Massage therapy · Kitchener–WaterlooDeep Vein Thrombosis

Blood clots may form when something slows or changes the flow of blood in the veins (MedlinePlus, 2025). DVT is more likely if you (NHS, 2026; MedlinePlus, 2025):

• are aged over 60 – although it can happen at any age
• are living with overweight or obesity
• smoke
• have had DVT before, or have a family history of blood clots
• take HRT, or take the combined contraceptive pill or use other contraception that contains oestrogen, such as the patch or vaginal ring
• have cancer or heart failure
• have varicose veins
• have thrombophilia – a condition, which can be inherited, where your blood clots more easily
• have inflammatory bowel disease or vasculitis

There are also times when you have a higher chance of getting DVT, such as when you (NHS, 2026; MedlinePlus, 2025):

• are staying in, or have recently left, hospital – especially if you cannot move around much
• are having, or have recently had, surgery
• are confined to bed for 3 days or more
• have broken a bone in your pelvis or leg
• are pregnant, or have had a baby in the previous 6 weeks
• are dehydrated

Sometimes DVT happens for no obvious reason (NHS, 2026).

• an ultrasound scan of the leg, which shows whether blood is flowing normally through the vein (NHS, 2026)
• a blood test called a D-dimer test (MedlinePlus, 2025; NICE, 2023)
• blood tests to check whether your blood clots more easily than normal (MedlinePlus, 2025)

These symptoms can sometimes happen in your arm if that is where the clot is (NHS, 2026).

The most serious complication of DVT is a pulmonary embolism, where part of the clot breaks off and travels to the lungs, where it blocks a blood vessel. A pulmonary embolism can be life-threatening and needs emergency treatment (see "Get Emergency Help" above). DVT can also leave some people with long-term pain and swelling in the leg (post-thrombotic syndrome) (MedlinePlus, 2025).

If you are taking a long journey of 4 hours or more by plane, train or car, wear loose clothing, drink plenty of water, avoid alcohol, and walk around when you can (NHS, 2026) – for example, walk up and down the aisle of the plane.

If you go into hospital, for example for an operation, your healthcare team should check whether you have a higher chance of DVT. If so, you may be given treatment to prevent it, such as medicine or compression stockings (knee-high elastic socks that help your circulation) (NHS, 2026).

• Blood-thinning medicines (anticoagulants): these are the main treatment for DVT; they stop new clots forming and stop the existing clot getting bigger, and are usually taken as tablets (NHS, 2026; MedlinePlus, 2025; NICE, 2023).
• Blood-thinning injections: these may be used in some situations, for example if you get a DVT when you are pregnant (NHS, 2026).
• Other procedures: in rare cases, doctors may use clot-dissolving medicine, remove a large clot, or place a filter in a large vein to stop clots travelling to the lungs (MedlinePlus, 2025; NICE, 2023).

Blood-thinning medicines make you more likely to bleed, so ask your doctor what to look out for (MedlinePlus, 2025).

While undergoing treatment for DVT, call 911 or go to the emergency room at your nearest hospital if you have chest pain, difficulty breathing, cough up blood or faint, as these may be signs of a clot in the lungs (MedlinePlus, 2025; NHS, 2026). Contact your doctor if you have continued pain and swelling in the leg, or other new symptoms.

Once your doctor is managing your DVT and has cleared you for massage, I can adapt my treatment to keep you safe, and I'll keep away from the affected leg.