What do blood clots feel like?

[AngelaB]

If you have a sore spot on your calf that is pretty localised but you wouldnt call it painful would you get it checked out? It comes and goes so I dont know what to think but when it hurts I get pretty freaked out.

I am by myself with 3 boys so I am very reluctant to over react and go to the ER or whatever.

SO has anyone had one and could you describe the sensation? Its not red in that area or hot to touch btw.
Angela

[neverdoingitagain]

It feels kind of like a charley horse, that won't go away. Physical symptoms for a phlebitis (which is the safer version) is redness, pain in one spot, pretty localized. A deep vein thrombosis would include swelling of the calf, by an inch or two, discoloration, pain when standing that is alleviated when you put your legs up. I had a DVT in my thigh, and I thought that I had pulled a muscle in my thigh.I had a hard time walking, since my leg wouldn't work properly. It felt very heavy, and almost dead. It seemed to be under a lot of pressure too, which was due to the blood being unable to circulate properly.
Hope that helps!
http://dvt.morefocus.com/articles/dv...toms/index.php
http://www.emedicinehealth.com/phlebitis/page3_em.htm

[babyready]

I am having the exact pain you describe. I think it is just vein issues. A few months ago I looked it up and it didn't have any of the signs of a blood clot (though I don't remember exactly what those were now. Swelling and redness, I think.) I have also talked to my midwife and she didn't seem concerned. Told me to keep my feet elevated, not be still too long, lots of water, potassium, etc. The typical vein stuff. Definitely talk to you Dr./Midwife next time you are in but you probably don't need to go to the ER or anything.

[patchynurse]

lay on your back and flex your knee. Point your toes to the wall and then pull them back towards your head as far as you can. A blood clot will generally produce pain in the calf with this. It's called Homan's sign. But any pain that persists or has you worried should be investigated by a Doc.

[AngelaB]

Thank you so much for replying! I feel better now.
Angela

[GooeyRN]

I get them. The area of my affected leg gets red and hot to the touch. There is some swelling. The area is quite painful when I step down and bear my weight. I can feel a something like a hard pea in there. I only get superficial ones, though. I never had a DVT. I have had patients with DVT's. They complain of pain, and there is usually significant swelling when compared to the unaffected leg.

[ghuaghua]

It depends on the location and severity. I have had two, one in my thigh and one in my calf...The one in my thigh was so bad that my leg turned blue and it was horribly painful to walk or do anything. The calf one (which I actually just discovered last week) made me wake up with what I thought was a charley horse, but the pain never quite went away. Oddly enough, pain was my only symptom. There was no warmth in the area, swelling, or discoloration. The only reason I knew it was a clot was because I had one before. SO, anyway, like someone mentioned before, for calf pain, Homans sign is a pretty good indicator of a clot.