During the Spring Festival, it is inevitable to sit for a long time in the process of returning home and traveling, and many people will have symptoms of swollen feet and sore legs after sitting for a long time, which should be alert to suffering from "economy class syndrome". Today, we invite Zhou Jianping, deputy chief physician of the Department of Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine, Ruijin Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, to popularize science for you.
Which groups of people are easy to be tricked
"Economy class syndrome" refers to sitting still in a small and limited space for a long time, slowing venous return and blood stasis in the lower extremities, resulting in deep vein thrombosis or pulmonary embolism in the lower extremities, and in severe cases, sudden death.
High-risk groups include: febrile patients, prone to hypercoagulability, coupled with long-distance travel, increased risk of thrombosis, febrile symptoms may also worsen dehydration, further increasing the risk of venous thromboembolism; Patients with chronic diseases, such as tumors, heart failure, nephrotic syndrome, etc. Others include pregnant women, long-term oral contraceptives, the elderly, and obese people.
Pay attention to abnormal signs in your body
If you have soreness or pain in the lower extremities or edema in one lower extremity after sitting for a long time, be aware that deep vein thrombosis may occur in the lower extremities.
If you suddenly have difficulty breathing, feel short of breath after a little activity, suddenly have chest pain or epigastric pain, or even hemoptysis, syncope, etc., you should be alert to the possibility of pulmonary embolism.
Once the above symptoms appear, it is important to reduce activity and seek medical attention in time to avoid the blood clot from expanding or further shedding.
Long-distance travel is about prevention
For long-distance travel, it is recommended that everyone do a few things:
Drink plenty of water. Especially in an air-conditioned environment, the most important thing is to replenish water, it is best to replenish 200 ml of water per hour to reduce blood viscosity, but avoid alcohol and drink a lot of coffee.
Move your feet. During sedentary periods, it is recommended to do 3-5 minutes of foot exercise every hour, including toe, toe and knee exercises, to promote blood return.
Be active. When taking transportation, do not just sit and sleep, you should get up and move regularly to avoid compression of the blood vessels of the lower limbs for a long time and promote venous return of the lower limbs. "Sedentary people" can choose to get up and drink a glass of water to move their legs and replenish water.
In addition, routine physical examinations can be done on weekdays, and thrombosis can be detected or prevented in time through simple blood tests and imaging tests. Through medical evaluation, people with risk factors for blood clotting can take precautions during long-distance travel, such as wearing medical compression stockings, increasing mobility, etc., and taking medication if necessary.
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Synthesized from: Healthy Shanghai 12320
Editor: Qiu Caihong.
*Please indicate that it is from the official account of Shanghai Xuhui.