Thrombi on the arm, which in the field of medicine is called the disease thrombophlebitis, are not very common, which cannot be said about those ailments that affect the legs. The causes of the disease are the blockage of the venous lumen. Blood clots on the arm can affect both superficial and deep veins. In this article, you can learn how to recognize a serious illness, what causes it to develop, and how to deal with it.
Causes of blood clots on the arm
Trombophlebitis of the upper extremities is a disease of the veins, which is provoked by the inflammatory process of the vascular tissues. In addition, blood clots on the arm are the beginning of the process of thrombosis, which blocks the blood flow by blocking the venous lumen. There is also a problem with the movement of blood throughout the body. A blood clot on the arm, the photo of which is presented in our article, can be located in different places. For example, clotblood can be seen under the collarbone in the chest area, on the surface of the vein in the arms, as well as in the deep trunks of the venous vessels of the upper extremities.
Symptoms of a blood clot in the hand can manifest themselves after various inflammations that have a focal location. In some cases, the cause lies in the general inflammatory process that affects the entire body of the patient.
Thrombosis develops after a long stagnation of fluid in the venous vessels, which is formed due to abundant accumulation of tissues in varicose veins, in the absence of an active lifestyle, and also in obesity.
In addition to all this, the development of the disease can occur due to trauma to the vessels. This should include accidents, injuries in case of an incorrect injection.
It should be noted that the development of the disease is affected by the density of the blood. A viscous fluid is held in a vessel with rigid vein walls. The blood becomes thick during pregnancy, as well as with elevated sugar levels. A similar symptom may occur in the case of a hereditary disease.
Thus, we can say that thrombosis is based on 3 main features:
- Slow blood circulation.
- The defeat of the walls of the venous vessel.
- Blood clotting too fast.
Predisposing factors
We continue to consider the causes and signs of a blood clot in the hand. Doctors also identify some factors that are considered provoking. Tothese should be attributed:
- Inflammatory process that develops after an injection. As a rule, it appears in the case of long and regular intravenous drips, catheters, injections, as well as an incorrectly delivered injection. These procedures are considered one of the main factors in provoking venous pathology. Quite often, such an ailment is diagnosed in those patients who take drugs.
- Strong physical activity can lead to a special kind of ailment called effort thrombosis. The disease is localized in the veins of deep characteristics. It is based under the collarbone, as well as in the armpits.
Other factors that influence the development of the disease include:
- Complications during childbirth.
- Genetic predisposition.
- Allergic reaction to medications.
- Surgical intervention.
- Fixing a limb in the same position for a long time.
- Sepsis.
- Paralysis after a stroke.
- The bite of a blood-sucking insect.
- Diseases of blood vessels and heart.
- Oral contraceptives.
- Obesity.
- Mature age.
The appearance of thrombosis of the upper limbs is often observed after an infectious type of disease that provokes dehydration. If there is too little fluid in the human body, then the blood thickens, which can lead to stagnation and blockage of the lumen of the veins.
Symptoms and signs of a blood clot in the arm
The first symptoms of the disease may vary. It will depend on which particular veins were affected, as well as on the characteristics of the human body. Quite often, the disease occurs as a background process of varicose veins. So, let's take a closer look at what a blood clot looks like on the arm, what symptoms and signs it is accompanied by.
Superficial veins
It will be quite easy to recognize surface-based thrombophlebitis. To do this, you only need to visually inspect the affected area, feel it. The first signs of a blood clot in the arm will be as follows:
- Sensation of soreness, which can be localized even in the fingers.
- Puffiness.
- Increased body temperature.
- Condensation of blood vessels of a red-blue hue.
- Mobile joints.
- The working functions of the hand are intact.
If the disease is accompanied by the formation of a blood clot, then the symptoms become the most vivid. These signs of a blood clot in a vein on the arm should include:
- Numbness of limbs.
- The skin becomes bluish.
- No sensation in any areas of the hand, including the fingers.
- Tissue death.
- Shine lymph nodes.
