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Wednesday, November 2, 2011 Chronicle-Express.com The Chronicle-Express

YOUR GOOD HEALTH

Published by: Kinney Enterprises, Inc. Jack Kinney (607) 776-7909 / Fax: 776-7910 email: kinney-enterprises@earthlink.net

Simple exercises help prevent deep-vein thrombosis

By the faculty of Harvard Medical School Question: My 61-year-old lungs (this is called pulmonary ters of mercury (mm Hg). They mother plans to take a 12-hour embolism), it can cause chest pain are available at hospitals and large plane trip in the near future. Her and breathing problems. A large drugstores. Passengers who have legs usually get swollen when she embolism can even cause sudden signicant problems with arteries or nerves in their legs should ies a long distance. So far, this death. Our veins are thin-walled blood check with their doctors rst. swelling has been harmless, but Keeping mobile is also very imI'm worried that on such a long vessels that depend on the skeletal ight, she might get a blood clot muscles around them to regulate portant. If possible, have your in her leg. Is there anything spe- blood ow. Veins are less compli- mother sit in an exit row, bulkcial she can do to prevent this cated than arteries, but they have head or aisle seat to give her more an elegant design of their own. In legroom. She should avoid crossfrom happening? Answer: Many people develop fact, this anatomy is particularly ing her legs. Stretching, massagmild swelling in their feet, ankles important for the leg veins. These ing her lower legs and pumping and lower legs during long-haul veins have the challenge of carry- her feet up and down for about 30 ights. Sitting still is the culprit; ing blood back up to your heart, seconds every 30 minutes can without the pumping action of whether you are reclining in bed help. She should take a walk in the aisle at least once every hour contracting leg muscles, blood or standing upright. Veins have a series of one-way or so. In-seat exercises, involving and uid accumulate in the lower valves that allow blood to ow to- contraction of the calf muscles or extremities. The swelling itself is benign, ward the heart while preventing wiggling the feet up and down in though it can be plenty annoying, backow. The leg veins rely on rapid repetition, may be helpful in especially when you try to put contractions of the leg muscles to promoting circulation from the your shoes back on at the end of counter the force of gravity and legs. Another important way to prethe ight. But swelling can signal propel blood to the heart. Leg veins are by far the most vent DVT is to stay well hydrated. complications, especially when it's more prominent in one leg than vulnerable to DVTs and other ve- Your mother should drink lots of nous disorders. There are three non-alcoholic beverages; she'll the other. The big worry on a long-haul types of leg veins. The supercial know she's getting enough when ight is the development of a veins lie close to the skin; the deep she nds herself making frequent blood clot, also known as deep- veins are located deep in the mus- trips to the toilet. Getting up to go vein thrombosis (DVT). These cles; and the perforator veins con- to the lavatory also increases circlots can cause long-lasting prob- nect the other two systems, with culation in the lower legs and exlems in the affected leg. And if the blood normally owing from the ercises the calf muscles. Alcohol, clot breaks away and travels in the supercial to the deep veins, which dehydrates, should be limbloodstream to an artery in the which carry more than 80 percent ited or avoided entirely. Some clinicians advocate taking of the blood that ows from the aspirin, but it provides only modlegs to the heart. Although venous clots can est protection against DVTs. An ON THE VILLAGE SQUARE Hammondsport sometimes form without an obvi- injection of low-molecular-weight SAM PENNISE, DMD ous cause, the majority of DVTs heparin is much more effective, are triggered by one of three con- but doctors usually reserve this Appointments Available Daily & Saturdays ditions: slowed ow of blood, a prescription medication for peoboost in the activity of the blood's ple at high risk, such as those with Office28 Mechanic St., clotting system, or an injury to the prior DVTs. Hammondsport Air travel is a hassle these days, vein wall. 607-569-2242 Why does travel increase the but simple precautions can help Res.30 Lake, Hammondsport607-569-2143 risk of DVTs? Any form of pro- keep leg swelling and blood clots Emergency patients seen at any time longed sitting can trigger DVTs, from making a long ight into a BECAUSEWE CAREFOR YOU but air travel compounds the medical emergency. Mastercard (Submit questions to harproblem because of its cramped & Visa Accepted quarters and dry air, which vard_adviser@hms.harvard.edu.) Copyright 2011 the President and makes the blood "thicker" and Fellows of Harvard College. Devel"stickier." Wearing below-the-knee vas- oped by Harvard Health Publications cular compression stockings that (www.health.harvard.edu). Distributed by Universal Uclick exert a small amount of pressure can prevent or diminish the for UFS. Submit questions to harswelling. Look for a pair that ap- vard_adviser@hms. harvard.edu. plies pressure of 20 to 30 millime-

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