5 Ways You Can Lower Your Risk Of Blood Clots When Traveling

I was diagnosed with a blood clot - the technical term is deep vein thrombosis, or DVT - back in 1999, after a run-of-the-mill road trip and plane flight.

In Britain, it's known as Long Haul syndrome, and is a much-publicized side effect of travel. I'm not sure why American doctors don't warn about the possibilities of clots when traveling, but it seems to be less known on this side of the Atlantic.

I didn't know I had a clot; it felt more like a muscle cramp. But it put me in the hospital for more than 10 days, where I had a painful heparin drip and a six-month regimen of blood thinners. Here's what you can do so a clot doesn't happen to you:

1. Stop the car and walk often. There's no substitute to moving around so blood doesn't pool in your legs.

3. If you can, get up and stretch your legs when flying. Failing that, try to get an exit row so you have room to move your legs around. That's what keeps the blood from pooling. If flight rules prohibit you from getting up, try to move your legs around with some easy foot and leg exercises.

3. Pop a baby aspirin when traveling. I take one every day, as aspirin in general helps iwth vascular and cardio health

4. Bring compression stockings for the plane - and wear them. While they aren't fashionable, they do increase the blood flow to your legs. Compression stockings are available at stores such as Target and Wal-Mart, or even drug stores such as Rite Aid and CVS.

5. Drink plenty of water. Dehydration increases the risk of blood thickening, which can lead to clots. And hey, if you drink enough water, you'll already be getting up to use the bathroom.

About the Author:
Want more about travel tips? Visit Chris Gray Faust's site, Chris Around The World, for destination reports and travel news.

Article Originally Published On: http://www.articlesnatch.com

Tags: blood clots

, DVTs

, Long Haul syndrome

, blood clots when traveling

, travel tips

, airplanes

, roadtrips

, flights

, car trips

, travel

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