Dr Xand van Tulleken said that people need to get moving more and make other changes to avoid developing the deadly condition.
A doctor who is a regular on BBC Morning Live has said that people need to do one thing this winter – and that’s to keep moving. It comes after a warning from the expert, Dr Xand van Tulleken, who is urging people to be careful with what they do so they don’t put themselves at risk of developing a “dangerous” condition. As if left untreated, it could result in you struggling to breathe.
As explained by the NHS, Deep Vein Thrombosis, aka DVT, is a blood clot in a vein, usually in the leg. “DVT can be dangerous”, they warn, urging people to “get medical help as soon as possible if you think you have DVT.”
Warning viewers at home on the condition, the doctor showed viewers a photo of veins [below], explaining: “The blue tube in the picture is a vein and you can see the red blood cells rushing along there and they’re going through valves. Those valves close as you can see in the right-hand picture and they stop the blood flowing back to your feet so your feet don’t get too swollen.
“When you get a clot forming – and you can see in the far right diagram, there’s a clot forming – it just disrupts the valve and means the blood flow gets very disorganised. Crucially, that clot can break off and form an embolus. This can travel up the vein and into your lungs and cause what’s called a pulmonary embolism – and that can make it difficult to breathe.”
However, the doctor adds that there are some reasons that doctors worry about DVT. “The reasonably we [doctors] worry so much about DVT is partly because they cause problems in your legs and can cause long-term problems there, but also because that clot can break off travel into your lungs and make problems for you breathing.”
Can the cold weather put me more at risk?
Asking the doctor a question, presenter Helen Skelton wondered if the cold weather can affect DVT – and it can. The health guru added: “The cold weather does lots of things to us. So first of all it changes the way the blood flows around our body. It means that blood flows more sluggishly, it thickens our blood, it changes our behaviour and it drives out the air in our house so we’re a bit more dehydrated.
“At this time of year, you may be drinking a bit more, eating slightly less healthy, perhaps you’re smoking more – all those things can increase your risk so when we think about DVT perhaps the most common stories you think about is just being sedentary and the blood pools in your leg and clots and that’s where the problem begins. But actually we know even after a long plane flight your risk of DVT continues for weeks after our flight. So it’s not just a sitting still, it’s your whole bodies inflammation response to injury and your general health that also affects your risk.”
What are the signs and symptoms of DVT?
If you think you could have DVT, compare your legs with the expert saying that if one leg seems bigger or different in colour, contact your GP as this could be a sign. He adds you should keep moving as it’s “massively important”. He also warns there are symptoms you need to be aware of. The NHS says that “sometimes DVT can happen for no obvious reason” but some symptoms include:
- Throbbing pain
- Swelling
- Warm skin
- Red or darkened skin
- Swollen veins
Who is at risk of DVT?
The NHS warn you’re more likely to get DVT if you:
- smoke
- have had DVT before
- are over 60
- are overweight
- take the contraceptive pill or HRT
- have cancer or heart failure
- have varicose veins
There are also some times when you have a higher chance of getting DVT.
These include if you:
- are staying in or recently left hospital – especially if you cannot move around much (like after an operation)
- are confined to bed
- go on a long journey (more than 3 hours) by plane, car or train
- are pregnant or if you’ve had a baby in the previous 6 weeks
- are dehydrated
What can I do to prevent DVT?
Dr Xand says that if you keep moving, it allows “the blood to flow. Wearing unrestricted, loose clothing helps you move and doesn’t prevent blood flow. Staying hydrated and drinking lots of water, limiting alcohol” also helps. He adds that “standing, stretching and walking every hour” is key and “if you’ve got a long commute” then “regular breaks” are advised, ensuring you are getting up and moving around to “keep your circulation going.”
He concludes by cautioning: “If you’re someone who is worried about this or have had a DVT before, maybe you’ve got something like surgery or pregnancy which raises your risk, then talk to your GP about additional precautions you might be able to take.”
