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Suggest Treatment For Redness And Swelling On Legs
Question: Hello, I am following up on my swollen leg. I banged my calf about a week ago. The pain and tenderness has susided a lot, there is virtually no point tenderness now, compared to a few days ago when very tender, but my calf is still swollen - about 1 cm larger than the other leg. There is no redness. What might this suggest? Doctor who looked at it said no visible dign of DVT. But I am concerned because it is still swollen. Could soft tissue injury result in swelling for over a week?
Brief Answer:
Veins Doppler ultrasound has to be done.
Detailed Answer:
Hello!
Thank you for the query.
Swollen and tender calf on one side makes DVT very probable. Lack of redness, lack of fever makes it even more possible. Injury is a very frequent reason of deep veins thrombosis.
Moreover, there is no doctor on this world who can rule DVT basing only on physical examination. It is simply impossible to rule it out by touching and examining a limb. So your doctor seems to be wrong.
DVT is a serious condition which can result with blood clots in lungs. This can cause death.
As long as d-dimers and veins Doppler ultrasound wont be done, you can not be sure.
So please do not wait with it and get mentioned tests done. Life is too fragile to risk in such way.
Hope this will help. Feel free to ask further questions.
Regards.
Veins Doppler ultrasound has to be done.
Detailed Answer:
Hello!
Thank you for the query.
Swollen and tender calf on one side makes DVT very probable. Lack of redness, lack of fever makes it even more possible. Injury is a very frequent reason of deep veins thrombosis.
Moreover, there is no doctor on this world who can rule DVT basing only on physical examination. It is simply impossible to rule it out by touching and examining a limb. So your doctor seems to be wrong.
DVT is a serious condition which can result with blood clots in lungs. This can cause death.
As long as d-dimers and veins Doppler ultrasound wont be done, you can not be sure.
So please do not wait with it and get mentioned tests done. Life is too fragile to risk in such way.
Hope this will help. Feel free to ask further questions.
Regards.
Above answer was peer-reviewed by :
Dr. Chakravarthy Mazumdar
Yes, I did the Doppler ultrasound yesterday. Waiting for result. However, they only checked from the knee to the groin area, not below the knee, I.e. not the swollen calf area! They said that this is how this type of ultrasound is performed. Is there another test that can look specifically at my calf area. What is D dimer?
Brief Answer:
D-dimer test can detect blood clot anywhere in the body.
Detailed Answer:
D-dimer is a test made from blood. In case of blood clot anywhere in the body, it gets elevated (it does not tell where a blood clot is located). It can be done before Doppler. If we get elevated result, Doppler should be done. If the result is fine, Doppler usually does not have to be done.
Ultrasound should check whole leg, not only upper part. This is the best test to detect DVT. Very often blood clot localizes in deep calf veins. So the result you will get can not be trustworthy.
Regards.
D-dimer test can detect blood clot anywhere in the body.
Detailed Answer:
D-dimer is a test made from blood. In case of blood clot anywhere in the body, it gets elevated (it does not tell where a blood clot is located). It can be done before Doppler. If we get elevated result, Doppler should be done. If the result is fine, Doppler usually does not have to be done.
Ultrasound should check whole leg, not only upper part. This is the best test to detect DVT. Very often blood clot localizes in deep calf veins. So the result you will get can not be trustworthy.
Regards.
Above answer was peer-reviewed by :
Dr. Chakravarthy Mazumdar
Hello. I just returned from the hospital emergency room. They did full ultrasound of leg, above and below knee, including entire calf and of course area of calf that is swollen. The results are normal. No indication of blood clot or edema. When I asked doctor afterward if blood test d-dimer would be useful, he said not needed because ultrasound Doppler is best test and very accurate. He diagnosed me with soft tissue injury from minor trauma and suggested I give it another week for swelling to go down. Also suggested I stay ofF the leg as much as possible to let it heal and not aggravate it further. Your thoughts on all this? Thanks.
Brief Answer:
DVT has been ruled out correctly.
Detailed Answer:
Now you are safe and secure for 100%. DVT has been ruled out correctly. D-dimers are useful before an ultrasound, not after it.
So follow as advised by the doctor who ordered an ultrasound.
DVT has been ruled out correctly.
Detailed Answer:
Now you are safe and secure for 100%. DVT has been ruled out correctly. D-dimers are useful before an ultrasound, not after it.
So follow as advised by the doctor who ordered an ultrasound.
Note: For further inquiries on surgery procedure and its risks or complications book an appointment now
Above answer was peer-reviewed by :
Dr. Chakravarthy Mazumdar
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