When you think of dangerous blood clots, like deep vein thrombosis (DVT), you usually frame it as a medical issue – something caused by being immobile for too long, like after surgery or maybe a long plane ride. And that’s true, both of those things can put a person at risk for blood clots. However, one thing a lot of people don’t know is that even a minor car accident can cause a possibly fatal blood clot, too.

The thing about internal injuries is that they’re just that – internal. Blood clots are tiny and sneaky, and when they go unchecked they can travel up to the lungs, causing what’s called a pulmonary embolism, which is a life-threatening medical emergency. Pulmonary embolisms (PEs) kill more Americans each year than breast cancer, per Harvard Health.

Car accidents can cause a whole bunch of different injuries. One of the more common injuries, however, is to the legs, whether as a driver or occupant of the damaged vehicle. Whether it’s a bruise or a break, this trauma can cause internal and external bleeding. Your blood will start clotting as a response to that injury, but if a clot breaks loose for whatever reason, you can be facing a life-threatening situation.

You should know, though, that it’s not only a blood clot that can cause a PE. Any foreign body that makes its way into the blood vessels can travel up to the lungs, like a tiny fragment of a broken bone or an air bubble. Further, if you’re seriously injured in a car accident and confined to bedrest or otherwise immobile, you also run a higher risk of developing a blood clot.

All doctors and patients should be aware of the signs and symptoms of DVT and pulmonary embolism, and be prepared to get immediate medical attention.

How do blood clots form?

Harvard Health explains that after your arteries deliver oxygen-filled blood to your legs, the veins return that blood back to the heart and lungs to receive more oxygen. Vascular surgeon Dr. Sherry Scovell details how what can happen next: “If blood in the deep leg veins doesn’t move fast enough, or if you have a condition that makes you prone to blood clots, a blood clot can develop.”

Harvard also discusses some common blood clot triggers, including:

• Being bedridden for long periods
• Sitting on plane, train, or in a car for hours
• Too little activity/sitting too much
• Blood pooling in the legs due to varicose veins
• Taking blood-clotting medications

However, an injury to the leg can also result in a blood clot. In fact, a 2008 study made waves in the medical community when researchers revealed even a simple leg injury could increase the risk of deep vein thrombosis. Previously, studies showed that only major injuries caused an increase in DVT and PE. But the 2008 study demonstrated that even muscle tears and sprains were associated with a higher risk of blood clots in both the legs and lungs.

What are the symptoms of a pulmonary embolism?

Johns Hopkins Medicine discusses pulmonary embolisms in detail, as well as the signs of DVT. They note that every person might experience symptoms differently, and that PEs can be hard to diagnose because they mimic other, less serious, diseases and conditions – even just a simple sore leg. Symptoms of a pulmonary embolism include:

• “Sudden shortness of breath (most common)
• Chest pain (usually worse with breathing)
• A feeling of anxiety
• A feeling of dizziness, lightheadedness, or fainting
• Irregular heartbeat
• Palpitations (heart racing)
• Coughing and/or coughing up blood
• Sweating
• Low blood pressure”

Signs of DVT in addition to a PE can also include pain and swelling, warmth and redness, soreness and tenderness, or discoloration in the affected leg.

If you suspect you or someone you love has a DVT or PE, don’t hesitate to get medical help immediately. These, as we mentioned a whole bunch of times earlier, can be fatal if not diagnosed and treated promptly. An untreated PE can lead to heart attack, stroke, or death.

Diagnosing and treating pulmonary embolisms after a car crash

If your doctor suspects a PE, they’ll usually start with a physical exam, ask you some questions, and perform some tests. Per Johns Hopkins, these tests can include any of the following:

• Chest X-rays
• Ventilation-perfusion scan (V/Q scan)
• Pulmonary angiogram
• Computed tomography (CT or CAT scan)
• Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI)
• Duplex ultrasound (US)
• Lab tests
• Electrocardiogram (EKG)

The quicker a PE is diagnosed, the more quickly it can be treated. There are a variety of treatments for pulmonary embolisms, depending on your medical circumstances. Typically doctors take a non-invasive or invasive route:

• Non-invasive. Anticoagulants, or blood thinners, can stop a blood clot from growing and impede new ones from growing. Warfarin and heparin are two popular anticoagulants. In extreme emergencies, patients may receive fibrinolytic IV therapy, also called “clot busters.” However, this can cause severe bleeding.
• Invasive. For more serious and urgent blood clots, patients may need surgical intervention. Doctors may place a vena cava filter in the body, which is used to keep blood clots from traveling to the lungs. Surgeons may also insert a catheter into your blood vessel to break up or dissolve the clot.

It’s also important to remember to continue all follow-up treatment and recommendations. Per Johns Hopkins: “Many people remain at risk for developing DVTs for a period after they are either discharged from the hospital. It is important that treatment to prevent DVTs continue until the risk has been resolved, usually about 3 to 6 months.”

The takeaway here

If you or a loved one are in a car accident, you should always seek medical attention for your injuries. Even if you don’t feel injured – or just think you can walk your injuries off – your body could be undergoing severe trauma. Physicians and EMTs know what to look for, so let them. And if your body is telling you something’s wrong, listen.

At Banks & Jones, our Knoxville personal injury lawyers want you to know that if you were injured in a car accident that wasn’t your fault, we can help. It’s important you secure proper financial compensation for your medical expenses, damages and losses. To schedule a consultation about your case, call our offices or fill out our contact form today.