Blood clots

Get advice from 111 now if think you have a blood clot

Symptoms of a blood clot include:

• throbbing or cramping pain, swelling, redness and warmth in a leg or arm
• sudden breathlessness, sharp chest pain (may be worse when you breathe in) and a cough or coughing up blood

Blood clots can be life threatening if not treated quickly.

111 will tell you what to do. They can arrange a phone call from a nurse or doctor if you need one.

Go to 111.nhs.uk or call 111.

Other ways to get help

Check if you're at risk of blood clots

Blood clots are rare in young, healthy people.

You're more likely to get them if you:

• are staying in or recently left hospital – especially if you can't move around much (like after an operation)
• are overweight
• smoke
• are using combined hormonal contraception such as the combined pill, contraceptive patch or vaginal ring
• have had a blood clot before

There are also other things that increase your risk of clots.

How to prevent blood clots

If you're at a high risk of blood clots – for example, you're in hospital – follow the advice of your care team about preventing clots.

This may involve wearing stockings that improve your blood flow or taking medicine to reduce the risk of clots (anticoagulants).

There are also things you can do to help avoid clots.