What Can Cause Blood Vessel Gurgling in the Legs?
Blood Clot
The most predominant cause:
If you are experiencing serious medical symptoms, seek emergency treatment immediately.
- of blood vessel gurgling in the legs would be a blood clot
- which is a deep venous thrombosis
- or DVT
- in the veins located along the lower legs
- thighs
- pelvis
What happens is the blood clot ultimately creates a blockage or obstruction in the circulation of blood. This blockage or obstruction will inevitably cause a narrowing within the veins, prompting a gurgling within the area as the blood passes towards the heart. As time goes by, you may begin to experience a certain level of pain or swelling within the affected leg.
Clot Formation
While a blood clot can cause blood vessel gurgling, the clot itself rarely forms without some reason or another. Many times, it will be due to some sort of damage to the blood vessels caused by prolonged periods of sitting or bed rest, a recent surgical procedure, a trauma to a bone in the lower leg, thigh or even hip, hormone replacement therapy, use of oral contraceptives, obesity, heart problems or even child birth. The reasons for the damage to the blood vessels that prompt the clot will vary from person to person, but most people will suffer from some of the same symptoms that can indicate the issue is present.
Symptoms
DVT Symptoms in the Legs
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Most people dealing with a blood clot that is causing a "gurgle" with the blood vessel will typically experience some level of pain or swelling, as already mentioned, but may also begin to suffer other symptoms of the condition. This would include a certain amount of discoloration to the skin of the leg, varying from red to blue to white. You may also experience a change in temperature to the leg itself where the area may be warmer to the touch than other areas of the body. You may even begin to suffer from leg cramping and a change in your range of motion, in that you may notice some difficulty in bending the foot of the affected leg. All of these symptoms are a direct result in the change of blood flow, especially from a more persistent condition.
- Most people dealing with a blood clot that is causing a "gurgle" with the blood vessel will typically experience some level of pain or swelling, as already mentioned, but may also begin to suffer other symptoms of the condition.
- You may even begin to suffer from leg cramping and a change in your range of motion, in that you may notice some difficulty in bending the foot of the affected leg.
Other Issues
If left untreated, the blood clot could, according to the Mayo Clinic, eventually break off from the area of formation and travel to other areas of the body. Once a blood clot moves into the heart, it could prompt a person to suffer from a heart attack. In the case of the lungs or brain, a blood clot traveling to these areas of the body could result in a pulmonary embolism or a stroke, respectively. If you are suffering from one or more of the symptoms described above, contact your doctor for a check-up. The most effective form of treatment will be early detection.
- If left untreated, the blood clot could, according to the Mayo Clinic, eventually break off from the area of formation and travel to other areas of the body.
Related Articles
References
- American Society of Hematology. Blood Clots.
- Litvinov RI, Weisel JW. What Is the Biological and Clinical Relevance of Fibrin?. Semin Thromb Hemost. 2016;42(4):333-43. doi:10.1055/s-0036-1571342
- American Heart Association. Understand Your Risk for Excessive Blood Clotting.
- Adivitiya, Khasa YP. The evolution of recombinant thrombolytics: Current status and future directions. Bioengineered. 2017;8(4):331-358. doi:10.1080/21655979.2016.1229718
- Fields JM, Davis J, Girson L, et al. Transthoracic Echocardiography For Diagnosing Pulmonary Embolism: A Systematic Review And Meta-Analysis. J Am Soc Echocardiogr 2017; 30:714. doi:10.1016/j.echo.2017.03.004
- Gibson NS, Schellong SM, Kheir DY, et al. Safety And Sensitivity Of Two Ultrasound Strategies In Patients With Clinically Suspected Deep Venous Thrombosis: A Prospective Management Study. J Thromb Haemost 2009; 7:2035. doi:10.1111/j.1538-7836.2009.03635.x
- National Blood Clot Alliance. Signs and Symptoms of Blood Clots.
- Weitz JI, Fredenburgh JC, Eikelboom JW. A Test In Context: D-Dimer. J Am Coll Cardiol 2017; 70:2411. doi:10.1016/j.jacc.2017.09.024
Writer Bio
Based in Minneapolis, Minn., Dana Severson has been writing marketing materials for small-to-mid-sized businesses since 2005. Prior to this, Severson worked as a manager of business development for a marketing company, developing targeted marketing campaigns for Big G, Betty Crocker and Pillsbury, among others.