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Travel advice from the experts during the holidays

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Contributed by: Dana Brandorff on 12/26/2007

'Tis the season! Holiday travelers will soon deluge highways, clog airports and flood train stations. If you are planning on going on a long trip via plane, train or automobile, you could be looking at more than just high gas prices, airport congestion, and luggage woes. In fact, sitting motionless for long periods puts travelers at risk for a potentially fatal condition called deep vein thrombosis (DVT).

DVT is a blood clot in a vein deep inside your body, which usually occurs in the calf or thigh. With estimates of 1 in 1,000 Americans developing the condition each year, DVT is relatively common and can become fatal if the clot breaks away and travels into the lungs, causing a pulmonary embolism, killing 60,000 Americans every year. Symptoms include swelling in one or both legs, pain or tenderness in one leg, or warmth or red or discolored skin in the affected leg. "If you experience these symptoms, get to an emergency room right away as doctors can diagnose and treat with blood thinners," says Joey Steele, Interventional radiologist with Radiology Imaging Associates/ Invision. Dr. Steele continues, "For most people, DVT is preventable - especially on long trips. A trip lasting 2 hours is really not a concern, but a 10 or 12-hour flight is. Just take some simple precautions to reduce your risk if you're going to be inactive and immobile for long periods of your trip."

Reduce your risk of DVT while traveling:

• When driving to your holiday destination, stop every few hours, get out and walk around. In addition to relieving the pressure in your veins, this will help everyone in the car wake-up, refocus and rejuvenate for the journey ahead!
• If you're flying, get up out of your seat and walk to the back of the plane.
• If you are waiting in a terminal for hours prior to boarding your plane or train, make sure you get some exercise. Don't just plop yourself down in a chair waiting for departure. Walk around the terminal, use the restroom, or check out the books in the shops.
• Drink plenty of water as dehydration causes blood vessels to narrow and thicken, increasing the risk of DVT

What causes DVT?
Any long period of immobility -- sitting for extended periods of time while traveling, recovering from an illness or being bedridden -- is a risk factor for DVT. Other risk factors include age, obesity, varicose veins, certain cancers and treatments, pregnancy, use of birth control pills and hormone therapy, or an inherited condition that causes increased blood clotting. Your risk for DVT increases if you have several risk factors at the same time.

So this year, don't get frustrated or stressed out that your flights are delayed, or that airport security lines are long, or that your passengers need a potty break during a long drive. Get up, walk around and get moving because these inconveniences could save your life.

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CONTRIBUTOR INFORMATION

Dana Brandorff

Littleton , CO

Dana Brandorff has posted 49 stories and 0 comments since joining on 9/14/2005. Dana Brandorff 's average story rating is 5.

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