After experiencing an injury, which could be as little as a cut on your finger while preparing a meal, your body will start to do its job of ceasing the blood flow by forming a clot. This is a good thing and in most cases that is the end of the story – your cut stops bleeding and you begin to heal. However, in other cases there can be unwanted blood clots forming in your body which do not go away on their own.
If you are concerned about this due to your personal health situation, medical history, or lifestyle factors, then it is important to know what to look out for. There are many signs of a blood clot in your body, which vary depending on the location, but some of them can be quite general and may be indicative of something else entirely. For this reason it is important to consult your doctor if you feel as if you may be at risk from this because it can be very harmful or even fatal in some cases.
1. Unusual Cough
There is no such thing as a “normal” cough – there is always a reason for it. If you are suffering from an unusual and unexplained cough that you can’t associate with lifestyle factors such as smoking, seasonal illnesses, environmental issues, or anything else, then you need to start thinking about what the culprit could be.
In the case of a blood clot, it may have dislodged from the original site in the body where it formed, such as a leg, and has already made its way toward your lungs. This is known as a pulmonary embolism (PE) and it can be life-threatening. It can cause a cough which may contain blood and / or mucus, but it could also seem like a regular cough that just won’t go away and can’t be explained. Apart from that, it may produce symptoms such as a shortness of breath, sweating, chest pain, and dizziness. Seek medical attention if you believe a pulmonary embolism is a possibility.
