Clots and Travel
Blood clots can sometimes form in your legs during air travel because you are immobile for long periods of time, often sitting in cramped spaces with little leg room. The clinical term for this type of blood clot is deep vein thrombosis (DVT). The longer the flight, the more at risk you are for developing a clot. Flights lasting 8 to 10 hours or longer pose the greatest risk.
In some cases, the DVT will dissolve and go away on its own. However, in more serious cases, it can cause pain, swelling, and warmth of the affected leg, or it can break off and travel to the blood vessels of your lungs, causing pulmonary embolism (PE).
DVT and PE, collectively known as venous thromboembolism, are highly preventable (see prevention tips below). The U.S. Surgeon General has issued a Call to Action on DVT and PE to raise public awareness of these blood conditions and increase research on the causes, prevention, and treatment.
What are the Symptoms of a Blood Clot?
In addition to knowing your risk factors, it is also important to be aware of the symptoms of blood clots, which vary depending upon where the clot is located:
- Heart: Chest heaviness or pain, discomfort in other areas of the upper body, shortness of breath, sweating, nausea, light-headedness
- Brain: Weakness of the face, arms or legs, difficulty speaking, vision problems, sudden and severe headache, dizziness
- Arm or Leg: Sudden or gradual pain, swelling, tenderness and warmth
- Lung: Sharp chest pain, racing heart, shortness of breath, sweating, fever, coughing up blood
- Abdomen: Severe abdominal pain, vomiting, diarrhea
Am I At Risk?
Your risk of developing a blood clot during air travel is increased by the following:
- Use of oral contraceptives
- Pregnancy
- Certain cancers
- Certain recent surgeries
- Age (increased risk for people over age 60)
- Obesity
- History of previous blood clots
- Family history of blood clots
- Smoking
- Trauma
- Chronic inflammatory diseases
- Diabetes
- High blood pressure
- High cholesterol
- Prior central line placement
How Can I Prevent Blood Clots When I Travel?
There are some simple steps you can take to avoid developing a blood clot while flying. Make sure to stretch your legs and get some exercise. You can do this by walking around the plane every few hours and changing positions in your seat.
If you plan on traveling soon and have concerns about getting a blood clot, talk with your doctor about your risks and prevention. Depending on your physical condition, genetics, and medical history, you may want to see a hematologist, a doctor who specializes in blood conditions.
How Likely is it a Person Will Develop a Blood Clot Because of a Long Flight?
Most people are unlikely to develop a blood clot as a direct result of a long flight. While the risk of blood clots is higher while flying because the body is stationary for an extended period of time, this risk remains very small, especially for flights under 8-10 hours long. About one in 6,000 passengers on flights longer than four hours will develop a blood clot.
Most people who develop blood clots during long flights have a personal or family history of blood clots, have recently undergone surgery, have a pre-existing condition, or take medications that increase their risk of clotting. Talk to your doctor about any risk factors you may have and how to reduce them.
You can lower your risk of developing blood clots on a flight by taking short walks and shifting positions in your seat. If you notice warning signs such as redness or discoloration, increased warmth in the skin, or swelling of the leg, ankle, or calf, alert the flight crew immediately, and seek medical help if you notice leg swelling or difficulty breathing in the weeks following air travel.
Find additional trustworthy information on blood disorders in the full Blood Health Information Hub library. Have you seen any misinformation on blood disorders you want ASH to address? Contact [email protected].
Where Can I Find More Information?
If you are interested in learning more about blood diseases and disorders, here are a few resources that may be helpful.
