3. Pain in the Leg or Arm
Arm pain
DVT pain usually comes with swelling or redness, but it can also happen on its own. This pain is often mistaken for a muscle cramp or strain. “Pain from a blood clot can easily be mistaken for a muscle cramp or strain, which is why the issue often goes undiagnosed and is specifically dangerous,” Dr. Navarro says. DVT pain typically worsens when walking or flexing the foot. This pain might remind you of a nasty muscle cramp or a charley horse.
4. Redness and Warmth
The man’s calf muscle cramped, massage of male leg at home, painful area highlighted in red
Credit: Shutterstock
A DVT can cause redness and make the affected limb feel warm to the touch. While bruises are visible types of blood clots, DVTs are not. You might see some discoloration, but redness is more common. This symptom, paired with warmth in the affected area, is a signal that you need medical attention. Your leg may also feel warm as the clot worsens, and you may notice a slight reddish or bluish hue to your skin. While looking like Hellboy or Mystique is cool at Comic Con, it isn’t something your Boyd should be doing naturally.
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5. Chest Pain and Shortness of Breath
Woman suffering an anxiety attack alone in the night on a couch at home
Chest pain might be an indicator for a pulmonary embolism (PE), a serious condition where a blood clot travels to the lungs. “Both a PE and a heart attack share similar symptoms,” says Dr. Navarro. PE pain is usually sharp and worsens with deep breaths. Accompanying symptoms like sudden shortness of breath and a rapid heart rate require immediate medical intervention.3 “A blood clot in the chest area can feel like a heart attack, or can feel like a sharp and stabbing pain that gets worse with deep breaths,” says Dr. Navarro.
6. Unexplained Cough
Coughing into arm
A persistent, unexplained cough, especially if accompanied by shortness of breath, rapid heart rate, or chest pain, could be a sign of PE. “The cough will be dry, but sometimes people can cough up mucus and/or blood,” notes Dr. Navarro. At that point, if you aren’t already headed to the emergency room, you should be. According to Dr. Thomas Maldonado, a vascular surgeon at NYU Langone Medical Center, chest pain that feels worse with each breath and a sudden rapid heart rate are common indicators of a PE.
