Travel Tips

Travel Tip: DVT Awareness

If’ you’ve never heard of something called DVT, listen up. It just might save a life.

DVT stands for deep-vein thrombosis, or blood clots that usually form in the leg. This is a  concern to travelers who remain seated for more than 4 hours on planes, cars, trains or buses.

The risks go up if you’re 65 or older, use hormonal birth control, or are obese or pregnant.  The biggest worry is if the clot breaks loose and enters your lungs or heart.

And the scary thing is that symptoms can vary from swollen legs to tenderness to…nothing at all.

The best thing you can do is simple: get out of your seat. That means walking up and down the aisles at least every hour, and avoid crossing your legs. Stay hydrated, which means avoiding caffeine and alcohol.

Compression stockings can make a big difference by helping your blood circulate upward instead of pooling in your legs. A company called RejuvaHealth  makes compression stockings that are actually attractive…imagine that!

Want more information? There are resources our there like the Coalition to Prevent Deep-Vein Thrombosis and the National Blood Clot Alliance.

For more travel tips visit our travel tip section.