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Is Mild Swelling In The Foot For 10 Years Be Due To DVT?
Question: Hi, i have mild swelling in one foot. It has been this way for over 10 years. My concern is could this be Deep Vein Thromboembolism (DVT). There is no pain, no tenderness, no redness. Can a Clot last 10 years and still cause problems?
Brief Answer:
I would explain as follows:
Detailed Answer:
Hello!
Welcome and thank you for asking on HCM!
Regarding your concern, I would explain that it is really less likely that your symptoms are related to deep vein thrombosis.
You should know that this is a serious medical disorder, with an acute onset and associated to other symptoms as well like: pain in this region, extreme swelling, bluish color of the skin, and other skin changes.
So, if there was a blood clot in your leg, you would have gone to the hospital due to a more dramatic situation.
In my opinion, your symptoms could be related to possible chronic venous insufficiency in this leg, although this disorder is also associated to pain, especially after prolonged standing up position.
Coming to this point, I would recommend performing a Doppler ultrasound of the leg vessels to examine for possible chronic venous insufficiency in this leg. This test is also helpful to exclude deep vein thrombosis, and calm your mind about this issue too.
Other tests to consider would be:
- fasting glucose for diabetes
- a cardiac ultrasound
- blood electrolytes for possible imbalance
- liver function tests.
Hope you will find this answer helpful!
If you have any other questions, please don't hesitate to ask me again!
Kind regards,
Dr. Iliri
I would explain as follows:
Detailed Answer:
Hello!
Welcome and thank you for asking on HCM!
Regarding your concern, I would explain that it is really less likely that your symptoms are related to deep vein thrombosis.
You should know that this is a serious medical disorder, with an acute onset and associated to other symptoms as well like: pain in this region, extreme swelling, bluish color of the skin, and other skin changes.
So, if there was a blood clot in your leg, you would have gone to the hospital due to a more dramatic situation.
In my opinion, your symptoms could be related to possible chronic venous insufficiency in this leg, although this disorder is also associated to pain, especially after prolonged standing up position.
Coming to this point, I would recommend performing a Doppler ultrasound of the leg vessels to examine for possible chronic venous insufficiency in this leg. This test is also helpful to exclude deep vein thrombosis, and calm your mind about this issue too.
Other tests to consider would be:
- fasting glucose for diabetes
- a cardiac ultrasound
- blood electrolytes for possible imbalance
- liver function tests.
Hope you will find this answer helpful!
If you have any other questions, please don't hesitate to ask me again!
Kind regards,
Dr. Iliri
Above answer was peer-reviewed by :
Dr. Chakravarthy Mazumdar
Thank you for your response. Since the swelling has been present for so long with no other symptoms im assuming from your answer that DVT or a clot is not the concern. I have done glucose fasting as well and was good. Is venuous insufficiency always an occluded artery? Any idea why hot weather would make it worse?
Brief Answer:
I would explain as follows:
Detailed Answer:
Hello again!
Chronic venous insufficiency is caused by a dysfunction of the veins, which leads to an inability to pump well the blood towards the heart, leading to increased fluid stain in the soft tissues of the leg, causing swelling.
The vein is not occluded, but its muscles do not contract well, in order to pump the blood in an adequate way.
The swelling is more prominent after a prolonged standing up position. Hot weather can also exacerbate the situation.
A Doppler ultrasound of the leg vessels would help investigate for this disorder.
As there is no pain, I would exclude arthritis, which is joint inflammation.
So, nothing serious seems to be going on!
Hope to have clarified some of your uncertainties!
Wishing good health,
Dr. Iliri
I would explain as follows:
Detailed Answer:
Hello again!
Chronic venous insufficiency is caused by a dysfunction of the veins, which leads to an inability to pump well the blood towards the heart, leading to increased fluid stain in the soft tissues of the leg, causing swelling.
The vein is not occluded, but its muscles do not contract well, in order to pump the blood in an adequate way.
The swelling is more prominent after a prolonged standing up position. Hot weather can also exacerbate the situation.
A Doppler ultrasound of the leg vessels would help investigate for this disorder.
As there is no pain, I would exclude arthritis, which is joint inflammation.
So, nothing serious seems to be going on!
Hope to have clarified some of your uncertainties!
Wishing good health,
Dr. Iliri
Note: For further queries related to coronary artery disease and prevention, click here.
Above answer was peer-reviewed by :
Dr. Chakravarthy Mazumdar
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