Deep vein thrombosis is a surprisingly common health issue that can befall people from all walks of life. Whether you are active or sedentary, young or old, a deep vein thrombosis (DVT), or blood clot, can be an issue that will affect your life. Although a DVT can be a very serious issue – and even fatal – there are many treatments that can help those with a tendency to develop DVTs to lead a normal and healthy life. Read on and discover just a few common treatments for deep vein thrombosis.

Surgery

Surgery, while common, is perhaps a last resort when the other two treatments listed do not work quite as planned. There are two common types of surgery that are employed for those that are suffering from a deep vein thrombosis. The first is a vena cava filter. This metal filter is placed into the vein in which the clot is located. It will prevent the clot from moving to other portions of the body, but it will allow blood to travel through the body in a normal fashion. The second form of surgery is a venous thrombectomy. This type of surgery involves the surgeon physically cutting the clot out of the vein. This method is usually reserved for very serious clots.

Blood Thinners

Blood thinners, or anticoagulants, are oral prescription drugs that work by thinning the blood that flows through your veins. This can effectively help prevent a blood clot from breaking off and traveling to other parts of your body. If you have suffered from a clot before, blood thinners also provide a preventative measure and can prevent the formation of clots in the future. If you are suffering from a serious clot, it could be the case that a physician will give you a shot that effectively works as an anticoagulant. This method will work far more effectively and far quicker than the prescription oral drugs.

Catheter-Directed Thrombolysis

This method will actually work to protect your veins and other parts of your body, and will generally only be used if you are at risk of having a pulmonary embolism (or the clot breaking off and traveling to your lungs), if you have clots that are providing you with an ample amount of pain, or if you have a DVT located in your arm, which is significantly less common than those that appear in your leg. Catheter-directed thrombolysis works by the physician's team placing a catheter directly into your vein and then pumping it full of a drug that will work to dissolve the clot.

For more information, contact a medical center like Elite Vein Centers.