If the stage of the disease is acute, then the pain syndrome will be more severe. Over time, the soreness disappears, but during probing it will persist.
Deep veins
Thrombosis can affect deep veins. In this case, the first signs and symptoms of a blood clot in the arm will be slightly different. The disease manifests itself after prolonged drug therapy, with the bites of blood-sucking insects, as well as in case of injury. The main signs of the disease include:
- Acute soreness.
- Blue and puffy.
- Numbness.
All these signs are sudden, they develop quite quickly, and are also accompanied by loss of sensation and necrosis. The state of the blood flow will be indicated by the network of vessels, which can be seen under the skin. Symptoms can progress over several days, and the pain will be most pronounced during exercise. In the case of thrombophlebitis of the upper extremities, the signs appear not only at the very beginning of the disease, but will also spread over the entire surface of the hands.
Patients begin to complain of heaviness, endless fatigue. In this case, you should immediately seek help from a specialist in order to protect yourself from a possible complication - tissue necrosis.
Danger of disease
When the first symptoms appear, be sure to seek help at the clinic. The danger of the disease will be that migratory thrombosis may develop. This thrombosis is characterized by the sudden formation of blood clots that can lead to blockage of the arteries.
Diagnosis
BeforeIn total, thrombophlebitis is diagnosed with the help of a visual examination by a specialist. To do this, the affected area is palpated, as a result of which the location of the blood clots is determined. Your doctor may also ask you orally about other signs and symptoms of the disease. In order to make a specific and correct diagnosis, to prescribe an effective treatment, the patient should undergo some research:
- Complete blood count.
- Urine analysis.
- Differential blood test to detect a blood clot in a vein.
- Angiography by ultrasound, which determines the ability of blood to circulate, and also establishes the state of the vessels.
- Plebography is carried out to determine the strength of vessel blockage.
In addition, the specialist may periodically prescribe ultrasound diagnostics of blood vessels, ECG, as well as contrast x-rays to the patient.
Features of therapy
Therapy is aimed at relieving symptoms, reducing the risk of complications, as well as eliminating the main source of the disease. With thrombophlebitis of the hands, two methods of therapy are used, which include conservative and surgical treatment. Consider them separately.
Medicated treatment
To begin with, therapy is carried out with the help of medications. To do this, the specialist prescribes antibacterial nonsteroidal drugs to the patient to relieve the inflammatory process.
If the blood is very thick in consistency, the doctor prescribes thinning pills. To take offsoreness, both painkillers and topical gels are prescribed.
Dosage will be prescribed by a specialist. In parallel with this, the patient is prescribed bed rest, as well as a special diet. You will also have to completely give up smoking and drinking alcohol.
Conservative therapy involves the use of compression hosiery, with which the limb is rewound. The set includes physiotherapy procedures.
Surgery
If the disease has passed into a neglected form, then surgery is carried out to eliminate it. For this, the specialist prescribes sclerosis of the trunk of the veins, as well as thrombectomy. Less often, cava filters stop in a vein in the arm. The latter allow splitting and catching detached blood clots.
Quite often, conservative therapy and surgery are used in combination. This combination allows you to quickly and effectively overcome such an ailment as arm thrombophlebitis, as well as minimize the likelihood of relapse and complications.
Prevention
To prevent the development of the disease, some preventive measures should be followed. People who are at risk of developing this disease must observe the following rules:
- Keep the right lifestyle.
- Exercise regularly.
- Stay outdoors often.
- Follow the principles of proper nutrition.
- Regularlyvisit specialists for control purposes, as well as diagnostics.
Some patients prefer to use alternative medicine methods. To do this, you can drink cranberry, wild rose and St. John's wort.
It will not be superfluous to develop your own set of therapeutic physical exercises. To do this, you should consult a doctor who should suggest the permissible degree of load for a particular case, as well as adjust the list of physical exercises based on the individual characteristics of the body.
In conclusion, it is worth noting that thrombophlebitis of the upper extremities is a very dangerous disease. That is why at the first symptoms and signs of illness, you should immediately contact the clinic.
