How Long Does It Take For A Superficial Blood Clot To Dissolve (And Why)?

How Long Does It Take For A Superficial Blood Clot To Dissolve (And Why)?

Exact Answer: 2 To 6 Weeks

When people get themselves hurt with a thorn while gardening or paper cut while writing, the body assembles the forces needed to stop the flow of blood. If there wouldn’t be the blood’s ability to clot, then there would have been continuous bleeding from minor cuts of daily living.

Blood is an essential part of the body of a living organism. It transfers necessary substances like nutrients and oxygen to the cells and transports waste products away from those cells.

Blood is composed of liquids and solids. The liquid part called plasma consists of water, salts, and protein.

How Long Does It Take For A Superficial Blood Clot To Dissolve

How Long Does It Take For A Superficial Blood Clot To Dissolve?

Medical IssuePeriod
Blood clot to dissolve2 to 6 weeks
Symptoms to fade away1 to 2 weeks

Each day we poke ourselves with some sharp objects or fall while running, the skin starts bleeding. It is because the blood vessels in that area are damaged.

A superficial blood clot, or also known as superficial thrombophlebitis, is an inflammatory condition of the veins due to a blood clot below the surface of the skin. It occurs in the legs, but it can occasionally appear in the neck or arms.

It doesn’t get to the lungs, but superficial thrombophlebitis may be painful and require treatment. This condition might occur after using an IV line recently or after trauma to the vein.

Pregnant women and new mothers are likely to be at a higher risk of clotting. Some common symptoms of superficial blood clots are swelling, redness and tenderness along a part of the vein.

If someone touches the skin where the blood clot developed, it would feel hard and lumpy to him. The skin might appear strained and blackened when the swelling gets resolved after remaining for a while. After visiting the doctor, he would examine the affected area of the skin if superficial thrombophlebitis won’t be determined by the visual characteristics.

To cure the problem, the doctor must know the history and have a complete physical examination of the condition. They will do all the necessary scans and check-ups needed, such as blood pressure, temperature, ultrasound scan, and many others.

Why Does It Take That Long For A Superficial Blood Clot To Dissolve?

By definition, blood clots are gel-like substances that form in veins or arteries after blood changes its state from liquid to partially solid. This condition may be triggered by an injury, or sometimes it can also occur inside blood vessels that won’t have an obvious wound.

A superficial blood clot is not a serious condition and settles down and goes away within two to six weeks. However, it can also be periodic and persistent and cause significant pain and immobility.

In addition, difficulties may occur if the affected veins get infected or the blood clot moves further up to the vein where the superficial and deep veins join, resulting in a very serious condition called Deep Vein Thrombosis (DVT).

They must arrange an appointment with a doctor immediately to avoid further complications.

Regarding superficial blood clotting, the doctor may suggest applying heat to the painful area, raising the affected leg, using a nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drug (NSAID), or wearing compression stockings.

However, this condition improves on its own within a few weeks. One must intake foods rich in Vitamin K that help in blood clotting and healing wounds.

To lower the risk of a superficial blood clot, one must stay away from refined and processed foods like white bread, French fries, fast foods, and sodas, candies, trans fats, and red and processed meats. After following all the precautions, a superficial blood clot can be cured with lifestyle remedies.

Conclusion

There are various ways due to which one gets hurt and starts bleeding. To stop this bleeding, the body contains Vitamin K that helps in the clotting of blood, and heals the wounds.

One must intake food sources rich in Vitamin K and avoid refined and processed food items to have a speedy recovery.

A superficial blood clot can recover on its own within a few weeks, but it may be painful sometimes. Therefore, it is always advised to go to a doctor immediately to reduce further complications.

Blood clots can also be cured with home remedies like having a warm compress, taking over-the-counter NSAIDs, and wearing support stockings.

References

  1. https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/abs/10.1177/146642400212200108
  2. https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/pdf/10.1177/153857449703100349
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