How soon after flying can you get a blood clot?

Anything out of the ordinary within a week or two after a long flight—leg pain, achiness, heaviness in your leg, swelling—could be a blood clot.



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The following are the most common symptoms of DVT that occur in the affected part of the body (usually the leg or arm): Swelling of your leg or arm. Pain or tenderness that you can't explain. Skin that is warm to the touch.

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Prevent Blood Clots During Travel
  1. Stand up or walk occasionally. ...
  2. Exercise your calf muscles and stretch your legs while you're sitting. ...
  3. Talk to your doctor about wearing compression stockings or taking medicine before departure if you have additional risk factors for blood clots.


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One study estimates that 1 in 4,600 travelers will have a blood clot within 4 weeks of a long flight. According to Dr. Kahn, “the actual risk of a travel-related blood clot is quite small, and the average traveler doesn't need to worry about it.

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Symptoms of DVT may be silent or present as a deep pain in one calf or thigh (with swelling). PE may also be silent but symptoms may include sharp chest pain, breathlessness, bloody sputum, and cardiac collapse in some cases. DVT or PE may manifest during or shortly after the flight, but often not for several weeks.

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However, anyone traveling more than four hours, whether by air, car, bus, or train, can be at risk for blood clots.

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Summary. Pilots should be aware of the potential increased risk of DVT associated with air travel. Several easy to follow guidelines should minimize any increased risk.

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Remember that anything over 6 hours flying time is considered long haul, but flights of longer than 10 hours are not uncommon either. One important thing to remember is to keep your seat belt fastened at all times in case of unexpected turbulence.

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