain cancer treatments
• Don’t move for a long time because you’re traveling, ill or recovering from surgery
• Have a central venous catheter to receive medication
• Have vein damage from surgery, autoimmune condition or recent injury, particularly a broken leg, hip or pelvis
• Have a family history of a blood-clotting disorder
• Take birth control pills or hormone therapy
• Smoke

Deep vein thrombosis diagnosis

To determine if you have deep vein thrombosis, your doctor will give you a thorough physical exam, review your medical history and ask about any symptoms. We may order diagnostic tests for you, too, such as:

• Echocardiogram, a heart ultrasound
• Radiographic imaging, including X-ray, CT scan or MRI

Find out more about our heart and vascular testing and diagnosis.

Deep vein thrombosis treatment

We treat many patients with deep vein thrombosis every year, successfully treating even the most complex cases. This means our expertise continually grows, giving you the latest, most effective care possible. 

Your vascular specialist will work with you to develop a treatment plan tailored to you. We may recommend things you can do at home as well as medical options.

Your treatment plan may include:

• Elevating your feet whenever possible to prevent blood from pooling in your legs
• Wearing compression stockings to help reduce pain and swelling after deep vein thrombosis treatment and prevent blood from pooling in your legs
• Medications, such as blood thinners (anticoagulants) to prevent blood clots from forming, getting larger or breaking off, effectively managed through our specialized anticoagulation clinics
• Catheter-directed thrombolysis, a procedure that uses a thin tube to direct medication into a blood clot to dissolve it
• Vena cava filter procedure, where your specialist inserts a filter into the vein to catch blood clots before they travel to your lungs or heart

Are you at risk for heart disease?

Knowing your risk factors of heart disease – the leading cause of death in the U.S. – can help you lower your chances of developing it. Our heart health quiz estimates your risk, determines which of your risk factors are controllable and gives you an idea what to do next based on your results.

Take the heart health quiz