Diagnosis

Prompt, correct diagnosis & treatment is essential.

Help your healthcare professionals reach the correct diagnosis quickly. Keep signs and symptoms in mind, you can make all the difference between a successful recovery and serious consequences.

DVT is usually mistaken for a cramp, even when the victim is a physician. Airhealth.org tell us that those who seek treatment are usually misdiagnosed at first, increasing the risk of permanent vein damage.

AirHealth.org advises two simple ways to avoid misdiagnosis.

1. If you have leg symptoms and the doctor says you have only a muscle sprain (or anything else other than DVT), insist on an ultrasound scan of the leg. We haven't heard of any case where an ultrasound scan failed to identify a symptomatic leg clot.

2. If you have chest symptoms and you are being told you have a chest infection, anxiety attack, heart attack, or anything else other than PE (pulmonary embolism), ask for a blood oxygen measurement. A small clip (no needle) placed on your fingertip measures blood oxygen. If the reading is below 80, you need a lung scan to check for PE (unless there is some other reason for low blood oxygen, such as emphysema.)

Doppler ultrasound, which can show how fast the blood is flowing in a blood vessel, is often used or by a special x-ray taken after injecting a dye (contrast medium) that is opaque to X-rays (a venogram).

DVT screening with the Venometer
www.amtec-medical.com/products/venometer/managing_dvt.php3

Remember there are various reasons that DVT may be a likely diagnosis:-

• Injuries - especially to your legs, hips pelvis.
• Very fit people who have just experience rough sport.
• Most types of cancer. 
• Recent surgery - particularly to the legs, knees, hips or pelvis.
• Certain diseases that cause inflammation.
• Genetic factors - have either parent suffered from blood clots?