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Symptoms
By Mayo Clinic staffThrombophlebitis symptoms include:
- Warmth, tenderness and pain in the affected area
- Redness and swelling
When a vein close to the surface of your skin is affected, you may see a red, hard and tender cord just under the surface of your skin. When a deep vein in the leg is affected, your leg may become swollen, tender and painful, most noticeably when you stand or walk. You may also have a fever. However, many people with deep vein thrombosis have no symptoms.
When to see a doctor
See your doctor if you have a red, swollen or tender vein — especially if you have one or more risk factors for thrombophlebitis, such as being inactive for a long period of time or a family history of the clotting disorder. If vein swelling and pain are severe or you have shortness of breath or are coughing up blood, go to an emergency room. These signs and symptoms may indicate deep vein thrombosis, which increases your risk of a dislodged blood clot traveling through your veins to your lungs.
- Torpy JM, et al. Thrombophlebitis. Journal of the American Medical Association. 2008;300:1718.
- Deep vein thrombosis. National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute. http://www.nhlbi.nih.gov/health/dci/Diseases/Dvt/DVT_All.html. Accessed Nov. 3, 2010.
- Fernandez L, et al. Superficial thrombophlebitis of the lower extremity. http://www.uptodate.com/home/index.html. Accessed Nov. 2, 2010.
- Rodriguez-Peralto JL, et al. Superficial thrombophlebitis. Seminars in Cutaneous Medicine & Surgery. 2007;26:71.
- Deep vein thrombosis (DVT). The Merck Manuals: The Merck Manual for Healthcare Professionals. http://www.merck.com/mmpe/sec07/ch081/ch081b.html#sec07-ch081-ch081b-1758. Accessed Nov. 3, 2010.
- Di Nisio M, et al. Treatment for superficial thrombophlebitis of the leg. Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews. 2007:CD004982.
- Grogan M (expert opinion). Mayo Clinic, Rochester, Minn. Nov. 18, 2010.
- Pradaxa (prescribing information). Ridgefield, Conn.: Boehringer Ingelheim Pharmaceuticals, Inc.; 2010. http://bidocs.boehringer-ingelheim.com/BIWebAccess/ViewServlet.ser?docBase=renetnt&folderPath=/Prescribing%20Information/PIs/Pradaxa/Pradaxa.pdf. Nov. 18, 2010.
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