Most people are unaware of a deadly condition that is preventable that kills more people a year than the combination of breast cancer deaths (41,000), AIDS deaths (15,000), and fatal auto accidents (43,000).

What makes me sad is that this condition is rarely diagnosed and usually missed, even when folks are dead.

Few people are educated about this condition.

Even with a unique leadership conference sponsored by the American Public Health Association in which Harvard Medical School professors participated, people still have not been told about this serious and, many times, lethal condition.

Over 600,000 Americans suffer from this condition every year, and if they don’t die from it, they can have serious complications that can eventually cause death.

When a national survey was conducted, it was hard to believe that 74% of adults had never heard of this condition, and over 57% were unable to name any risk factors.

In addition, over 95% of the people surveyed reported their physicians had never discussed this medical condition.

Even more alarming is that the medical profession practically ignores this silent epidemic.

The reason is that 50% of people don’t even have early symptoms before a serious or fatal event.

What makes matters worse is that 71% of patients with this condition did not even receive medication within 30 days of diagnosis.

So what condition am I referring to?

DVT, deep vein thrombosis.

DVT indicates that clots have silently been forming in blood vessels, usually in the deep vessels of the legs. If the clot breaks loose, it could go either to the lungs (pulmonary embolism), brain (stroke), or heart (heart attack).

The risk factors include increasing age and prolonged immobility, like sitting on a plane, in a car, or at a computer for hours without getting up.

If you are overweight, you are more at risk of developing DVT because the extra weight increases the compression of the blood vessels in the leg, slowing down blood circulation.

The following have been shown to also increase your risk of developing DVT: having any form of cancer or any of its treatments, major surgery, fractures of the pelvis, hips, or legs, varicose veins, congestive heart failure, anything foreign inside blood vessels like catheters or metal stents, as well as inflammatory bowel disease, kidney disease, birth control pills, hormone replacement pills for menopause, many certain medications, trans fatty acids, and nutrient deficiencies.

Are There Any Symptoms?

The symptoms can range from no pain to mild or severe localized point tenderness in the leg or arm. In addition, be on the lookout for any swelling, discoloration, or redness in the lower legs. This could be the only sign of the start of a developing DVT.

Suppose you experience sudden unexplained shortness of breath, chest pain, palpitations or arrhythmia, sudden anxiety and/or sweating, or coughing up blood. In that case, a clot may have broken loose and moved up to the lung and/or heart.

The immediate medical treatment includes blood thinners.

What is “very” important is taking the appropriate natural action steps to prevent developing DVT, especially if you are going on a long trip where you will be sitting for an extended period.

One documented natural treatment includes beta-1,3/1,6-glucan, an extract from the yeast Saccharomyces. An excellent product is Beta Glucan Circulatory Formula. This natural nutritional supplement has been shown to boost the immune system in several ways. In addition, it has the unique ability to decrease plaque accumulation in arterial walls.

If you consider yourself at even higher risk or want to promote even more protection, you could add the enzyme Serrapeptase to give even more potent clot-preventing power.

Don’t be a victim of DVT. Instead, take the prevention route and do not let a long day at the office sitting in front of the computer or a fun trip beginning with a long flight or car ride lead to deadly deep vein thrombosis.

References:

Goldhaber SZ, American Public Health Association, Deep-vein thrombosis: Advancing awareness to protect patients lives, White Paper: Public Health Leadership Conference on Deep-Vein Thrombosis, Washington D.C., Feb. 26, 2003

Rogers Sherry, Total Wellness, Prestige Publishing, October 2005

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Rogers S.A., The High Blood Pressure Hoax, Sand Key Company, 2005, pgs. 210-215