Blood clot symptoms can alert some people that dangers lie ahead. Sometimes, however, there are no symptoms and at other times the symptoms come at crucial moments. Blood clots in the leg from deep vein thrombosis may give clues that medical attention is needed to prevent potentially life-threatening situations. Clots are not so easily identified when they form in the arteries because of cholesterol and fat buildup that cause plaque. These clots can suddenly block the arteries and cause heart attack or stroke.
Leg Symptoms
Blood clots in the deep veins of the leg may cause pain, redness, warmth and swelling in the lower leg, often the calf. The symptoms usually occur in the area of the clot. Doctors call the condition deep vein thrombosis. The clots can break off and travel to the lungs, causing a pulmonary embolism, which can be fatal. Clots in the legs develop when people stay in one position for a long time. Travelers who sit for long hours in cars or on planes and people recuperating from injury or surgery are vulnerable to blood clots in the legs.
Lung Symptoms
Pulmonary embolism results from a blood clot that travels to the lungs. When symptoms occur, immediate medical treatment is needed. Signs of life-threatening pulmonary embolism include shortness of breath, stabbing chest pains, rapid heart rate and coughing up blood or mucus with blood streaks, according to PDR Health. Dizziness or fainting because of a sudden drop in blood pressure may also occur.
Heart Symptoms
Chest pain, shortness of breath and discomfort in the arms, back, neck or jaw may suggest a heart attack, according to the American Heart Association. Blood flow to the heart becomes blocked from a clot in the arteries and the heart loses oxygen. Some people may break out in a cold sweat, experience nausea or feel lightheaded. Certain people feel such symptoms as shortness of breath or chest pain, also called angina, when the arteries are narrowing to cause heart disease. Clots may be forming, but have not broken away.
Brain Symptoms
Signs of stroke include headaches, speech changes or trouble speaking and understanding, paralysis and dizziness. A blood clot can block blood flow to the brain to cause this debilitating condition. Brain cells begin to die and parts of the body that the brain controls can become impaired. Emergency treatment can help prevent further damage, including permanent paralysis.
