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Foot And Calf Swollen After Riding For A Long Time. Family History Of High Blood Pressure. Is This Normal?
Question: I rode for 8 hours in the car today and now my left foot and calf are swollen. Is this normal? I'm not a smoker and do not drink. Healthy and not over weight. I'm 5'5 and weigh 138 and I had back surgery in 1990 and have a rod in my back and I have had 3 endometriosis surgeries the last one in 2008. I have 2 children both normal pregnancies. Family history, father has high blood pressure and cmt and my mother is healthy but had one kidney removed because of repeated kidney infections and the cancerous. No problem after that.
Hi XXXXXXX
Thanks for writing in.
I am a qualified cardiologist and I read your mail with diligence. To be honest I am concerned about a single condition called XXXXXXX vein thrombosis. If your answer is yes to most of the following the please consult a doctor asap:
1. You were a passenger or driving automatic car where only right foot is mainly used left is idle most of the time.
2. You did not have at least 2 breaks for having some liquids like coffee, water and stretching your legs.
3. If you keep your hand so as to grasp the affected part of lower limb there is pain on grasping.
This condition is also called economy class syndrome, usually you are sitting not much movement of your legs sort of cramped in economy class. That leads to stasis of blood and thrombosis. No panic at the moment but definitely a cause for concern. If it is yes to all three questions, please do not hesitate to be taken to nearest Emergency Room. An ultrasound of veins of lower leg will rule out this condition and you have a chat with doctor and come back. If they see thrombus, they might hold you for few hours start blood thinners and heparin.
I hope everything is normal. If you have any follow up query, I shall be happy to answer. Take care.
Dr Anil Grover, Cardiologist
M.B.;B.S, M.D. (Internal Medicine) D.M.(Cardiology)
http://www/ WWW.WWWW.WW
Thanks for writing in.
I am a qualified cardiologist and I read your mail with diligence. To be honest I am concerned about a single condition called XXXXXXX vein thrombosis. If your answer is yes to most of the following the please consult a doctor asap:
1. You were a passenger or driving automatic car where only right foot is mainly used left is idle most of the time.
2. You did not have at least 2 breaks for having some liquids like coffee, water and stretching your legs.
3. If you keep your hand so as to grasp the affected part of lower limb there is pain on grasping.
This condition is also called economy class syndrome, usually you are sitting not much movement of your legs sort of cramped in economy class. That leads to stasis of blood and thrombosis. No panic at the moment but definitely a cause for concern. If it is yes to all three questions, please do not hesitate to be taken to nearest Emergency Room. An ultrasound of veins of lower leg will rule out this condition and you have a chat with doctor and come back. If they see thrombus, they might hold you for few hours start blood thinners and heparin.
I hope everything is normal. If you have any follow up query, I shall be happy to answer. Take care.
Dr Anil Grover, Cardiologist
M.B.;B.S, M.D. (Internal Medicine) D.M.(Cardiology)
http://www/ WWW.WWWW.WW
Above answer was peer-reviewed by :
Dr. Chakravarthy Mazumdar
Yes I was the driver but we started trip at 9 am, we stopped at 10 am for breakfast started driving again at 11 ish and stopped again at 1 pm to use restroom then walked around. Only one spot had pain and it was my ankle if you were to squeeze the back part. I have no red spotted patches and no discolor. I thought dvt was very painful and I wouldn't be able to walk. I can walk cause I walked to my cat and back.
Hi XXXXXXX
Well you have only two out of three positive and you had been moving legs. Yes, DVT
is painful condition but here we are suspecting only lower legs below knee or around ankle XXXXXXX venous thrombosis where pain may not be a obvious feature where as tenderness (that is a sign moving ankle joint and pressing over the muscles over the affected muscle is the obvious feature). I am glad on the count that you moved out and now you can bend ankles there is no pain so DVT is all but ruled out. Still, next morning a visit to doctor ought to do no harm. He/she would do complete physical and reach a conclusion.
The danger of DVT is not in the thrombus in veins per se but migration of this thrombus to lungs and causing Pulmonary Thromboembolism.
My remote diagnosis still hovers around veins if it is not thrombus(thankfully) than it is venous stasis. Not uncommon in overweight persons. Though it being unilateral is making this distant. Wear elastic stockings extending to elastic socks, keep the leg elevated while sitting and keep a pillow below the feet while lying on bed. Take a baby one fourth of tablet aspirin available OTC and plenty of fluids. You ought be alright but please visit the doctor the coming day.
Dr Anil Grover
Well you have only two out of three positive and you had been moving legs. Yes, DVT
is painful condition but here we are suspecting only lower legs below knee or around ankle XXXXXXX venous thrombosis where pain may not be a obvious feature where as tenderness (that is a sign moving ankle joint and pressing over the muscles over the affected muscle is the obvious feature). I am glad on the count that you moved out and now you can bend ankles there is no pain so DVT is all but ruled out. Still, next morning a visit to doctor ought to do no harm. He/she would do complete physical and reach a conclusion.
The danger of DVT is not in the thrombus in veins per se but migration of this thrombus to lungs and causing Pulmonary Thromboembolism.
My remote diagnosis still hovers around veins if it is not thrombus(thankfully) than it is venous stasis. Not uncommon in overweight persons. Though it being unilateral is making this distant. Wear elastic stockings extending to elastic socks, keep the leg elevated while sitting and keep a pillow below the feet while lying on bed. Take a baby one fourth of tablet aspirin available OTC and plenty of fluids. You ought be alright but please visit the doctor the coming day.
Dr Anil Grover
Note: For further follow up on related General & Family Physician Click here.
Above answer was peer-reviewed by :
Dr. Chakravarthy Mazumdar
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